GE2025: Singapore Democratic Party unveils slate to contest in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) on Sunday (Apr 13) unveiled its candidates to contest in Marsiling-Yew Tee Group Representation Constituency (GRC) for the upcoming General Election.

The candidates are SDP's organising secretary Jufri Salim, founder of alternative news site Wake Up Singapore Ariffin Sha, theatre director Alec Tok and Dr Gigene Wong.

SDP chief Chee Soon Juan introduced the candidates on Sunday after a walkabout at Marsiling Lane Market and Food Centre.

He said the party "feels very at home here", having contested in the constituency in the 2015 and 2020 General Elections. 

They lost both times to the People's Action Party (PAP), getting 31.27 per cent of the votes and 36.82 per cent respectively.

This year, they will face an unchanged PAP slate in the constituency, which will again be helmed by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Dr Chee said that Mr Wong’s candidacy in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC gave SDP’s presence there added “impetus”.

“Because he is the secretary-general of the PAP and prime minister, there is this added weight of national issues,” he said.

Mr Wong will not only have to “be answerable and appeal to” Marsiling-Yew Tee voters, but also to electors throughout Singapore, he added.

JUFRI SALIM

Jufri Salim is married to SDP's candidate in Sembawang GRC Surayah Akbar. He is a music performer and a manager at a music publishing company.

Dr Chee described Mr Jufri as "one of the stalwarts" of the SDP. He has been spotted campaigning in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC over the last few months and has not contested in previous elections.

"We understand that we are walking into the lion's den. But at SDP, we share one common thing, and that is the 'never say die' attitude," Mr Jufri told reporters.

He said the SDP wanted to improve Singaporeans' quality of life by reducing the cost of living.

The 41-year-old called for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for all essential items to be scrapped and for the GST to be reduced from 9 per cent to 7 per cent on other items.

"We also emphasise on healthy work life-balance, to maintain positive mental well-being for Singaporeans, and to prioritise Singaporeans when it comes to job security and opportunity," said Mr Jufri.

ARIFFIN SHA

Ariffin Sha, 27, was the assistant secretary-general of the Singapore People's Party (SPP) before he reportedly resigned in 2020. A legal executive, he is also the founder and administrator of Wake Up Singapore.

He has also not contested an election before this year.

"What matters particularly in the battle for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC is not just who wins, but the margin of victory. History has shown that the smaller the margin of victory, the better the policies and welfare for the people," said Mr Ariffin.

He focused on mental health issues among young people, citing a study last year that found that one in three young people in Singapore experienced severe or extremely severe symptoms of anxiety, depression or stress.

"This mental health crisis is exacerbated by the cost of living crisis that we are already going through," he said.

In August last year, Mr Ariffin was fined S$8,000 after pleading guilty to defaming KK Women's and Children's Hospital by publishing a woman's false account of a miscarriage.

Asked if this raised concerns about integrity, Dr Chee pointed to the case of former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, who resigned over an extramarital affair with fellow PAP MP Cheng Li Hui.

He said people "make mistakes all the time", and asked that they be "judged by the same standard".

"Going forward into this election, let's not get into the situation where we're just doing character assassination, personal demonisation. That's not in keeping with a mature, civilised election campaign," said Dr Chee.

OTHERS ON THE TEAM

Earlier, the four candidates greeted residents at Marsiling Lane Market and Food Centre, flanked by SDP volunteers.

Like Mr Ariffin, the other two candidates - Mr Tok and Dr Wong - have been members of other opposition parties.

“In the question of loyalty, the only thing that I find relevant in this election is the loyalty to the Republic of Singapore,” Dr Chee said when asked about the commitment of candidates who used to be from other parties.

Mr Tok ran under the SDP's banner in Bukit Panjang in the 2011 General Election, but was part of Red Dot United's (RDU) team in Jurong in the 2020 election. 

He is a theatre director and a film maker. The 60-year-old produced and directed Singapore's first Chinese musical December Rains. He also directed Twelve Storeys - Singapore's first entry to the Cannes International Film Festival.

Asked why he was running with SDP, Mr Tok said he thought of himself as a “Premier League opposition politician” and that he had done “the right thing” helping to launch RDU.

“But like a good player, I go where the next team feels that there is a need. And today, I feel that the need is here.”

He said the GST hike to 9 per cent had contributed to "Singaporeans' hardship today", and asked what it would take for the government to bring the GST down to 7 per cent.

Dr Wong, 59, is also not new to politics. She was the Progress Singapore Party's (PSP) candidate in Hong Kah North Single Member Constituency (SMC) in the 2020 election, and lost to the PAP's Dr Amy Khor.

She said in July 2022 that she had resigned as a PSP member to take care of her father, who has dementia, and to continue her studies. She holds a doctorate in international business.

Before venturing into politics, she spent 20 years working and living in China, with roles in multinational companies. She was the former CEO of Gulf Oil Yantai in China and the former CFO of Foshan Electrical and Lighting.

Asked about leaving PSP for SDP, Dr Wong said in Mandarin: "Actually, as an opposition member, we are not clearly divided into political parties. As Dr Chee said, we are Singaporeans, we are one family."

She said that in the days leading up to the announcement of her candidacy, she was taking calls from PSP members and helping them.

Dr Wong spoke about the rising cost of living, saying that Singapore was a "developed country" with world-class universities and infrastructure, as well as a highly developed financial services sector.

"Why do our people need to look forward to receiving (Community Development Council) vouchers every month?" she asked, recalling her engagement with residents.

During the walkabout, former chairman of the SPP Jose Raymond was seen speaking to Mr Ariffin and other members of the SDP. 

PAP VS SDP

Since Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC's formation in 2015, it has been a straight fight between the SDP and PAP – no other party has contested in the constituency.

Last month, Dr Chee announced that the SDP would again contest the GRC. Since then, no other opposition party has announced plans to run there.

Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC is anchored by Mr Wong. The other Members of Parliament (MPs) are Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad, North West District Mayor Alex Yam and Ms Hany Soh.

Mr Wong, who is going into his first election as leader of the PAP, said on Saturday that he does not take the contest in his constituency lightly.

Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC's boundaries remain unchanged from GE2020. It will have 119,352 voters in the upcoming election.

"NORTHERN STRATEGY"

Dr Chee has said that the SDP will embark on a "northern strategy" in the coming General Election. He will be running in Sembawang West Single Member Constituency (SMC).

Bukit Batok, which Dr Chee contested in the 2016 by-election and GE2020, has been absorbed into the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.

Party chairman Paul Tambyah will compete again in Bukit Panjang SMC, where he stood in 2020.

Last week, the SDP unveiled its candidates for Sembawang GRC: Party vice-chairman Bryan Lim Boon Heng, treasurer Surayah Akbar, deputy head of policy James Gomez, as well as members Damanhuri Abas and Alfred Tan.

Sembawang GRC likely faces a three-cornered fight, with the National Solidarity Party (NSP) also intending to run there. NSP secretary-general Spencer Ng has said his party is the "incumbent opposition" in Sembawang.

NSP contested in Sembawang GRC in the past two elections, and SDP contested in the GRC in 2006 and 2011. 

On Sunday, Dr Chee said the parties are still in talks.

"We're still in discussion, and I don't intend to pursue our discussions through the media. But as I've said before, we're always keeping our communications channel open," he said.