SINGAPORE: Red Dot United (RDU) targeted Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan during the party’s second rally for the General Election on Tuesday (Apr 29), criticising his “like” on a controversial Facebook post.
The post by Former Nominated MP Calvin Cheng suggested that pro-Palestinian activists should be sent to Gaza and barred from returning to Singapore.
“The post didn’t just offend. It wounded an entire community. It hurt the very fabric that holds Singapore together,” said RDU Holland-Bukit Timah candidate Sharad Kumar, speaking at the rally held at the School of Science and Technology.
Dr Balakrishnan, the GRC’s incumbent MP and anchor minister, has said he did not “like” the post and does not share Mr Cheng’s views. His press secretary previously told CNA that Meta is investigating the matter.
“But when you are minister of the government of Singapore, your words, your actions, your silence, even your Facebook likes, all matter,” said Mr Sharad. “Leadership is not just about building structures. It’s about building trust and … trust cannot survive on ambiguity.”
RDU chairman David Foo also took aim at Dr Balakrishnan, describing him as “the face of the establishment – polished, privileged and parachuted”.
“He once said, and I quote: ‘How much do you want? Do you want three meals a day in a hawker centre, a food court or a restaurant?'” said Dr Foo, referring to a 2007 exchange where then-MP Lily Neo raised concerns about public assistance recipients needing to skip meals due to inadequate financial support.
“Let us not forget, this is the same man who once described his political opponents as incompetent and untrustworthy,” Dr Foo said.
He argued that Dr Balakrishnan represented what Holland-Bukit Timah GRC had become in the ruling party’s eyes: “A fortress for the elite, a playground for the well-connected, a GRC where they assume that they don’t have to try too hard because they think the rest of us are asleep.”
Besides Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, RDU is also fielding candidates in Jurong East-Bukit Batok, Nee Soon GRC and Jurong Central SMC.
