Your No-BS Guide to the 2025 Singapore Election Manifestos

The PAP manifesto talks about "A Dynamic Economy – Opportunities For All" and "More Pathways – More Fulfilled Dreams" but is light on specific policy changes. They've previously emphasized the Progressive Wage Model rather than a minimum wage and maintained the current foreign worker policy framework with incremental adjustments.

WP proposes a National Minimum Wage of $1,600 for full-time work (pro-rated for part-time). They want redundancy insurance for all local workers with 40% salary replacement for up to 6 months and propose mandatory retrenchment benefits. WP also suggests tying Employment Pass renewals to skills transfer to locals.

PSP proposes a $2,250 Minimum Living Wage (providing $1,800 take-home after CPF). They want to strengthen the Fair Consideration Framework, implement EP quotas per company (with higher quotas for SMEs), introduce a $1,200 monthly EP levy, and increase the EP qualifying salary to $10,000. They also call for reducing the work week from 44 to 40 hours.

SDP believes the Progressive Wage Model is a "good start" but doesn't cover all workers. They propose a national minimum wage and retrenchment insurance through CPF. They specifically target the technology sector, calling for "weaning our economy off its addiction to multinational corporations" and leveling the playing field for local SMEs.

RDU's "Citizens Dividend" would provide financial support during job transitions and underemployment. They also prioritize fair wages with a "citizens-first" hiring policy and want to support SMEs with fairer procurement practices, tackling late payments, moderating rents, and making grants more accessible.

SPP proposes offering tax breaks to businesses prioritizing Singaporean PMETs and enforcing higher local hiring quotas with a raised Local Qualifying Salary. They want to codify TAFEP guidelines into law, mandating fair hiring and retrenchment benefits, and propose abolishing the statutory retirement age of 63.

NSP is calling for firms to demonstrate that skills sought in foreign workers aren't available among Singaporeans. They advocate for mandatory NS for new male citizens aged 16-40 (minimum 6 months) and suggest expanding financial aid and nutrition support for early childhood education.

The PAP manifesto mentions "Affordable Healthcare – Better Health" but doesn't outline major changes to the current system. They've previously rolled out Healthier SG focused on preventive care and maintained the current 3Ms framework (MediSave, MediShield Life, MediFund) with periodic enhancements.

WP proposes removing MediSave caps for over-60s to let them use their MediSave for all medical expenses not covered by other schemes. They want additional MediSave top-ups for persons with disabilities and suggest creating a National Cancer Care Appeals Board to improve access to complex cancer treatments.

PSP proposes that the government should pay the MediShield Life and CareShield Life premiums for all Singaporeans. They also suggest a $3,000 cash gift for every mother upon childbirth to defray confinement costs and want to centralize drug procurement for public and private facilities to lower costs.

SDP proposes a complete overhaul with a "simple national health insurance system" replacing the current 3Ms. They suggest maternal and pediatric services should be "largely free" to address falling birth rates. They also propose a single-payer universal healthcare system and believe the healthcare cluster system "needs to be abandoned" in favor of a unified public sector.

RDU wants to redesign MediSave to function as a supplementary fund rather than the primary means of financing medical costs. They don't provide specific details on the mechanism, but emphasize it as part of their "Caring Healthcare" pillar.

SPP proposes subsidizing telehealth consultations for elderly and low-income groups. They want to raise MediSave withdrawal limits to $1,200 annually for preventive and mental health care, cap out-of-pocket costs for elder care with a universal scheme, and integrate mental health professionals into polyclinics.

NSP proposes a $10 cap on GP visits at community clinics for all Singaporeans under a "CareNear" initiative, though details on funding this program aren't specified in their manifesto

The PAP manifesto mentions "For Seniors – Financial Security And Peace Of Mind" and "For Every Singaporean – The Support That You Need" but doesn't detail specific new policies. They've previously emphasized the current CPF framework with targeted assistance schemes for vulnerable groups rather than universal benefits.

WP calls for the abolition of the statutory retirement age to enable older workers to continue working if they choose. They propose CPF reforms including allowing members to co-invest with GIC, introducing a special GIC dividend for CPF members, reviewing the OA interest rate formula, and permanently delinking the HDB loan rate from the CPF OA rate.

PSP wants to simplify the existing support scheme system to a few national schemes. They propose a $1,250 monthly government-paid allowance (including CPF) for full-time caregivers of children under 7, doubling Silver Support payouts, and ensuring full utilization of Pioneer and Merdeka Generation Funds.

SDP proposes abolishing the CPF minimum sum scheme, which they describe as "not only impractical but also immoral." They advocate for a broader Silver Support Scheme assisting 80% of low-income elderly with $500 monthly, funded from interest income on reserve investments. They also support retrenchment insurance via CPF.

RDU's flagship "Citizens Dividend" is positioned as a universal safety net. While light on specifics, they estimate it would cost $2-4 billion and emphasize it wouldn't "drain the reserves" but would be funded from budget surpluses and tax policy changes.

SPP proposes abolishing the statutory retirement age of 63 and offering tax incentives for companies hiring seniors past 70 who choose to keep working. They also suggest offering five days of paid parent-care leave and subsidizing elder-friendly housing and retirement villages.

NSP proposes a "NextGen Singapore youth leadership fellowship" to support young Singaporeans in policy development, but their manifesto doesn't detail specific retirement or elderly support policies

The PAP manifesto doesn't outline specific new education reforms. They've previously emphasized strengthening skills-based education and reducing emphasis on academic results, but have maintained core structural elements like streaming and the PSLE.

WP proposes capping all primary and secondary class sizes at 23 students (current average is 33-40). They suggest a 10-year through-train program as an alternative to taking the PSLE, later school start times, and centralising tuition support for low-income students. They also want to equalise SPED school fees with mainstream schools

PSP wants to pilot a 10-year through-train program where PSLE is optional. They call for allowing a range of school sizes rather than closing small schools, reducing class sizes, and expanding non-academic pathways to university admission through the WSQ program.

SDP proposes nationalising preschools, scrapping the PSLE entirely, reducing class sizes to 20 students maximum, and introducing a Dedicated-Teacher System where one teacher follows a class for three years. They also want to eliminate all forms of school ranking and provide interest-free university loans.

RDU's manifesto highlights educational reform but doesn't provide specific policy details in the available information.

SPP calls for reducing class sizes for more personalized education and shifting to AI mastery and skills-based reasoning with less exam pressure. They want to expand mental health resources in schools and allow CPF use for overseas tertiary education (with safeguards). They also support lowering the voting age to 18.

NSP advocates nationalising early childhood education to ensure universal affordability and expanding financial aid at preschool and primary levels. They don't specify reforms to the primary and secondary education systems in their available materials.

The PAP hasn't outlined specific new transport policies in their manifesto. They've previously emphasised system expansion and reliability improvements while maintaining the current COE system with periodic adjustments.

WP proposes establishing a National Transport Corporation (NTC) – a publicly-owned, non-profit entity to run MRT, LRT, and trunk bus services. They want to overhaul the COE system by reducing volatility and categorising motorcycle COEs by engine capacity. They also propose free off-peak public transport for seniors and persons with disabilities.

PSP's manifesto doesn't highlight specific transport policies in the available information.

SDP wants a "stronger shift to renewable energy through innovation funding and higher fossil fuel taxes" with "improved support for EV adoption, especially among taxis and buses." They haven't outlined specific public transport fare policies in the available information.

RDU's manifesto doesn't highlight specific transport policies in the available information.

SPP calls for heavy investment in MRT maintenance to ensure reliability and prevent major disruptions. They advocate for higher travel subsidies for low-income families and Silver Support recipients, and want to expedite full bus electrification from 2040 to 2033.

NSP proposes a "Public Transport Rebate+" to expand distance-based fare discounts for seniors, students, and low-income riders. They aim to move toward providing free transport for seniors, persons with disabilities, and children up to 16 years old

The PAP manifesto talks about "A More United Team – A Stronger Singapore" but doesn't propose structural changes to the current system. They emphasize team renewal and maintaining current governance frameworks.

WP proposes lowering the voting age to 18, abolishing GRCs in favour of SMCs, abolishing the NCMP and NMP schemes, establishing an Ombudsman with corrective action powers, and enacting a Freedom of Information Act. They also want to set up Parliamentary Select Committees for ministries and a non-partisan Parliamentary Budget Office.

PSP wants to reform ministerial salaries by benchmarking them to median citizen income instead of the top earners. They call for public asset declarations by all MPs, more accountability from Temasek and GIC (with salary disclosures), enacting a Freedom of Information Act, and reforming POFMA to give judiciary power over "fake news" determinations.

SDP calls for establishing a Freedom of Information Act and removing race identification from NRICs. They believe current laws like POFMA and POHA have been "used to stifle dissent and silence independent voices" and argue Singapore "cannot thrive as a knowledge-based economy if it restricts critical thinking."

RDU also supports passing a Freedom of Information Act to empower citizens with access to information. Their manifesto argues the current system places an "undue burden on consumers" and calls for more accountability and transparency.

SPP calls for amending the Constitution to allow proportional representation for smaller parties in Parliament. They want a Freedom of Information law, easing of defamation laws to encourage open discussion, fixed election dates, and an independent elections commission separate from the Prime Minister's office.

NSP advocates for establishing a Freedom of Information Act and a standard elections system with fixed dates. They aim to introduce mandatory youth representation in national advisory councils and establish a system to monitor and protect urban nature areas