The Singapore Democrats will be staging a May Day Rally on 1 May 2012 at the Speakers’ Corner. We will use the event to launch our campaign against income inequality in Singapore.
The Rally will highlight the dangers that wealth disparity pose to Singapore and layout out the party’s proposals to reduce inequality. These will include our healthcare plan that we launched recently. $CUT$
Apart from healthcare, we will also focus on the PAP’s educational and housing policies that perpetuate a system that helps the rich to get even richer while undermining the poor.
Rally speakers will also talk about the wage structure so wildly out of kilter and causing the widening chasm in Singapore. We will push even harder for our long-held position to introduce minimum wage in Singapore.
The event will take place on 1 May 2012, Tuesday (a public holiday). May Day is commemorated around the world to mark workers’ rights. In Singapore, however, workers especially those in the lower rungs and who are in the older age groups, continue to be exploited.
They have little or no rights as trade unions have been crushed by the PAP Government in the 1960s. It set up the National Trade Unions Congress (NTUC) which to this day continues to work hand-in-glove with the ruling party. The PAP controls the outfit by appointing a minister to be the NTUC’s secretary-general.
Inspite of the raging disparity in income, the NTUC continues to toe the PAP line and refuses to fight for minimum wage for workers in Singapore.
It has also been slavishly supportive of the PAP’s immigration policy. The SDP came up with the Singaporeans First policy in 2001 and has been campaigning for Singaporeans to be the first in line when it comes to employment instead of foreigners for more that 10 years now.
This has, however, been met with stony silence from the NTUC even though it is clear that the PAP’s so-called Foreign Talent policy has severely hurt Singaporeans.
Apart from our rally speeches, there will be other meaningful activities too.
“And in the tradition of the Singapore Democrats, we will have fun-filled things to do for the young and wise, family and friends to mark the occasion,” organising chairman Dr Vincent Wijeysingha said. More details will be anounced soon.
So spread the word and make a date with us on 1 May. Come and help us fight for Singaporeans First, minimum wage and a more equal Singapore. Only with your presence and support will we be able to change our nation for the better.
Event: SDP May Day Rally – Campaign Against Income Inequality
Date: 1 May 2012, Tuesday
Time: 3pm to 7pm
Place: Speakers’ Corner, Hong Lim Park