SINGAPORE - It is very unlikely that Singapore's opposition parties will form the government on July 10, said Progress Singapore Party chief Tan Cheng Bock, saying that the warning of a freak election from Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing was a ploy to scare voters.
Speaking on Friday (July 3) after making door-to-door visits in Chua Chu Kang GRC, Dr Tan said it was "very unlikely" that the opposition parties would be able to win enough seats collectively to replace the PAP.
"Don't frighten the Singaporeans, you know. You can fool people one time, but I don't think you can fool them all the time," said Dr Tan.
"(The PAP) has tried this strategy before, telling people: what happens when you wake up after polling day and find no PAP governing Singapore? But (there is) no need to worry."
During a dialogue organised by Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao on Thursday, Mr Chan said that the three largest opposition parties, the PSP, the Worker's Party (WP) and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) could possibly replace the Government after the general election.
Dr Tan said on Friday that even if that were to happen, the civil service will "always be there to look after the country".
"And even if (the alternative government) really happened, you look at us, what kind of people are we? We don't want to destroy Singapore. Every change we do... is an evolution, not a revolution," he said.
On Friday, Dr Tan also reiterated his concerns about holding an election during the Covid-19 outbreak, saying Singapore could pay a heavy price if the Government takes its eye off managing the Covid-19 outbreak "just to concentrate on politics".
"I think an overriding factor is that it is not just about jobs, jobs, jobs," said Dr Tan. "It's your life, our lives. Because once (Covid-19) is not managed well, your borders will remain shut. Then what economic activity are we talking about? What kind of jobs are you going to bring here?"
A day earlier, during his party's party political broadcast, Dr Tan similarly accused the PAP of mishandling the Covid-19 outbreak.
"Before Parliament was dissolved, you saw how the PAP government struggled to find the right answers. You saw how their boasting in January failed to prepare Singapore for the explosion of dormitory cases in April. They do not have all the answers," he said.
