SPP's GE2025 Manifesto: Fair Economy & Sustainable Future

The Singapore People’s Party (SPP) has introduced its manifesto for the General Election on May 3, 2025, outlining a vision for a more equitable society. Titled “It Is Time,” the 16-page document presents nine key themes, focusing on economic stability, fair taxation, and support for lower-income groups. To combat rising living costs, SPP suggests distributing annual Budget surpluses as CDC vouchers, with enhanced aid for those earning less. The party also advocates freezing the goods and services tax (GST) until the Budget deficit exceeds 3% of revenue for three consecutive years, ensuring reserves are not unnecessarily burdened.

SPP’s manifesto addresses job insecurity by proposing a review of the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) to balance foreign labor inflows and protect local professionals. The party calls for progressive taxation, including higher income taxes for the top 2% of earners and reinstating estate duties for the ultra-wealthy. Additionally, SPP aims to reduce reliance on foreign workers in automatable sectors by gradually lowering Special and Employment Pass quotas. These measures, according to SPP secretary-general Steve Chia, aim to prioritize local employment while fostering economic growth to fund these initiatives.

Public transport reliability is a cornerstone of SPP’s plan, with proposals for significant investments in MRT maintenance to prevent disruptions, alongside a push for fully electrified public buses. The party also emphasizes social equity, suggesting policies like lowering the BTO application age for singles to 30 and relaxing HDB ethnic quotas to ensure fair market value for minority flat owners. To boost birth rates, SPP proposes framing additional children as assets, offering IVF subsidies and housing benefits for larger families. These ideas, Chia notes, are designed for parliamentary debate, with funding tied to future economic growth.