Singaporeans First

Singaporeans First
Founded 25 May 2014 (25 May 2014)
Headquarters Cashew
Ideology Centrism
Political position Centre
Colours Red & blue
Parliament
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Website
singfirst.org

Singaporeans First (SingFirst) is a political party of Singapore. It is one of the younger political parties.

History and political development

Tan Jee Say (Chinese: 陈如斯) launched Singaporeans First (SingFirst) on 25 May 2014 with other founding members.[1] On 19 August 2014, it was officially registered.[2]

On 22 March 2015, SingFirst unveiled a new 12-member Central Executive Committee (CEC) with five new faces at its inaugural dinner. Three members of the previous 10-member CEC stepped down. They were director of an education company Loke Pak Hoe who was assistant secretary-general, architect Fatimah Akhthar who was assistant treasurer and communications professional Fahmi Rais.[3]

The party's logo is a stylized adaptation of the simple heart logo Tan Jee Say used when campaigning as a Presidential candidate in the 2011 Presidential elections.

Objectives and policies

SingFirst aims to abolish Goods and Services Tax (GST) and increase social spending in Singapore.

In its manifesto for GE2015, the party states it will

- restructure the economy by making it much less dependent on cheap low-skilled foreign labour as it depresses wage levels, lowers overall productivity, sustains low skill industries and adds to over-crowding. It will review the need to give very favourable foreign worker quotas to certain industries that are highly dependent on foreign workers since this special treatment is unfair to other industries and distorts manpower policies. For example, shipyards employ 100,000 foreign workers out of a total workforce of 120,000.

- place high priority on developing local enterprises, for example, the small and medium enterprises into major regional or global firms. Grants for development capital will be provided to help them strike out into new areas especially in the high tech industry. The party has identified two sectors that are sustainable over the long term are education and healthcare. SMEs can develop their expertise in these areas. The party intends to deal with rising rental costs that have affected these businesses.

- encourage priority to the employment of Singaporeans across all sectors but particularly at PMET and senior management levels. Foreigners should only be hired where specialist skills are missing in Singaporeans. Government-linked companies should start the trend by enrolling more Singaporeans in the executive and management positions.

- review policies that put Singaporeans at a disadvantage compared to foreign personnel working in Singapore. On the national service obligation of Singapore men, the party will review the two-year national service period in light of technological progress and new organisational methods and training, so the military training period can be shortened meaningfully.

Tan Jee Say said in a televised forum on 1 September 2015 that his party did not want the government to issue 'S Passes' to foreigners.[4] Amongst the passes that the Ministry of Manpower (Singapore) issues, the S Pass allows mid-level skilled personnel to work in Singapore. Applicants need to earn at least S$2,200 a month and have the relevant qualifications and work experience.[5]

Organization and Structure

Central Executive Council

As of 22 March 2015:

Leadership

The party is led by Tan Jee Say, the party's Secretary-General. He is a scholar, former civil servant, former Presidential candidate and an Oxford alumni

Electoral performance

GE2015 was the first election for Singaporeans First. SingFirst lost 78% to 22% against the incumbent People Action’s Party (PAP) in Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC), the former constituency of Lee Kuan Yew. SingFirst also lost 79% to 21% in Jurong Group Representation Constituency (GRC), the largest margin of defeat for any party in a GRC during GE2015.[6]

Being a new political party, the SingFirst lacked definable branding and this made its performance dip. Its anti-immigration message also failed to win support from voters. A month after the election, Tan Jee Say met leaders of other minor parties to discuss the possibility of an alliance.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Spykerman, Kimberly (25 May 2014). "Tan Jee Say launches new political party". Channel NewsAsia. Singapore. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "Breaking News: SINGAPOREANS FIRST has been successfully registered as a society by the Registry of Societies".
  3. ↑ "Singaporeans First unveils CEC".
  4. ↑ Mediacorp Channel 5, Political forum GE2015, 8 pm, 1 September 2015
  5. ↑ Ministry of Manpower website
  6. ↑ http://www.eld.gov.sg/finalresults2015.html
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