WP’s Jamus Lim criticises PAP’s economic policies, calls for fresh ideas to tackle Singapore’s rising costs

At a rally held on 28 April 2025 at Yusof Ishak Secondary School, Associate Professor Jamus Lim, contesting Sengkang GRC, delivered a sharp critique of the People's Action Party’s (PAP) handling of the economy, warning that policy complacency and outdated ideas were failing Singaporeans. Assoc Prof Lim highlighted how everyday costs have surged, citing examples such as the price of a plate of char kway teow rising from S$3 to S$5, fuel bills exceeding S$100, and mounting expenses across utilities, education, and healthcare. He argued that the government's response — primarily through increasing handouts like GST vouchers, CDC vouchers, and U-Save rebates — only addressed symptoms rather than the root causes. "Such measures may be necessary in emergencies like Covid-19, but continued dependence suggests a deeper systemic problem," Assoc Prof Lim said. For businesses, he criticised the PAP's over-reliance on offering tax breaks, arguing that it cheapens Singapore’s value proposition and does little to address structural economic weaknesses. Assoc Prof Lim accused the government of fuelling inflationary pressures by raising the Goods and Services Tax (GST) during a period of global inflation and by restricting vehicle quotas, which helped drive Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices to S$150,000. He also pointed to the stubborn adherence to a land pricing formula that inflates the cost of public housing, warning that it passes land bubbles into resale HDB prices and contributes to high rents that hurt businesses and consumers alike. "High rents get passed through to everything else," Assoc Prof Lim explained. "Without acknowledging that land policy is a problem, how can the PAP solve the problem of high living costs?" Assoc Prof Lim emphasised that while global post-pandemic inflation played a role, much of Singapore’s high cost of living was a "homemade, structural problem" created by government policies.

Lim criticises PAP for creating structural issues behind Singapore’s rising living costs

While acknowledging that global post-pandemic inflation had played a role, Assoc Prof Lim stressed that much of Singapore’s high cost of living was "a homemade, structural problem demanding structural solutions." Drawing attention to public housing, he noted that the Housing and Development Board (HDB), while originally conceived in good faith to serve the nation's housing needs, had evolved into a complex balancing act between affordability, retirement returns, and ownership security. He warned, "Like any juggling act, these balls will eventually come crashing down. The competing goals are fundamentally irreconcilable." Assoc Prof Lim criticised the government’s increasing reliance on grants and subsidies for new homeowners, arguing that such measures fostered a "rentier mindset," encouraging speculation in the property market. "Speculation breeds more speculation, since sellers know the government will step in with more grants," he said, warning that such practices were unsustainable and would eventually strain public finances. He further challenged the PAP’s portrayal of their fiscal policies as prudent, questioning why reducing land prices was seen as "raiding the reserves" while maintaining high land valuations — which inflate rents and the broader cost of living — was not. On wages, Assoc Prof Lim argued that government action remained too passive. While guidelines had been issued for increasing lower-wage workers' salaries through the National Wages Council, there was insufficient support for middle-income earners and retirees, who are equally burdened by rising costs. "For the retired, the government has stubbornly refused to adjust CPF interest payments, even as retirees' nest eggs are eaten up by inflation," he noted. "The government needs to show stronger leadership and ensure that overdue income adjustments happen sooner rather than later." Assoc Prof Lim painted a picture of a government stuck in the past, declaring, "The decades of parliamentary supermajority enjoyed by the PAP have bred policy complacency, intellectual stagnation, and unimaginative thinking. This is no longer your father’s or grandfather’s PAP."

Lim warns against one-party dominance, urges for diverse voices to champion fresh ideas

Warning against a Parliament dominated by a single party, he cautioned that it risked groupthink and a growing disconnect from everyday Singaporeans. "If we blindly unite behind the PAP, we will be trapped with the same old ideas for problems that demand new solutions." He rejected fears that political diversity would destabilise Singapore, arguing that the real threat lay in "only one way of thinking and looking at the world," which would "mean disaster for the future of our country." Assoc Prof Lim called on Singaporeans to strengthen democracy by voting for alternative voices in Parliament. "The Workers’ Party believes in a united Singapore. But unity does not mean blind allegiance to the PAP." He assured voters that the WP was committed to listening, learning, and empathising with the people's struggles, not merely rubber-stamping government decisions. Polling day is set for Saturday, with the Workers' Party framing the election as a critical opportunity to demand greater accountability, innovation, and fairness in governance.