SINGAPORE: People’s Power Party (PPP) secretary-general Goh Meng Seng on Saturday (Apr 12) said that the government had “overreacted” to the tariffs imposed by the United States and that "fearmongering" on the issue was unnecessary.

Mr Goh, who was speaking to the media on the sidelines of a walkabout at Tampines Round Market and Food Centre in Tampines Changkat SMC, echoed comments of a similar vein from the Progress Singapore Party earlier this week.

During the event, he also introduced three new faces from the party, including a former civil servant, but stopped short of confirming their candidacy or where they would stand in the upcoming General Elections.

Last week, the US government introduced sweeping new trade tariffs of varying levels on countries, prompting several ministers, including Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, to sound the alarm about the impact on Singapore.

Mr Wong warned that the global environment would remain turbulent for the foreseeable future, while Dr Balakrishnan cautioned that the fundamental pillars of integration and mutual agreement are at risk of being eroded.

“It is not true that the tariff will stay long. Nobody in his right mind will have such massive tariff for so many countries at one time to stay more than three months,” said Mr Goh.

“So for our leaders, especially the prime minister, (who is) also the finance minister, to actually overreact … I worry we have such leaders who are leading Singapore. Do we have a knee-jerk effect, jump every time something happens?”

He added that Singapore should calmly wait out the matter as the country is small and negotiations with the US will “actually not matter”.

NEW FACES

While he and about nine party volunteers and members walked did their walkabout in the newly-formed Tampines Changkat SMC, giving out flyers and speaking to residents, Mr Goh told the media the party has not confirmed if it will be contesting the ward.

“Although we have a boundaries, but people come from all places, even from Tampines, so it's a good place to have (a walkabout),” said Mr Goh.

The party had earlier announced that it had its eyes on Ang Mo Kio GRC and Tampines GRC, despite the possibility of three-cornered fights in these wards. 

Mr Goh said that Singapore United Party’s secretary-general Andy Zhu had rejected his offer for the SUP to run under the PPP flag.

As for the three new potential candidates whom Mr Goh unveiled to the media on Saturday, they are: Mr Peter Soh, 65, founder of green technology company Hydroball; Madam Arbaah Haroun, 50, an entrepreneur and mother of five; and Mr Martinn Ho, 64, a former civil servant who worked as a senior engineer at the National Environment Agency dealing with environmental protection and development control issues.

Mdm Haroun said she hopes Singaporeans will give her and the party a chance and that she will champion the needs of families and elderly persons.

Mr Goh said he had seen comments on social media calling the party’s potential candidates “blue collars, cannot speak and all that” but defended the party's selection of new faces, calling them “extraordinary” for having the courage and good intentions to serve Singapore by contesting.

When asked about confirming the candidacy of the new faces he unveiled, Mr Goh said he may surprise people at the last minute.

”I may have even better, or younger, or more sexy candidates right,” he said.