Unemployment Support: A Longstanding Debate

The Workers' Party (WP) has been advocating for unemployment insurance in their manifestos spanning 2006, 2011, and 2020. However, the People's Action Party (PAP) counters these claims by highlighting that discussions on unemployment insurance date back to 1961, when Labour Minister Inche Ahmad Ibrahim first proposed such a scheme with backing from trade unions.

Over the years, multiple PAP MPs have brought up the need for enhanced support measures for the unemployed. For instance, Amy Khor raised this issue in 2003, and Lim Wee Kiak emphasized further assistance for jobless Singaporeans in 2008. More recently, NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Patrick Tay advocated for transitionary unemployment insurance in 2021, particularly focusing on mid-career professionals.

Championing Flexible Work Arrangements

In its 2015 manifesto, the WP suggested that companies with over 20 employees should be required to consider flexible work arrangement requests. The PAP, however, points to earlier initiatives, such as Ho Geok Choo's 2004 call for a four-day work week and various statements from different MPs encouraging flexible arrangements. Notably, Louis Ng even pushed for legislation to support work-from-home options in 2020.

Shared Parental Leave: An Ongoing Discussion

The WP's 2020 manifesto proposed a government-funded shared parental leave scheme of 24 weeks. Likewise, the PAP has been addressing parental leave for years, beginning with MP Lee Bee Wah’s advocacy for paternity leave in 2008. The 2010 call to adopt the Swedish model for extended paternity leave further illustrates that these discussions have been ongoing. Recent pleas from MPs like Desmond Choo and Louis Ng emphasize the need for incentivizing fathers to take their parental leave.

In summary, while the WP has spotlighted various social policies, the PAP argues that many of these initiatives have been part of the national conversation for decades. This highlights the complexity of policymaking in Singapore and raises questions about the originality of proposed ideas.