Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh has dismissed talk of the three biggest opposition parties coming together and forming a government to replace the People's Action Party (PAP).
He said such a prospect - put forward by Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing at a Mandarin dialogue last Thursday - is not realistic.
"It took 16 years after our Independence for the opposition to win even one elected seat, and 23 years after 1988, when the GRC system was introduced, for the opposition to win one GRC," pointed out Mr Singh, referring to WP's Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam winning the Anson seat in the 1981 by-election and his team's victory in Aljunied GRC in 2011.
"So let's put this fear-mongering in perspective, and I hope that the historical look back is helpful in terms of how realistic this prospect that (Mr Chan) thinks is possible. I don't think it is possible at all."
He said his party will play a constructive role in Parliament and not needle the PAP, as he acknowledged the difficult task ahead for the Government in creating jobs.
He said yesterday that the issue of jobs is even more sensitive now for many Singaporeans, who are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Rather than challenge the PAP on that, because they have got a very difficult job in that regard - and they are going to form the Government - I think our role as the opposition is to make sure that when we represent the people in Parliament, we are bringing their voices into Parliament on that front," he said.
"Our goal is not to go there and needle the PAP. We want good outcomes for Singapore."
Mr Singh was speaking on the sidelines of a walkabout at the Marine Terrace Market, where he was joined by the five-member WP team for Marine Parade GRC. Also present was WP chair Sylvia Lim.
On the 10 million population debate, Mr Singh said he had commented earlier when asked by the media and did not opportunistically jump into the fray, as suggested in the PAP's statement last Friday.
He noted: "When we deal with public discourse, I think it is very helpful, in fact, critical, that we all deal with objective information."
He said that earlier this year, he had asked in Parliament when a review of the Government's 2013 Population White Paper would take place. That was in response to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's comments in 2013 that there would be a review of plans in the paper closer to this year.
But Mr Singh was told the review had already been done in 2018, during the Committee of Supply debate when current Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said the population would be significantly below 6.9 million in 2030.
He said it would be helpful if the Government could share with the public its thinking and "what is its way forward".
The team contesting Marine Parade GRC is helmed by second-time candidate Ron Tan, 35, who contested in Nee Soon GRC in the 2015 election.
His running mates are WP veteran and former Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong, 55, as well as new faces Fadli Fawzi, 39, Nathaniel Koh, 36, and Azhar Abdul Latip, 34. Mr Yee is the only member to have contested in the GRC before.
The WP team there is up against a PAP slate comprising Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, Senior Minister of State for Law and Health Edwin Tong, three-term MP Seah Kian Peng, as well as new faces Tan See Leng and Mohd Fahmi Aliman.
During the walkabout yesterday, the WP team distributed fliers to residents.
They also chatted and exchanged fist bumps with Dr Tan See Leng and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, who were also at the market.
On whether the team stood a greater chance of winning now that ESM Goh is not running, Mr Singh said: "I would never speculate about chances. But I always tell our candidates, 'Look, anything worthwhile is going to take your best efforts and if you are not prepared to work hard, you shouldn't be here'. They have committed to do their best, and I will leave it to them to drive the campaign in Marine Parade."
