Two of Singapore Democratic Party's (SDP) rally speakers alleged Ong Ye Kung neglected caregivers and mental health issues in his time as Minister for Health. Speaking first on Sunday (April 27), Sembawang GRC candidate James Gomez said that Ong is «underperforming» in his role. «Walk around our neighbourhoods... More elderly citizens [are] navigating coffee shops, supermarkets, void decks, walkways and traffic lights... [on] mobility devices, wheelchairs, walking aids, often accompanied by caregivers,» he said, adding that many of them are not professional caregivers, but younger family members. Dr Gomez continued that Ong has failed to put in place a multi-faceted support mechanism for caregivers, saying: «Singaporeans are already stretched thin — balancing careers, raising children and now caring for our seniors. »And they are doing it mostly alone, unpaid, while coping with tremendous internal family stress. «This is a crisis... taking place in the face of an unresponsive, underperforming Health Minister Ong Ye Kung. He has held this position for nearly four years, since May 2021, and still underperforming,» he added.

Jalan Kayu SMC People's Action Party (PAP) candidate Ng Chee Meng has said that he will learn from the feedback from the Allianz-Income saga and do better. He addressed the matter during the party's rally at Fern Green Primary School on Sunday (April 27) evening. Ng said that in the course of his work in NTUC Enterprise, «problems do crop up time to time», such as the Income-Allianz deal in 2024. «The proposed deal was done in good faith and was in compliance with legal and MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore) regulations,» he recalled in his speech. «We thought in the labour movement that it was a reasonable deal.» Ng explained that at the time, Income's market share in Singapore had dropped from 20 per cent to six per cent over 10 years, and there was a «real threat to the sustainability of Income, especially in moments of crisis». «The proposed deal could strengthen Income and, most importantly, protect the interests of Incomes policy holders,» he said, adding that a stronger Income would enable NTUC to pursue social missions in wider spaces besides insurance.

The People's Action Party (PAP)'s policies on housing, immigration, and the recent GST hike were scrutinised on Sunday (April 27) evening as it sparred with four other opposition parties in a live roundtable. The 90-minute broadcast featured Chee Hong Tat from the incumbent PAP, Michael Thng from the Workers' Party (WP), Ravi Philemon from Red Dot United (RDU), Lim Tean from People's Alliance for Reform (PAR) and Stephanie Tan from the Progress Singapore Party (PSP). On taxes, Lim said there was «absolutely no need» to raise the goods and services tax (GST) from seven per cent to nine per cent. He pointed out that the Government had enjoyed Budget surpluses, especially during the 2024 financial year when it was $6.4 billion. «That's a lot of money to finance free healthcare, education and school meals,» said Lim, who is facing a three-way contest for Potong Pasir SMC in the General Election. The PAR chief called for GST to be exempted on necessities such as food, groceries and healthcare.

Andre Low, the Workers' Party's (WP) new face, said he and his opponent Ng Chee Meng from the People's Action Party (PAP) — who are contesting for Jalan Kayu SMC — represent «two very different kinds of candidates». Speaking to the media during a doorstop interview at Fernvale Hawker Centre on Sunday (April 27) with party secretary-general Pritam Singh and party chair Sylvia Lim, Low, 34, said he hopes residents from the constituency will «put their trust» in WP. «We (him and Ng) are over 20 years apart in age. He is a scholar and a general. He's reached the very top of the military career pathway, and I spent my entire career in the private sector through many different roles... »I feel like it's time for Jalan Kayu residents to make a choice if they want a different kind of parliamentarian — someone fresh, someone energetic, someone with new ideas.«  When asked about the challenges he is facing for the contest, Low told AsiaOne: »I don't think this is a challenge per se, but I still see myself as the underdog here. Mr Ng comes with a star-studded CV.

Six rallies are scheduled for Monday (April 28). The parties involved are the People's Action Party (PAP), Workers' Party (WP) and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP).  PAP will be holding its first lunchtime rally from 12pm to 3pm at the promenade area beside UOB Plaza for Jalan Besar GRC. The remaining five rallies will be held from 7pm to 10pm.  PAP will stage three evening rallies: one for Jurong Central SMC at Jurong Stadium, another for Pasir Ris-Changi GRC at Bedok Stadium, and one for Sembawang GRC at the area beside Sun Plaza. SDP's rally for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC will be held at Woodlands Stadium, while WP will hold its rally for Punggol GRC at Yusof Ishak Secondary School.

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. 

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.»