Mr. Lim Thian knocks on the door of Potong Pasir to start talks with residents about raising GST

SINGAPORE — Pothong Pasir SMC, previously well associated with opposition figure and former parliamentarian Chiam Si Tung, has since won a constituency in the 2011 Singapore general election, and has since become a member of the People’s Action Party. Cito Yi Ping holds the position. Attempts by the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) to reclaim the seat in subsequent elections proved fruitless, with Citot successfully defending his seat against Lina Chiam and Jose Raymond in 2015 and 2020, respectively.

However, the SPP needs to step up its engagement efforts to regain public confidence in the next general election. This is crucial as another opposition party, the People’s Voice (PV), has recently been active on the ground. Led by leader Lim Tian, ​​PV spent the weekend interacting with some of the longtime residents of the area.

“A female resident who has lived in Potong Pasir for 40 years was so furious when we told her that her parliamentarian was an avid supporter of raising the GST, she said she was going to meet him at a meet and greet. He said, listen to him!” Lim posted on his Facebook page after visiting the Potong Pasir SMC.

Lim said residents supported PV’s idea of ​​eliminating GST on essential items such as food, medicines and books, adding that this would significantly reduce the cost of living. PV leaders also shared that many residents are currently facing financial hardship due to the high cost of living and that this situation is expected to continue for the foreseeable future despite the government’s strong economic claims. .

“We told them that high inflation was likely to persist for the foreseeable future and would certainly not abate in the next year or two. We will not be like the PAPs who spin fairy tales to tell the world how great the economy is for Singaporeans. People are seeing friends and family suffer from unbearable living costs and many are laid off,” Lim said.

Lim Thian also said that during these difficult times, strong steps should be taken to control rising costs and, if necessary, to eradicate predatory commercial practices that only exacerbate the suffering of the people. He said it was the government’s responsibility.

Earlier this year, GST was increased from 7% to 8%, with a further increase to 9% from 1 January 2024. The Ministry of Finance said the GST hike is aimed at supporting public spending that benefits Singaporeans. Providing better healthcare, education, security, and more.

To mitigate the impact of the GST hike, the government has absorbed GST on publicly subsidized health care and education, and also introduced a GST voucher scheme to help low- and middle-income Singaporeans offset their expenses.

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