GE2025: Ong Ye Kung took co-driver analogy too far, distorting constructive opposition idea, says Chee Soon Juan

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SINGAPORE - Health Minister Ong Ye Kung should take a good look at the 10 alternative policy papers on topics from healthcare to housing and the economy that the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has put up before criticising the opposition, said its party chief Chee Soon Juan.

Dr Chee was speaking on the sidelines of a walkabout at Woodlands Mart on May 1, when asked for his response to

Mr Ong’s comments that a stronger opposition presence

in Parliament could lead to paralysis in the Government. 

Citing the analogy of the opposition as co-driver which was first used in 2011, Mr Ong said at a rally on April 30 that if the co-driver also wanted to steer the car along with the ruling party in the driver’s seat, this might result in a crash.

He also said that instead of having a strong opposition, a strong PAP government with a constructive opposition as a check and balance would be more effective. 

Dr Chee said the minister, who is leading the PAP team contesting Sembawang GRC, was taking the analogy too far, and distorting and misrepresenting the idea of a constructive opposition. 

He added that “it was very disappointing” that Mr Ong would say things that are “patently untrue (when) constructive opposition is what we are talking about all this time”.

He urged Singaporeans to vote into Parliament a meaningful opposition that can “hold the Government’s feet to the fire” and not let up until it starts getting more responsive, and tells the people how it is going to lower the cost of living and addresses issues like under-employment. 

Dr Chee added: “There is no point… in these nine days, when you come and make yourself seen and heard at the hawker centre, and just go through the motions of having a bowl of noodles. And then after the election, you disappear again, and the people are left with this high cost of living.” 

He proposed removing the goods and services tax (GST) from basic necessities such as food, medication and education supplies, while raising it to 13 per cent or 14 per cent for luxury goods to compensate for the loss in revenue. 

At the Fullerton rally on April 28,

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong noted that foreigners, tourists and higher-income families pay the entire GST of 9 per cent, while permanent GST vouchers ensure that the lower- and middle-income Singaporeans pay less than the headline GST rate. 

This, Dr Chee said, reinforces the SDP’s point on further raising the GST on luxury goods. 

“If you increase the GST for luxury items – Gucci handbags, Bentleys and Rolex watches – they can still afford it. I don’t think they will have a problem,” he added. 

He cautioned that Singapore’s income disparity is going to widen if further support is not given to those earning $1,300 to $1,500 a month. 

“Even those people who are making tons of money right now, (when) you destabilise society, you test society with this widening gap, you are looking for trouble.” 

Dr Chee also responded to the criticism levelled against the SDP’s healthcare proposals by Mr Ong at the April 30 rally for Sembawang West SMC, where Dr Chee is contesting against the PAP’s Ms Poh Li San. 

Mr Ong questioned the viability of the SDP’s healthcare proposal on switching to a national health insurance “single payer” system for hospital bills. 

Today, a hospital bill is paid in three parts – namely a government subsidy, a health insurance claim through MediShield Life, and then MediSave. Switching to SDP’s proposal would lead to “super high” insurance premiums, Mr Ong said. 

In response, Dr Chee said the 3Ms – MediSave, MediShield Life and MediFund – are very hard to administer, and should be streamlined. 

The SDP is also contesting Sembawang GRC, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC and Bukit Panjang SMC.

While the SDP chief is new to Sembawang West SMC, he said he and his team have been doing the legwork over the past nine days to “make sure residents know them and their message”. 

Dr Chee and Ms Poh were both at the Woodlands Mart foodcourt to interact with residents on the morning of May 1, but kept a distance from each other. 

At the foodcourt, several people approached Dr Chee for wefies and to sign his books. 

He reiterated that if elected, he would conduct town hall meetings to listen to residents’ concerns, in addition to holding Meet-the-People Sessions. 

He said: “I do worry that with the present set of PAP folks, we are not going to get very far if we keep continuing to do the same thing over and over again, have the same few people sitting in the Cabinet, and then not have meaningful opposition.”