SINGAPORE: Ravi Philemon, Secretary-General of Red Dot United (RDU), has criticised the prevailing “checks-and-balances” model of opposition politics, saying it strengthens the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) grip on power while limiting space for other parties.
Speaking at the launch of RDU’s AltGovSG.Online platform on 4 September 2025, Philemon argued that the Workers’ Party (WP) had benefited from positioning itself as a “checks-and-balances party,” but warned that this strategy left little room for other opposition groups.
“Anyone else who wants to practise checks-and-balances politics will have to wait for the scraps that fall off the table of the Workers’ Party,” Philemon said.
He added that while the WP has succeeded under this approach, it has created a ceiling for wider political change.
Philemon warned that the model entrenched the PAP’s dominance.
“Checks-and-balances politics will only entrench the PAP forever and ever as a ruling party. I believe we need to move on beyond that,” he stated.
He acknowledged that some parties may be drawn to the approach for its short-term rewards, particularly the possibility of gaining seats in Parliament.
He argued that focusing solely on incremental representation risks discouraging genuine reform.
Drawing an analogy, Philemon compared RDU to Apple in its early years, a company dismissed by many in a tech landscape dominated by Microsoft. “But Steve Jobs pressed on with his idea, and eventually Apple became the biggest market leader,” he said.
He suggested RDU could play a similar role as a disruptor, describing the party as a “new broom” capable of sweeping clean and offering fresh alternatives.
“If you believe that the new broom sweeps best, then we are the new broom,” he said.
Beyond his critique of the opposition landscape, Philemon pointed to issues identified in recent Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) surveys, including cost of living, housing pressures, and job security.
He argued that the checks-and-balances model left these issues managed only with “tweaks at the edges” rather than with meaningful reforms.
“When politics is managed to keep the ruling party safe, bold solutions are slowed or blunted. Everyday Singaporeans end up paying the price, in higher costs, heavier stress, and fewer channels to demand real change,” Philemon said.
He further argued that voters, when offered only more diverse voices but not the prospect of a different government, tend to default to the PAP’s perceived competence.
“Scandals or failures seldom shake its rule, they just get absorbed,” he remarked.
While the AltGovSG.Online initiative signals RDU’s attempt to demonstrate policy depth and governance readiness, Philemon’s remarks placed a strong emphasis on reframing the role of opposition parties.
He urged a shift away from being defined by checks-and-balances politics, towards positioning themselves as viable alternatives to govern.
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