“That is not a reality,” said the RDU secretary-general, adding that while a bowl of wanton noodles costs S$4, those with a bigger family will have to fork out much more per meal.

“It hits people where it hurts them the most – in their pockets,” he said.  

Mr Philemon also focused on the word “divergent”, when asked about Dr Balakrishnan’s comments that were made during PAP’s Holland-Bukit Timah GRC team introduction on Tuesday. The foreign minister had commented that Mr Philemon is “frank enough to express his divergent views”. 

Mr Philemon said: “He could have said that I have different views, but he said I have divergent views. Divergent views can mean that it is not mainstream, it is an outlier, it perhaps has a negative connotation.”

He added that the views of RDU are “not divergent”, and are also “not non-mainstream”.

“It is the views of the ruling party that has made many feel uncomfortable, that has made many feel like they are second-class citizens in their own homes, that has made many feel that Singapore could be fairer,” he said.

RDU had announced earlier this month its intention to contest the GRC but said it may make way for the SDP.  

Mr Philemon reiterated on Friday that if SDP wants to field a team, the RDU will step aside to prevent a three-cornered fight, acknowledging that the SDP is more familiar with the ground.

“Opposition unity is very important,” he said. “We will consider what’s best for the voters here. Because of the familiarity, SDP will be best placed to be an option against the PAP for this constituency.”

Holland-Bukit Timah GRC has undergone minor boundary adjustments ahead of GE2025. Two new Choa Chu Kang HDB estates – Rail Green I and II @ CCK – have been reassigned to Chua Chu Kang GRC. In turn, a polling district east of Upper Bukit Timah Road has been moved from Jurong GRC to Holland-Bukit Timah.

As a result, the electorate has grown from 114,973 in 2020 to 122,891 voters in 2025.

Here are RDU’s potential candidates for the four-member Holland-Bukit Timah GRC:

FAZLI TALIP 

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