Good evening, my friends and neighbours.
各位朋友，各位邻居，晚上好。
(Punggol joke)
Last week, I stood before you as a stranger. Tonight, I hope you see me as someone who understands your concerns, shares your hopes, and is ready to fight for our community.
I’ve spent many hours walking the ground for the past two years. 我看到了你们的困难，也感受到了你们的期望。(I’ve seen your struggles and felt your hopes.)
And what I’ve heard is clear.
The affordability crisis #
“东西太贵了！”
“Everything is so expensive now!”
This sentiment echoes in almost every conversation. At the kopitiam. At the hawker centre. From retirees, working adults, and young couples alike.
Let’s be frank. Singapore is becoming unaffordable for ordinary people.
现在的新加坡，物价越来越高，日子越来越难过。新加坡人的生活负担越来越重。买菜，电费，水费，坐巴士地铁，看医生 — 这些基本生活开销都在上涨。(In today’s Singapore, prices keep rising, and life is getting harder. The burden on ordinary people is too heavy. Groceries, electricity and water bills, bus and MRT fares, seeing the doctor—all these basic living expenses are increasing.)
You know what frustrates me? When I hear the Ministries tell us that the inflation rate is falling.
The reality feels different. A family visiting the supermarket sees their grocery bill climbing month after month.
A retiree cuts back on small joys they once took for granted. 辛苦了一辈子的长辈退休后应该过上更舒服的生活。(Our elders who have worked hard for their whole lives deserve to retire in comfort.)
This isn’t just about statistics. This is about dignity. This is about whether Singaporeans can afford a decent standard of living in our own country.
Our approach to affordability #
The Workers’ Party has consistently opposed the GST hike. Not because we’re against taxes—we aren’t. But because GST hits lower and middle-income households hardest.
尤其是对低收入家庭而言，每一毛、每一块钱都很重要。(Especially for low-income families, every dollar, every cent counts.)
That 2% increase might seem trivial to those in ivory towers. But for many, it’s the difference between comfort and anxiety.
We propose exempting essential items from GST. Basic food items. Utilities. Medicines. Textbooks and school supplies.
We want tiered pricing for utilities. Lower consumption means lower rates. This benefits smaller households, seniors, and those who conserve resources.
Why should ordinary families bear the same rates as those in GCBs and Black & Whites with wine cellars, home lifts, and multiple air-cons running 24/7? 这公平吗？这合理吗？
Housing that’s truly affordable and accessible #
Housing remains the biggest expense for most Singaporeans. 住房是新加坡人最大的经济负担。年轻人买不起房子，怎么成家立业？怎么规划未来？ (Housing is the biggest financial burden for Singaporeans. If young people can’t afford homes, how can they start families? How can they plan for their future?)
Wait times of 4-5 years for BTO flats? When did this become the norm? When did this become acceptable? In 1989, the wait was just 2-3 years.
The government has finally admitted this is a problem. But their solution? “Recalibrating” to have “more” flats with wait times “under three years.”
Under three years? That should be the maximum, not a goal to aspire to!
The Workers’ Party will continue to push the government to bring BTO wait times back to 2-3 years. Not eventually, not gradually, but now!
We also believe 28-year-old singles should be allowed to apply for BTO flats, not just those 35 and above.
It’s not just singles. Single mothers are considered singles too. They have a family. Why shouldn’t they be able to provide a roof for their children?
Times have changed. Policies should change too.
Let me tell you about a former schoolmate. She’s single. She’s 34 this yea like me. She earns a good salary. She wants independence. But if she wants a BTO, by the time she actually has a roof over her head, she’ll be pushing 40!
Is this the Singapore we want? Where hardworking adults don’t even have the dignity of their own space? 这是我们要的新加坡吗？
An economy that works for all #
These aren’t just isolated policy proposals. They represent a fundamentally different vision for Singapore. A fresh perspective. New ideas.
The PAP believes in trickle-down prosperity. Keep the economy growing, and eventually, everyone benefits. But that’s not happening anymore, is it? Our GDP grows, but many Singaporeans feel left behind.
We believe in an economy that works for everyone. Where prosperity is measured not just by GDP, but by whether ordinary people can afford to live well.
This is why the Workers’ Party is proposing a National Minimum Wage of $1,600. A simple, universal baseline that says: if you work full-time in Singapore, you deserve a living wage.
A commitment to work #
I stand before you tonight not just with words, but with a commitment to work.
If elected, I will push relentlessly for these policies in Parliament. I will be your voice when decisions affecting your livelihoods and futures are made.
I have no doubt that my opponent is a good man. I have nothing against him personally.
But he represents a party that has allowed these problems to fester. A party that raised the GST, twice, during a cost-of-living crisis. A party that monitors, while housing prices spiral beyond reach.
My friends, on the 3rd of May, you have a choice.
You can vote for more of the same. Or you can vote for representatives who will fight for a more affordable Singapore. For a Singapore that truly supports families. For a Singapore that truly cares about its people.
我们会为你们争取更公平的政策，让每个家庭过上更舒适的生活。(We will fight for fairer policies, so that every household can live a more comfortable life.)
我是刘宇扬。我是惹兰加由的候选人。I am Andre Low Wu Yang, your Workers’ Party candidate for Jalan Kayu SMC.
Now, I want to end with this call to action.
Over the past week, a string of PAP Prime Ministers, past and present, have lined up to ask Singaporeans for a strong mandate.
I say we send them a strong message!
Vote for change. Vote for hope. Vote for the Workers’ Party!
Join us in working for Singapore!
Thank you, and good night! 谢谢大家，晚安！
