GE2025: Parties need to return to ‘core issues’ of election campaign, says Chan Chun Sing

LAST TO CLAIM CREDIT

Mr Chan was joined at the walkabout by the rest of his People’s Action Party (PAP) team for Tanjong Pagar GRC, as well as candidates from the Radin Mas and Queenstown single-seat wards.

Speaking to reporters, he also criticised certain parties for claiming credit for certain government policies.

“The argument goes something like this: Team A has done well, and because they have done well, they don’t need so many good players. Team B has not done as well, so we should reward them with more players,” Mr Chan said.

“Now I think fair-minded Singaporeans will know that there’s something not very correct with this line of argument.”

Mr Chan added that in his more than 30 years of experience in the public service – both in the military and in politics – he has always been taught that “as leaders, we must be the first to take responsibility and last to claim credit”.

“I find it rather amusing to hear some of this during the debate that displays the exact opposite of this,” he said.

He said that sometimes, when some parties did not do anything, and there is a good outcome from a policy, they claim “I contributed by not objecting”.

If there is a good outcome, and they had indeed said something, albeit different from what was done eventually, they claim that “this outcome is due to my contribution”, said Mr Chan.

“So I find it a bit puzzling,” he said, adding that it has happened during both the COVID-19 pandemic and the current global tariffs situation.

Mr Chan added that there are different rationales and details behind some of the government’s policies, for which the opposition has claimed credit.

For instance, the Progressive Wage Model has been deemed a “minimum wage”, and the Job Seeker Support Scheme a form of “unemployment insurance”.

“I think there’s a role for constructive opposition in any healthy democracy, and I think Singaporeans want to see that, but I think we should all be humble and try not to claim more than what is due,” said Mr Chan.

Earlier this month, the WP had claimed that 15 policies it had advocated for in the last term of parliament were later adopted “in some form” by the government.