‘We reject the politics of fear’: Ariffin Sha responds to Lawrence Wong’s claims
Prime Minister (PM) Lawrence Wong recently warned that voting for the opposition could severely weaken his Cabinet, and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Ariffin Sha has hit back, challenging his claims.
At a rally in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC on 28 April, Mr Ariffin denounced the PM’s remarks as “the politics of fear”, asserting that Singapore’s strength lies not in individual ministers but in its robust civil service and its people.
Source: Ariffin Sha on Facebook
“Please, do not hold Singaporeans hostage,” said the 28-year-old legal executive and founder of Wake Up Singapore. “Don’t give in to the politics of fear. But vote without fear.”
PM Wong: Losing ministers would ‘weaken Singapore’
Earlier that day, Mr Wong warned that voting for the opposition could weaken the People’s Action Party (PAP) and, by extension, Singapore’s government, especially amid ongoing global and domestic challenges.
Speaking at a lunchtime rally in the Central Business District, he emphasised the high stakes of the upcoming election, stating that losing even three to four ministers could have serious consequences.
Source: Lawrence Wong on Facebook
“A vote for the opposition is not a free vote for more alternative voices in parliament. It’s a vote to weaken the PAP team — the team that is truly working for you,” said Mr Wong.
“It will weaken me and my team . . . at a time when I have just taken over.”
He pointed out that experienced ministers like Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Gan Kim Yong are contesting in highly contested GRCs, and their potential loss, he argued, would be “immediately felt and can’t be replaced”.
Mr Wong also contended that while opposition parties push for more seats in Parliament, they show little interest in taking on the “more responsibility” necessary to navigate the challenges Singapore faces.
Source: Lawrence Wong on Facebook
Ariffin Sha: ‘Singapore is bigger than our ministers’
Later that evening, Mr Ariffin delivered a sharp rebuttal at the SDP’s Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC rally, held at Woodlands Stadium.
He accused Mr Wong of resorting to “the politics of fear”, saying: “PM Wong started saying that if you vote for the opposition, we might lose a few good ministers like DPM Gan Kim Yong.”
“What Singaporeans don’t realise is that the backbone of Singapore is our rank-and-file civil servants, not our ministers,” Mr Ariffin continued, to loud applause.
Source: Ariffin Sha on Tiktok
He stressed that the civil service keeps the country running smoothly, even when Parliament is dissolved.
“Singapore is running fine. We are bigger than our ministers,” he added.
So please, do not hold Singaporeans hostage.
‘We moved on’ from George Yeo & Ng Chee Meng, says Ariffin Sha
Mr Ariffin also reminded voters that Singapore has previously moved on from high-profile political losses — and continued to function just fine.
He pointed to former Foreign Minister George Yeo, who lost Aljunied GRC in 2011 and respected the outcome.
“He didn’t parachute in anywhere. And he didn’t go to NTUC.”
He also cited former Cabinet minister Ng Chee Meng, who lost Sengkang GRC in the 2020 General Election — yet, as he noted, “Sengkang is running fine”.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Singapore will be okay,” Mr Ariffin said. “The people will be okay.”
He also pushed back against the claim that opposition parties offer ideas without saying how to fund them.
He pointed to the SDP’s 2025 manifesto, which includes proposals on education, housing, healthcare, and economic reform — all backed by funding plans.
“So don’t ever let anyone tell you that the opposition only gives ideas and don’t tell you how to do it,” he said.
He reminded voters to ask themselves: “Can this person serve Singapore? Does this person have a good heart? And will he dedicate his full time to the constituency?”
“We Singaporeans, we don’t care about humble backgrounds, baby faces, or sob stories.”
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Featured image adapted from Ariffin Sha on Facebook and Lawrence Wong on Facebook.
