Goh Meng Seng: PPP will withdraw from Nee Soon GRC if no LGBTQ+ candidate is fielded

SINGAPORE: The Secretary-General of the People's Power Party (PPP), Goh Meng Seng, has stated that his party will withdraw from contesting in Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in the upcoming general election if the incumbent anchor minister in the constituency, K Shanmugam, announces that he will not field an LGBTQ+ activist as a candidate. During a Facebook livestream on Sunday (16 March), Goh said: “If K Shanmugam announces the next day that he is confirmed not going to field LGBTQ+ activists, and apologises to all the Christian leaders and Singaporeans for creating such anxiety and a ‘big hoo-ha’ among the Christian and Muslim communities, I will gladly withdraw my team.” He acknowledged that while his team would be disappointed, he would be willing to step aside and allow the Red Dot United (RDU) party to continue contesting in Nee Soon GRC if Shanmugam complied with his demand. His remarks come slightly over a month after the People’s Action Party (PAP) introduced lawyer Deryne Sim at a walkabout in Chong Pang Market alongside Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament (MP) K Shanmugam. Sim, a former committee member of the LGBTQ+ activist group Pink Dot, has not been officially confirmed as a candidate by the PAP. Goh expressed doubt that Shanmugam would make such a statement, suggesting that the PAP would not back down on this issue. However, he claimed the potential candidate had already become less visible following backlash from church leaders and religious communities.

PPP’s election plans and Goh’s stance on Nee Soon contest

According to a CNA report, Goh and members of the PPP were seen walking the ground at Chong Pang Market and Food Centre within the Nee Soon constituency on the morning of 16 March. Goh had previously stated that PPP intended to contest new single seats in Jalan Kayu and Tampines Changkat, along with the Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) of Ang Mo Kio, Nee Soon, and Tampines—a total of 17 seats. However, when asked if the party could field that many candidates, he acknowledged that it would be "very challenging," citing the increasing number of parties expected to contest this election. He emphasised that PPP maintains friendly relations with most political parties and expressed confidence that discussions could take place to resolve any overlaps. "As a result, I may have to disappoint some of my potential candidates, but that is actually part and parcel of the political process," he said. Ultimately, he added, the final decision on candidate selection would be made by the party's election committee.

Public criticism over PPP’s focus on LGBTQ+ issues

Earlier, on 3 March, Goh had declared that he would campaign on a pro-family platform, asserting that he would not allow the “LGBTQ+ agenda” to overshadow Singapore’s need to grow its core population. He clarified that while the PPP harbours no animosity towards LGBTQ+ individuals, he believes in taking a firm stance to safeguard Singapore’s long-term survival, given the country’s small population. Citing Singapore’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 0.97, which he described as an “existential crisis,” Goh argued that pro-family policies must be reinforced. “The family unit is the most fundamental pillar of a country; without it, the nation may just go into extinction,” he wrote. He also advocated for the Constitution to explicitly define the family unit as “a union of a biological male and female, nothing else.” Furthermore, he voiced his opposition to what he termed the “undue influence of the LGBTQ+ agenda” on young people. Goh explained that he had refrained from attending Pink Dot for many years, stating his belief that “LGBTQ+ should not be, cannot be, must not be a ‘lifestyle choice’.” Goh stated that while the PPP does not discriminate against LGBTQ+ individuals, it opposes promoting LGBTQ+ lifestyles, arguing it could harm Singapore’s sustainability. He rejected claims that Singaporeans were becoming more accepting of same-sex marriage. He criticised other parties for prioritising "pink votes" over making a firm stance. He asserted that the survival of the nation depends on maintaining the traditional family unit. However, PPP’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues had earlier drawn disappointment from netizens, with some criticising Goh for focusing on this topic instead of addressing bread-and-butter concerns such as the cost of living and taxation. Many argued that Singapore’s low fertility rate is driven by the high cost of living rather than the LGBTQ+ community.

Persistent concerns over vaccination policies

Beyond his stance on LGBTQ+ issues, Goh has also been vocal about Singapore’s COVID-19 vaccination policies. During the Facebook livestream, he reiterated his strong opposition to mandatory COVID-19 vaccination. He proposed establishing a hotline and office to collect reports from Singaporeans who believe they have suffered vaccine-related injuries but were dismissed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) or hospitals. On 22 February, PPP announced that it would withdraw from the People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR), citing strategic differences ahead of Singapore’s General Election (GE), which must be held before November this year.

Nee Soon GRC’s electoral history and upcoming contest

During the GE2020, Nee Soon GRC was contested by the opposition Progress Singapore Party (PSP) and the incumbent PAP. PAP’s team, comprising Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Louis Ng, Derrick Goh, and Carrie Tan, secured victory with 61.90% of the vote share. In the previous parliamentary elections of 2011 and 2015, Nee Soon GRC was contested by the Workers' Party (WP). For the upcoming general election, which must be held by November this year, Nee Soon GRC will have 151,634 electors—about 4,700 more than in the last election.