Ex-Senior Minister of State Lee Yi Shyan, WP MPs spar over party's stance on foreign firms

Former Singapore senior minister Lee Yi Shyan sparked controversy in a Facebook post, questioning the Workers' Party (WP) alternative economic playbook. He argued that the recent economic growth motion presented by WP MPs Kenneth Tiong and Jamus Lim lacked a coherent, consistent, and well-grounded plan. Lee claimed that Singapore's domestic market of 6 million people could never sustain the jobs and living standards its citizens aspire to, and that the country's total trade, which is more than three times its GDP, results from decades of connecting the nation to the global market.

Lee also criticized the WP for what he claimed was political opportunism, citing examples such as foreign worker numbers, the Build-to-Order (BTO) flats program, and the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He noted that the WP's approach often involves demanding more of a popular policy when it's popular while opposing it when it's unpopular. He also pointed out that the WP's stance on foreign workers, housing, and the GST changed as public opinion shifted, rather than being consistent with their original economic vision.

In response, WP MPs Tiong and Lim defended their position, stating that they had advanced the motion in good faith and were simply proposing a more equal and inclusive economy with a place for both local companies and global enterprises. They emphasized that their proposal was not about choosing between local enterprise and MNCs, but rather about supporting new local enterprises and providing them with the necessary resources and support.