GE quick takes: MOM, Heng Swee Keat refute opposition claims

SINGAPORE will go to the polls on July 10 in an election that will see all 93 seats in 31 constituencies contested.

Here is Thursday's round-up of stories about the General Election:

WP won't be affected by retirement of a leader: Sylvia Lim

The Workers' Party (WP) will never be affected by the retirement of a leader despite the many challenges it has faced in its six-decade history, the party's chairman Sylvia Lim said in the first episode of WP's Hammer Show, which was streamed Wednesday evening.

Tan Cheng Bock will not take up NCMP seat if offered, calls scheme a ploy not to vote opposition

The expanded Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) scheme is a ploy to entice voters to not vote for the opposition, said Progress Singapore Party (PSP) chief Tan Cheng Bock during a walkabout on Thursday. He added that he would decline an NCMP seat if he was offered one, although other party members could take it up if they wished.

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I did not say Singapore should plan to increase its population to 10 million, says Heng Swee Keat

Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Thursday in a Facebook post that he did not say that Singapore should plan to increase its population to 10 million people, nor did he mention the figure. In fact, the Singapore population is likely to be significantly below 6.9 million by 2030. Mr Heng's comments come after a live debate on Wednesday night in which Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan took aim at him for "toying with the idea" of having a population of 10 million people in Singapore. 

MOM refutes PSP figure of 100,000 unemployed local PMETs in TV debate

Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Thursday said it is incorrect to say that Singapore has 100,000 local professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMET) who are out of a job. The ministry was refuting a figure cited by the Progress Singapore Party during a televised live debate on Wednesday.

During the debate, lowering unemployment, supporting local businesses and improving social mobility were among the issues tackled by representatives from the PAP and three opposition parties - the WP, PSP and SDP. 

Political debate less about direction, more on costs, trade-offs, value of elected opposition

In a televised political debate on Wednesday night among representatives from the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) and three opposition parties, the disagreements turned out to be less about substantive policy directions and more about costs, tradeoffs and the value of elected opposition members.

Parties work the ground as hustings gather speed

The first full day of campaigning on Wednesday saw most of the 192 candidates from the 11 political parties fan out across the island throughout the day to canvass support - both on the ground and in cyberspace.

For more of our Singapore GE2020 coverage, go to bt.sg/ge2020