Below is the New Year Message from the Leader of People’s Voice Lim Tean
My Fellow Singaporeans,
In a few hours, we will ring in the brand new year 2023.
The world is not in a comfortable place moving forward this decade.
The pandemic is not a thing of the past. A multi-polar world is developing but sadly our nation’s foreign policy offers us cold comfort in an era when the likelihood of conflict breaking out among the world and regional powers are great.
At the stroke of the midnight hour, Singaporeans will usher in an increase in Goods and Services Tax (GST) which will only exacerbate the cost of living pressures on many middle-income and low-income workers. The beneficiary of this increased GST is the government. It is an absurd move at a time when inflationary pressures have not subsided, and in fact, may get even worse in 2023.
Our total fertility rate is an abysmal 1.2, one of the lowest in the world. Yet the population is expanding. When Singaporeans are not even reproducing themselves, the inevitable conclusion is that the increase is overwhelmingly made up through immigration. Our immigration policy has been a total disaster for more than 2 decades and has hurt locally-born Singaporeans, economically with many Singaporeans today lamenting that they are strangers in their own country and are 2nd or 3rd class citizens.
You cannot have a Singapore identity, and you cannot build a strong nation when locally-born Singaporeans have to serve 2 years of National Service but a new citizen who is 30 and above does not have to. Such a policy not only discriminates against local Singaporeans but disadvantages them hugely in the jobs market.
The People’s Action Party (PAP) is fond of self-praise when it comes to the Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats. But the verdict amongst Singaporeans is in; the majority of Singaporeans no longer feel that property is affordable. No amount of debate in Parliament, as proposed by the PAP will change this feeling and perception.
HDB has lost its compass and its original mission of making public housing affordable. Many young Singaporeans do not believe public housing is affordable and neither do their concerned parents. Our next generation will have a future that is lesser than their parents.
HDB was once the marvel of the world, but no longer. Today, countries such as Austria can boast of a better and more affordable public housing scheme than Singapore. Almost every public housing development in Vienna is subject to the architectural competition. At least 50% of all new developments must be green spaces. The idea was to build public housing that was affordable, hygienic and beautiful. The authorities believed that the right to beauty should not just belong to the rich. Middle-class families and young professionals can afford to live in the centre and not be pushed to the periphery. Public housing has become a visitor attraction in Vienna and 60% of Austrians live in high-quality public housing.
Singaporeans must not be blinkered by the PAP and mainstream media’s narrative. It is critically important that we expand our horizons and absorb the best from all parts of the world.
On our part, Peoples Voice (PV) will always fight and speak up for the interests of Singaporeans. We are the Peoples’ Champion and We will always fight for Singaporeans to Regain Our Country, Our Dignity, Our Future!
