Dear Friends,

The National Development Ministry has been trying to milk political points by saying that HDB is making losses to keep public housing affordable.

But when pressed about the cost of building public housing, suddenly the PAP-led government refuses to give an answer, saying that it “wouldn’t be meaningful”.

Shouldn’t the meaningfulness of such information be left to Singaporeans to judge, instead of a “we can tell you but we won’t” situation?

What use is parliament if legitimate questions fielded by Singaporeans’ elected representatives can simply be brushed aside?

Then, when it suits them, the PAP throws up baseless allegations.

Such as accusing the opposition of not speaking up over the 377A issue.

The SDA has spoken up about the 377A and the record is clear here, and on our website.

Unfortunately, since our members are not ministers, we cannot issue POFMA directives, as the PAP is wont to do every time they feel the smallest loss of face.

This lack of transparency and accountability is a hallmark of the PAP-led government. They have been pulling smoke and mirror stunts for decades.

Recently, when PSP NCMP Leong Mun Wai asked about the details for the deal which the government made with Sports Hub and ST Mediaworks, he was condemned as a disruptive influence. He was simply asking for accountability over the use of $2.4bn of our tax monies.

In 2020, Workers Party MP Pritam Singh (before he became LOTO) asked about how many jobs under the government’s Industry Transformation Maps were going to Singaporeans, and how many were going to foreigners. He was ridiculed with a simple we-can-tell-you-but-what-is-the-point reply.

And who can forget the infamous reply in 1999 to then-President Ong Teng Cheong, when he asked what is the size of the national reserves which it is his duty to oversee. He, along with the rest of Singapore were never given an answer because it would supposedly take too long to count – according to the PAP-led government.

These are just some of several examples of how the PAP-led government casts aspersions on whoever opposes them, while hiding facts related to important national issues from Singaporeans.

The opposition is serving as a check and balance on behalf of Singaporeans, to make sure that the government does not run rogue.

If simple questions are so carelessly swept aside, then the next question simply would be “what do you have to hide?”

Desmond Lim
Chairman
Singapore Democratic Alliance