At a rally held on 28 April 2025, Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Dr Chee Soon Juan accused People’s Action Party (PAP) ministers of contributing to Singapore’s widening wealth gap.
The rally, part of the General Election 2025 campaign, was held in Sembawang West SMC, where Chee is standing as a candidate.
He criticised both foreign billionaires inflating property prices and ministers residing in luxury estates.
Chee warned that a surge in high-end property acquisitions by wealthy foreigners has driven land prices higher, affecting Singapore’s broader cost of living.
“When billionaires come in by the hundreds and snap up expensive properties, they raise land prices,” Chee said.
He argued that higher land prices translate to higher housing and living costs, hurting ordinary Singaporeans.
He cited former PAP MP Inderjit Singh, who previously warned that locals risk being priced out of the private housing market due to foreign capital inflows.
Targeting Good Class Bungalows and ministerial wealth
Chee criticised the presence of PAP ministers among the “super wealthy elite,” pointing to their residence in Good Class Bungalows (GCBs), a term he ridiculed as “classless, tasteless, snobbish.”
He named Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam and Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, both of whom rent GCBs on Ridout Road.
Chee highlighted former minister Mah Bow Tan’s recent S$50 million GCB sale, and questioned the buyer of Shanmugam’s Queen Astrid estate, which was sold for S$88 million in August 2023.
The identity of the buyer remains unknown, despite TOC also asked the minister three times for clarification on who the buyer is, but received no response.
Chee emphasised that GCBs are freehold, while most citizens live in leasehold HDB flats that expire after 99 years.
“This will cause the wealth inequality to expand and ultimately to the fracturing of our society,” he said.
He noted that the average HDB flat is about 100 square metres, while Shanmugam’s former residence at 26 Ridout Road is reportedly 23,000 square metres—roughly the size of three football fields.
Linking housing inequality to moral leadership
He warned that the current trajectory could see Singaporean families struggle further while the wealthy elite continue to prosper.
According to Chee, this reflects a loss of “moral authority” among the ruling party’s leadership.
“If PAP leaders say one thing and do another… they lose the respect of the people,” he said, arguing that authentic moral leadership is essential to the country’s future.
He dismissed populist gestures such as “slick TikTok ads” or “vouchers,” saying they are no substitute for principled governance.
Rising costs, stagnant wages, and political warnings
Chee stated that everyday expenses—ranging from water to electricity—continue to rise, while wages remain stagnant for many.
He accused ministers of only engaging with the public during election periods, suggesting they disappear when real problems emerge.
“Where will they be when our bills pile up? When our families struggle to get by?” he asked.
Chee maintained that the upcoming election offers a critical opportunity for change.
Without sufficient opposition MPs, he argued, inequality would deepen and divisions within society would become more entrenched.
A call for electoral change and opposition strength
He concluded with a call to action, stating, “Wealth inequality is a serious problem in Singapore and it will get worse if we don’t elect enough opposition MPs.”
Chee urged voters not to be “fooled again,” asserting that the SDP stands ready to fight for a fairer system.
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