GE2025
Ng pointed out that there are less Labour MPs in Parliament than WP MPs.
Matthias Ang
April 28, 2025, 12:06 AM
National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Secretary-General, Ng Chee Meng, has responded to Workers' Party (WP) leader Pritam Singh questioning the presence of labour Members of Parliament (MPs) in Parliament.
Speaking at the PAP rally at Fern Green Primary School, the Jalan Kayu SMC candidate highlighted the irony of Singh's assertion that there is no difference in having fewer labour MPs in Parliament, considering his party's name.
Ng: There are less labour MPs than WP MPs in Parliament
Ng further noted that Singh had said there is no shortage of PAP labour MPs in Parliament and that voting in the two PAP NTUC candidates — himself standing in Jalan Kayu SMC and Desmond Choo in Tampines-Changkat SMC — will not make a difference.
Ng added that the WP had won 10 seats in the 2020 General Election, while there were only seven labour MPs.
He said, to cheers from the crowd:
"That's less than what the Workers' Party has. And [Singh] says, from the Workers' Party, that Singapore (does not) need labour MPs in Parliament to speak for workers.
This is coming from the Workers' Party. No need (for) workers' representation to champion workers' interests, better wages, better welfare or better work prospects."
Ng continued that "Pritam Singh said that I, as NTUC Sec-Gen, don't need to be in Parliament because there are labour MPs that are in Parliament already."
He then questioned that if this is the case, what is the need for Singh's own presence in Parliament as well, given that the WP already has Sylvia Lim and Faisal Manap, its Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson in Parliament too.
Ng: WP is engaged in destructive criticism with no concrete plans
Ng also accused the WP of criticising and tearing down the PAP "without any concrete plans or proposals to substitute."
He said:
"The Workers' Party does not have a plan for constituencies where they are not incumbents. Can you believe that? Jalan Kayu, what it means to you in bright neon headlines...is that the Workers' Party has no plans for you, the residents and voters of Jalan Kayu, at all!
They want your vote but they have no plans to build Jalan Kayu into a home that you want or desire."
"Is this the responsible opposition they claim to be?" he questioned.
Ng then touted how the PAP had been present in Jalan Kayu for the past five years and highlighted how he had been heartened by his interactions with residents.
He also said he would continue with various community projects and initiatives to ensure "no one is left behind".
Ng added:
"I want to bring the best of my skills, the richness of my experiences, to serve you, to build a better home for you in Jalan Kayu SMC, because at the heart of it all, it is not just the policies or the projects. It is you, the people, real lives, real challenges, real aspirations. We will journey along this road together with you, for you.
Top image via CNA/YouTube and Canva
