Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Dr Gigene Wong has issued two public apologies after using a racial slur to describe fellow candidate Ariffin Sha during her rally speech on Saturday (April 26). The 59-year-old referred to Ariffin as «keling», a term that is derogatory and offensive to the Indian community. In a Facebook post later that night, Dr Wong acknowledged her error, adding that she «wasn't aware of the real meaning» behind the term. The following morning, Dr Wong addressed the matter again with a second apology. She noted that her actions had «disrespected» 27-year-old Ariffin and «offended» the Indian community.

People's Power Party (PPP) secretary-general Goh Meng Seng called for medical freedom and amendments to the Infectious Diseases Act, saying that Singaporeans should not be forced to partake in medical treatments, such as vaccinations, without sufficient research backing them. Goh said this at the sidelines of a walkabout on Sunday (April 27) morning at Block 826 Tampines Street 81. He was with his Tampines GRC team which includes party chairman Derrick Sim, Peter Soh, Vere Nathan and Arbaah Haroun. During their walkabout, Goh and Sim spoke about compulsory vaccination, one of eight key points in their manifesto.  «We should not be treated as pigs or chicken, to be jabbed at the master's will,» said Goh, emphasising that human beings should have a choice instead of being forced to be vaccinated, a key issue raised during the Covid-19 pandemic where unvaccinated employees were not permitted to return to work.

People's Action Party (PAP) candidate Edward Chia has responded after he was called out by non-profit group Hamster Society Singapore over an anecdote where he bred and sold hamsters at the age of 10. This comes after the animal welfare group called him out in their Facebook post on Friday, condemning a fun fact he had shared about himself on the PAP website and in an unnamed publication.  Chia, 41, had previously shared that his entrepreneurial journey began at age 10 when he bred hamsters and sold them to pet shops at $3 each, «sparking his lifelong passion for creating value». The information had since been taken down from the PAP website. Hamster Society Singapore said in their post that unlicensed breeding and selling of pets is illegal in Singapore. Adding that his past venture is «not something to celebrate», they wrote: «Animals are not products. Whether it's hamsters, dogs, cats, rabbits, lives should never be reduced to dollar signs. Breeding without a license isn't just illegal. It's irresponsible.»

At this stage of the General Election, Singaporeans are closely tuning in to candidates' ideas — reading party manifestos, attending rallies and weighing promises.  But beyond politics, there’s also something to be said about understanding these candidates as individuals.   From porcelain dolls collection to playing the saxophone, here are some pastimes from this year’s candidates that might surprise you.  Belting it out    Who doesn't love a good singing session? But unlike many, The Workers' Party (WP) new face Jimmy Tan comes with credentials when it comes to having a mic in his hand. 

SINGAPORE — Singapore-born giant panda Le Le, who returned to China in 2024, is now living a solitary existence after getting into a brawl with one of his enclosure mates. The incident occurred on April 18, at the rotund bear's new home in the Dujiangyan Panda Base, a panda conservation centre in Chengdu, China. In a video uploaded by the conservation centre on Chinese social media platform Weibo, Le Le is seen tussling with a younger panda in the enclosure. The centre identifies the other panda as Qing Zai. The playful fight soon escalates, however, and the bears are seen throwing paws and growling aggressively at each other. In an attempt to break up the fight, zookeepers try to throw bamboo — the pandas' favourite snack — into the enclosure, but the brawling animals pay no heed. The fight eventually ends when Le Le climbs up a tree in the enclosure, taking refuge amid its branches until Qing Zai is led away by zookeepers. The two pandas have since been separated to prevent future fights, the base said on Weibo.

The People's Power Party (PPP) has expressed its support for candidate Samuel Lee, following public scrutiny over a road rage incident in 2022 for which he was convicted and served a six-week jail sentence. Lee, who is part of the PPP team contesting Ang Mo Kio GRC in the upcoming election, issued a public apology through a video posted on Facebook by PPP chief Goh Meng Seng on Saturday (April 26).  In the video, Lee bowed and acknowledged the seriousness of the incident while addressing reporters. «I knew this would come under scrutiny. It's time for me to apologise for my misunderstanding back then, and I sincerely wish [the victim] well in life moving forward » said the 34-year-old. According to Shin Min Daily News, Lee was involved in an altercation with a personal mobility device (PMD) rider on February 2, 2022, near Block 29, Toa Payoh Lorong 4, while driving his Mercedes-Benz.  He was also alleged to have driven towards the food delivery rider twice during the incident, which occurred at 1.57 pm.

The People's Action Party's (PAP) manifesto for this year's General Election is «loaded with motherhood statements», Workers' Party (WP) secretary-general Pritam Singh argued at his party's rally on Saturday (April 26). Singh attended the event alongside party chair Sylvia Lim, as well as Tampines GRC candidates Faisal Manap, Jimmy Tan, Eileen Chong, Dr Ong Lue Ping and Michael Thng at Temasek Junior College. Also present were Tampines Changkat SMC candidate Kenneth Foo and Gerald Giam, Fadli Fawzi, Kenneth Tiong, Jasper Kuan, Paris V Parameswari, Yee Jenn Jong, Sufyan Mikhail Putra and Nathaniel Koh. Singh prefaced his statement by pointing out that many voters have made comparisons between the two parties' manifestos. However, «the result is clear,» said Singh. «The PAP manifesto is short on substance and specifics.» He said the Singapore population has increased from under two million in 1965 to over six million today, that «Singapore is a far more complex society, and it will always need fresh thinking».

In what seemed to be a pointed reminder to the Workers' Party, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean said on Saturday (April 26) that the focus of this General Election (GE) should be on «real bread-and-butter» issues, as he warned against «inadvertently [inflaming] emotions among Singaporeans» over the Israel-Palestine conflict. During his speech at the People's Action Party (PAP) rally for Punggol GRC at Yusof Ishak Secondary School, Teo reiterated the Government's condemnation of the illegal use of force against innocent civilians, as well as its support for a two-state solution. «I have explained quietly and behind closed doors the issues involved to many Singaporean groups, including Malay-Muslim groups, and Singapore's principled stand on this, so that there is more understanding and we do not create friction and conflict among ourselves,» he said.

Five political parties will participate in live roundtables discussions hosted by Mediacorp on Sunday (April 27) and Tuesday (April 29). The participating parties are the People's Action Party (PAP), Workers' Party (WP), Red Dot United (RDU), People's Alliance for Reform (PAR), and Progress Singapore Party (PSP). The roundtable will air live on April 27 from 8.00pm to 9.30pm with a repeat from 10pm to 11.30pm.  The 90-minute English programme will be broadcast on meWATCH, meLISTEN, CNA, CNA938 and CNA's social media platforms. A 60-minute Mandarin version entitled «Singapore Votes 2025: The Political Forum» will also air on April 29 at 9.00pm on meWATCH and meLISTEN. It will also be available on Channel 8, CAPITAL 958, 8world.com, and 8world's social media channels. In addition, three rallies will be held on April 27 by two political parties -- PAP and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP).

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has called on leaders of all parties to make their position clear on foreign interference as well as mixing race and religion with politics in Singapore. At a press conference on Saturday (April 26), PM Wong stated that he was speaking in his capacity as Prime Minister. «I call on all political parties to make their positions clear on this matter. This is not a partisan or party matter, this is a matter of national importance,» he said. «Singaporeans may have different views about issues, but we cannot allow external actors to exploit whatever differences we may have to weaken us or to advance their own interests.» This was in reference to the statement made on Friday by the Elections Department and Ministry of Home Affairs regarding three foreigners who were trying to influence the General Election with online posts, which were eventually blocked by the Infocomm Media Development Authority.

The Asatizah Recognition Board (ARB) has responded to queries regarding religious preacher Noor Deros, in a media statement today (April 26). The ARB clarified that identifying Noor as a Singapore Islamic teacher is «inaccurate and misleading» as he has not received recognition under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) and is therefore not permitted to preach in Singapore. It added that he had applied for recognition in 2017 but was unsuccessful as he refused to comply with the ARS Code of Ethics despite being counselled by the ARB. The ARS Code of Ethics is a framework that ensures accountability and integrity among religious teachers while safeguarding Singapore's unity, peace and harmony. The board said there are currently over 5,000 qualified teachers who are authorised to teach Islam in Singapore.

Muddy grounds set the scene for the first few rallies of General Election 2025 on Thursday (April 25), including the Workers' Party (WP) rally for Sengkang GRC.  Despite the less-than-ideal conditions at Anchorvale Crescent, thousands of rally-goers showed up for the event. Some even began trudging onto the field nearly two hours before the first speaker, WP veteran and East Coast GRC candidate Yee Jenn Jong, took to the stage.   Instead of bemoaning the fact that their shoes were caked in mud, supporters appeared to embrace it as a symbol of solidarity.  In a Facebook album published by the party on April 25, they wrote: «Our shoes are #NotWhite. Show us your proud trophies!» 

Workers' Party (WP) secretary-general Pritam Singh said they had no earlier indication that the religious leader Noor Deros would attend the meeting the party had with Malay/Muslim religious leaders. Malay-language newspaper Berita Harian reported on Saturday (April 26) that Noor, who is based in Malaysia, had claimed in a series of Facebook posts that he had spoken to the Malay/Muslim candidates from WP about prioritising the rights and concerns of the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore. Noor also claimed, among other things, that he had urged WP and other election candidates to reject the normalisation of LGBTQ+ issues, take a strong stance against Israel, and recognise the state of Palestine. Speaking at a doorstop at Kovan Food Centre on Saturday, Singh said that Noor had come with a «list of demands». He said: «There is no situation of if the WP pushes forward this agenda, I would support you. I'm sorry, we don't work politics like that in Singapore, we don't work politics like that in the Workers' Party.»

People's Action Party's (PAP) former Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC leader Tan See Leng is insistent that he did not abandon the ward to move to Chua Chu Kang GRC given that it ended up as a walkover. On Nomination Day, the Minister for Manpower surprised many with his late trip to the west of Singapore. Just days prior, he had been announced as part of the PAP slate for the redrawn Marine Parade-Braddell Heights. Speaking to media today (April 26) at a walkabout in Teck Whye, Dr Tan said: «I don't think I have ever abandoned Marine Parade. »It was a walkover. It was a walkover. It was a walkover. I said it three times. «There's no abandonment here.» He added: «We had a solid team there. And the fact is that because of the initiatives, I think that the opposition has chosen to redeploy their own talents elsewhere.»

The Government would not have raised the GST rate if it had been avoidable, said Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat, in response to repeated calls from various opposition parties to lower the GST rate.  The rising cost of living has been a key area of debate this general election, with some opposition parties criticising the People's Action Party (PAP) for raising the GST rate amid global inflation. In a Facebook video uploaded on Saturday (April 26), Chee defended the GST hike, saying that it was a «difficult choice» that was carefully considered. «We studied all the options, and without it, we would not be able to fulfil our promise to take care of our seniors in an ageing society,» said Chee.

It's a straight fight once again between the People's Action Party (PAP) and Workers' Party (WP) for the opposition-held Aljunied GRC. This constituency has been a WP stronghold since 2011, with WP winning that GRC in the past three general elections. So, has the WP Aljunied GRC team found themselves in a David versus Goliath situation this time around? When asked this during a doorstop at Kovan Food Centre today (April 26), WP secretary-general Pritam Singh replied: «If you’re suggesting Goliath is the PAP; you're absolutely right. »The reality is we are the opposition party. We don't have the government firmament behind us to drive certain things. But in spite of that, the demand for a more balanced political system is real."

Progress Singapore Party (PSP) secretary-general Leong Mun Wai has refuted claims by National Development Minister Desmond Lee that the opposition party is tapping into sentiments it believes are running through the community. In a rally on Thursday (April 24), Leong and chairman Tan Cheng Bock had remarked how PAP has «lost its way», and called for a GST rollback to seven per cent in addition to exempting essential items like rice, water and milk formula from GST. Lee said that it is important to be objective as «no scheme, no policy is perfect». In response to calls for GST exemption, he said PAP wants to «make it progressive» by making sure lower- and middle-income households are supported through targeted measures.

Workers' Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh has warned that «nothing can be taken for granted» when it comes to his party's presence in Parliament. In a pre-recorded broadcast aired on Friday (April 25), Singh said that «one or even two» constituencies currently held by the WP «can easily be lost» in this General Election. He was referring to the 10 seats that the party won in GE2020, including Aljunied and Sengkang GRCs, as well as its long-held stronghold of Hougang SMC. With that, Singh, 48, said that it is «important for Singapore's democracy» for the WP to win more constituencies. «With more WP constituencies comes a higher chance that Parliament will continue to have a fully-elected democratic opposition presence for the longer term,» he said. «This will make our system stable and sustainable for the future.» WP is contesting 26 out of 97 seats across five GRCs including five GRCs — Aljunied, Sengkang, East Coast, Punggol and Tampines — and the single seats of Hougang, Tampines Changkat and Jalan Kayu.

Nine rallies are scheduled to take place on Saturday (April 26). The parties involved are the People's Power Party (PPP), Progress Singapore Party (PSP), People's Action Party (PAP), People's Alliance for Reform (PAR), Workers' Party (WP), Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), and Red Dot United (RDU). The rallies are scheduled to begin at 7pm and end at 10pm. The PAP will hold three rallies: one for Chua Chu Kang GRC at the Hard Court along Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4, another for East Coast GRC at Bedok Stadium, and one for Punggol GRC at Yusof Ishak Secondary School. PSP's rally for Bukit Gombak SMC will be held at Bukit Gombak Stadium, while SDP will hold its rally for Sembawang West SMC at Evergreen Primary School. PPP will stage its rally for Ang Mo Kio GRC at Yio Chu Kang Stadium and RDU will hold theirs for Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC at Bukit View Secondary School. Last, WP will hold its rally for Tampines GRC at Temasek Junior College. Police advisory Police said rally attendees are encouraged to take public transport as large crowds are expected at the rallies.

Vote for candidates who are of «good character», Prime Minister Lawrence Wong urged in his address to voters during the People's Action Party (PAP)'s first party political broadcast since the start of the hustings. During the broadcast on Friday (April 25), PM Wong, who is also the PAP's secretary-general, said that voters should «vote for the candidates who will put Singapore and Singaporeans ahead of everything else». «Above all, choose leaders who are upright, honest and of good character. Because in the end, more than policies, more than promises, it is character that counts,» he stated. Should the PAP win the mandate, PM Wong said, his priority lies in working with his team to unite Singaporeans, protecting livelihoods and securing the future. He explained that this would be the PAP's «collective new resolve», stating: «Every member of my team knows the weight of this responsibility. This is our promise, and our commitment, to you.»

Chia Yun Kai, the newest member of Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), is confident about his team's chances of winning the four-member Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, after getting positive feedback from residents. Chia, 32, started his one-man Most Valuable Party to contest East Coast GRC, but moved to SDA on Nomination Day (April 23). The restaurant owner told AsiaOne that he made the switch because he had «aligned values» with SDA.  He will be part of the team led by SDA chairman Desmond Lim, 58, secretary-general Abu Mohamed, 74, and communications lead Harminder Pal Singh, 53.  «The residents were quite welcoming towards us and voiced out their concerns,» said Chia during a walkabout at 443 Pasir Ris Drive 6 on Friday (April 25).  "They're also very excited to see a young face coming out to do politics, which is not common. They think we have a good chance of winning.

We’re just a few days into General Election 2025 and some candidates have already gifted us a number of memorable moments that made us laugh or blink in disbelief.  It’s going to be a light one so sit back, relax, and relive six moments in political theatre that are (unintentionally or not) hard to forget. ‘Look left, look right’  https://www.tiktok.com/@theverybigtheverybang/video/7496717391263452434?refer=embed “I look left, look right. Look left, look right for a career path. Is this request considered too high?”  

The stage is set for a four-cornered fight in Tampines GRC on May 3, with three opposition parties fielding teams to contest against the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) team. Three of the Workers' Party (WP) candidates for Tampines GRC - Faisal Manap and newcomers Dr Ong Lue Ping and Jimmy Tan - appeared on The Usual Place, a podcast by The Straits Times, on Friday (April 25) where they discussed a range of topics, including WP's decision to contest in that GRC against three others.  During a rally speech on April 24, People's Power Party (PPP) chief Goh Meng Seng said that WP contesting in Tampines is not a good strategy. He claimed: «They want to make sure Goh Meng Seng does not go into Parliament.» WP candidates respond The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah kicked off the episode by asking her guests about Goh's comments. "Everyone has the right to express their feelings and their sentiments so WP has always taken this stand that we have to agree to disagree.

Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean unexpectedly dropped by Bedok 538 Market and Food Centre today (April 25) to greet residents alongside the People's Action Party (PAP) team contesting in Aljunied GRC for the upcoming election. While all eyes were on the 70-year-old who announced his retirement from politics on April 23, one of the PAP candidates sparked curiosity among the elderly at the food centre - newcomer Dr Faisal Abdul Aziz who bears a striking resemblance to Workers' Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh. «Pritam ah?» some senior citizens were heard asking Teo when he introduced newcomer Dr Faisal to them. Teo quipped: «A fresher Pritam Singh».