The People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR), a coalition comprising the People’s Voice (PV), the Reform Party (RP), and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has officially announced it will field 14 candidates across seven constituencies in the upcoming General Election (GE2025).
Source: Lim Tean on Facebook
The party’s Secretary-General Lim Tean revealed the line-up during a walkabout on 18 Apr at Pek Kio Market.
He asserted to the press that the alliance would not retreat from constituencies it has actively worked in, and promised a hard-hitting campaign focused on the cost of living, public housing, job insecurity, and immigration.
PAR will contest the following constituencies:
Lim introduced new faces, including Vigneswari V. Ramachandran, 43, an early childhood educator, and whom Lim described as a “veteran campaigner”.
Source: Vi Diana on Facebook
“Vig first ran in 2011 as part of the Reform Party slate. And she was only 29 then,” he said.
“She knows [the Jalan Besar] area fantastically well. I wish she had been part of the Jalan Besar team with me in 2020.”
He also introduced Mahaboob Baatsha, 57, a businessman specialising in the oil and gas industry, who will be fielded in Queenstown SMC.
Source: Screenshot from Lim Tean on Facebook
Lim said that Mr Mahaboob has lived in Queenstown for more than 30 years.
He would speak up for rental flat residents and issues related to the rising cost-of-living, as those topics motivated him to make his electoral debut.
Lim defended PAR’s decision to contest in areas like Potong Pasir, Jalan Besar, and Moubatten, calling them “areas where we have spent the most time”.
“We are not trying to break into new grounds at the last minute. That is wrong,” he said, adding that newer parties should make way for those with more experience in the area.
Lim also launched a critique of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), accusing it of turning a blind eye to bread-and-butter issues.
“The PAP has no solution to the affordability of public housing,” he said, noting that HDB prices crossed S$1 million just a few years ago.
Source: Vi Diana on Facebook
“Today, we are fast approaching $2 million. Now, my fellow Singaporeans, let me ask you, do you think our children in the coming years can afford that level of public housing?”
Lim also took aim at the Goods & Services Tax (GST), calling the recent hikes something that the PAP “cannot run away from”.
Lim reiterated PAR’s stance on immigration, saying that PAP constantly created jobs for foreigners while there was job insecurity for Singaporeans.
Source: Screenshot from Lim Tean on Facebook
“It’s not xenophobic… when you want to stand up for your country, when you are patriotic,” he said.
He said that he just wanted Singaporeans to have better access to high-paying jobs and to have job priority.
The PAP can call me racist anytime. I will stand up for that situation.
He also quipped that the Ministry of Manpower should be renamed the Ministry of Foreign Manpower.
Source: Vi Diana on Facebook
Lim promised that PAR’s full manifesto would be released before Nomination Day (23 Apr), and would focus on:
“We do not play. We are not going to be overly extensive,” Lim said.
“I promise you, you are not going to have to go through many pages. 15 pages at max.”
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Featured image adapted from Lim Tean on Facebook.