TEL

Our Manifesto

Challenges to SPP

The immediate challenge before us is to make,
1. Our Party a vibrant, broad based multi-racial party in tune with the needs of Singapore.
2. Strive to make it the predominant opposition party in Singapore; and
3. Establish the two-party system in Singapore.

Tasks of the SPP

The SPP shall be used as a vehicle for nation building. Pursuant to that aim we have set ourselves the following tasks:-

1. Transform our society from a colonial, feudal past to a truly democratic society.
2. Bring about a moral and political unity and cohesiveness in our people.
3. Build a people's defense force in step with the progress of our economy.
4. Formation and encourage the growth of a new Singapore culture embracing all that is best in mankind's heritage.
5. Effect a transformation of our traditional trading economy into a modern industrial technologically advanced economy.

Democratic Socialism

Our political philosophy shall be democratic socialism. We believe in social justice and equality. We have respect for each individual, for each person is a member of the productive force of our nation capable of contributing towards its social, cultural and economic process. Under a truly democratic socialist system each citizen shall enjoy the rights of freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom of assembly and the freedom of the press.

Education

The principles we shall adopt are:

1. A truly and complete spirit of democracy in educational opportunities, a real, not formal equal opportunity to receive education for all our citizens.
2. Education must be life long and continuing process. Every opportunity shall be make available to a citizen to improve himself or herself whether in academic, technical or vocational institutions. In this respect our school system must be unified and show continuity in all stages and types of education.
3. There shall be at least 8 years schooling for every child and when the economy is further strengthen 10 years schooling shall be made compulsory for every child. There shall be no IQ tests, tests for streaming at the third year and the sixth year of a pupil's schooling. Our view is that IQ tests are subjective and do not serve any useful purpose and should not be used. Streaming of a child at an early age is educationally unsound and socially wrong. A child's mental development at that tender age is not fully developed and he must not be subjected to such humiliating tests. Such tests can do irreparable damage to a child. The harm done will manifest itself in later years by his anti-social behavior. Therefore we condemn the PAP education policy of persisting in streaming a pupil in his third and sixth year of schooling.
4. Schools shall provide broad, general curricula for it is only on such a basis can it be possible to discover and fully develop the talents and abilities of our youth. There shall be also a broad and free-choice extra-curricular subjects to satisfy more fully the individual interests of the child.
5. There shall be emphasis in the scientific approach to a student's studies. A pupil shall be encouraged to think, to reason and to work on his own. The pupil shall also be aware of production techniques in the factories and plants and to learn to work with his hands and respect the dignity of labor.
6. All government schools shall have equally high standards and children shall be encourage to attend schools nearest to their places of residences. We shall also encourage the building of more boarding schools so that children will be given a taste of community living at an early life to encourage and inculcate good social rapport between students.
7. Our education shall be aimed at producing school children who shall be:-
(i) good citizens;
(ii) physically healthy;
(iii) self-confident and determined;
(iv) alert, knowledgeable with good cultural and aesthetic tastes.
8. The curricula, the activities in the schools shall be set up to achieve an all-round development or each individual, of bringing out and encouraging each child's talent and abilities with a view to the development of the pupil's independence and initiative.
We consider that it is through education that we can really effect nation building and no effort shall be spared to build an education system that is second to none.

Defense

Singapore is a small island of about 644 square kilometers connected to the mainland of Peninsula Malaysia by a causeway of about 1½ kilometers long. Soon Singapore shall have a second link to Malaysia when the bridges joining the two countries is completed in November this year. When we are considering Singapore's defense needs we cannot divorce ourselves from taking into account our said geographical position. World War II history has shown us that a force of not more than 60,000 assault troops could march down the Peninsular Malaysia in about 2 months and capture Singapore within one week of reaching the Straits of Johore. The lesson to be learnt is that there is no such thing as the defense of our island as an isolated entity. The defense of our island republic must also take in account the defense of Peninsula Malaysia. We have to make every effort and seek and maintain at all times a close relation with our Malaysian neighbour.

We support National Service. The programme of National Service must be rationally carried out so that we can get the maximum effectiveness out of the money spent on those programmes and at the same time they shall not interfere without hinder our economic development. The budget set aside for our annual military spending shall be in step with our economic well being.
The primary aim of National Service shall be for the Defense of the Nation. We shall oppose any move to use the conscription of our youth for any other purpose. Our soldiers shall not be used for any sectional interest. Our soldiers shall not be used to coerce or suppress our own people. We must always be vigilant and not allow our military to become an arm of any political organisation. We shall build a respect for the military. The military as an institution shall have a place in our way of life, in its turn our military forces shall be an instrumental to protect and preserve our way of life.

Our stand and concern on the current issues

· We are against CPF cut, it should be last resort when all else has failed. If government insisted, it should be implemented gradually over a six month periods
· The government should not again make our workers bear the full brunt of the reviving the economy
· In raining days, black clouds, thundering and showers, we urge the government not to build mountains of surplus every years, in such economic climate, the government should stop to accumulate wealth, at the expense of our workers. We want the government to accept deficit for another two years and ease the hardship of our workers with more relief packages
· We urge the government to scrap the plan to increase the GST to 7%
· We suggest to bring down corporate tax to 18%
· We suggest that the government to give 100% tax exemption (at least three years) to new investors whom set up new factory that involve high labours intensive
· We suggest to cut our petrol tax by 50%
· We urge government to reduce cost such as lower rentals, keep land prices at an affordable rate, keep transportation, utilities, administrative, legal services and other operation costs down
· We urge government to freeze all fee hikes
· We hope the government to consider in allowing workers to use their money in CPF, especially for legitimate purposes, such as for their children's education, to pay their debts or even to start a business in this difficult economic climate

Back to previous page