SINGAPORE: The People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR) has officially announced that Dr Michael Fang will stand as its candidate for Yio Chu Kang Single Member Constituency (SMC) in the 14th General Election, scheduled for 3 May.
The declaration was made earlier on 12 April 2025, before a scheduled walkabout at Ang Mo Kio 628 Market, where Fang engaged with residents and distributed bread – a gesture he said symbolised his team’s ongoing community efforts.
Fang, a member of the Peoples Voice (PV) party and a lecturer at a private college, stated in an interview with CNA that the rising cost of living remains a pressing concern among residents.
He described the constituency as comprising both elderly citizens and younger families in their 30s and 40s.
“Basically the residents here are mixed of the elderly folk and a bit of the younger generation,” he said.
“We have been looking after their needs, listening to their concerns … because cost of living has been very high, inflation has been very high.”
He added that concerns about job security, retirement savings, and affordability of everyday expenses such as food, medical services, and transport were frequently raised by constituents.
While Fang acknowledged recent government efforts to support households amid inflation, such as the S$800 (US$600) in Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers announced by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong during the February Budget speech, he described them as “largely advised to be insufficient to help the residents”.
PAR is a political alliance comprising three opposition parties – Peoples Voice, the Reform Party, and the Democratic Progressive Party. It aims to contest several constituencies across Singapore in this election.
Yio Chu Kang SMC, which will have 25,368 registered voters, will see one of its polling districts moved to Kebun Baru SMC under electoral boundary changes for this election cycle.
In the 2020 General Election, Yip Hon Weng from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) won the seat with 60.82 per cent of the vote, defeating the Progress Singapore Party’s Kayla Low.
Singapore’s Parliament was officially dissolved on 15 April by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, with Nomination Day set for 23 April.
Fang emphasises sustained grassroots presence in contrast to PSP’s absence
Fang used a Facebook post on 28 March 2025 to highlight his consistent engagement with the ward since mid-2024.
He noted that his team has been conducting regular walkabouts and bread giveaways to maintain grassroots presence.
He contrasted this with what he claimed was the absence of ground activity from the Progress Singapore Party since its previous candidate’s resignation around 2021–2022.
“From both aspects, the legitimacy of the length of stay with us takes precedence,” Fang wrote, arguing that sustained community outreach positions his team favourably to serve the ward.
Speaking with CNA, Fang described himself as a “barometer for change”, stating: “If you see me supporting the PAP MP, which is not impossible, that means they have actually changed.
But if you see me on the other side, then the PAP hasn’t reformed that much.”
He added that his candidacy is not about opposition for opposition’s sake, but rather a push for meaningful policy shifts, saying: “We are trying to guide them on the right path.”
If elected, Fang said he plans to propose several key policy initiatives in Parliament, including lowering the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for both businesses and individuals. He also advocates for easier and cheaper access to healthcare, public transport, and food.
Fang echoes calls to lower GST and push CPF reforms amid positive ground response
Over the past week, other opposition parties such as the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) have also called for a rollback of the GST to 7 per cent.
Fang reiterated PAR’s position on CPF reforms, including opposition to the current withdrawal age and advocating for more flexible access to retirement funds.
He described resident feedback during his campaign as “very positive” and “very responsive”, expressing hope that the support would translate into votes on polling day.
“I hope that the citizens vote for us, so that we can actually go in and bring about positive changes and remove bad policies as well,” he said.
Fang previously contested in the 2020 General Election under PV in Jalan Besar GRC, running alongside PV founder Lim Tean, Leong Sze Hian, and Nor Azlan Sulaiman. The PAP retained the GRC with 65.36 per cent of the vote.
Aside from Yio Chu Kang SMC, the PAR has confirmed that it will contest other constituencies, including Potong Pasir SMC, the new SMCs of Jalan Kayu and Queenstown, as well as Kebun Baru, Marymount, Mountbatten, and Radin Mas SMCs.
It also plans to field teams in Tanjong Pagar GRC and Jalan Besar GRC, aiming to provide an alternative voice in Parliament across a broader electoral map.
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