section_path: Campaign/Party campaigns/Singapore Democratic Party
section_name: Singapore Democratic Party
paragraph_text: Singapore Democratic Party
  
  The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) criticised the "impossibly short" schedule between the release of the EBRC report and Parliament's dissolution, calling the election timing a "smash-and-grab tactic". It claimed the ruling party feared the people's backlash against the high cost of living and its "irrational immigration policy", and argued that voters require adequate time to properly assess critical issues before heading to the polls. The party plans to contest in Sembawang, Marsiling–Yew Tee, and Holland–Bukit Timah GRCs and Sembawang West and Bukit Panjang SMCs as part of their "northern strategy". On 19 April, the SDP launched its campaign slogan, "Thrive, Not Just Survive", campaigning for the reduction of GST to 5% and the introduction of a minimum wage act. SDP fielded 11 candidates but did not contest in Holland–Bukit Timah.
  
  In SDP's rallies, the party attacked the PAP's policies. SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan also drew comparison to Ong Ye Kung who shifted from Aljunied GRC in 2011 to Sembawang GRC in 2015, after Ong claimed that Chee "abandoned" Bukit Batok. In another rally on 29 April, Paul Tambyah refuted a comment from Ong where he called their policies by calling it populist; they also asked for abolishments of some healthcare clusters. In their final rally on 1 May, SDP targets the NTUC–PAP relationships and advocate labour workers, in response to Wong's Labour Day rally. At the closing, SDP asked to vote for them without fear, before reciting the National Pledge as well.
  
  On 27 April, SDP's Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC candidate Gigene Wong apologised for using keling, a hokkien racial slur used to define Tamils, against her fellow candidate Ariffin Sha (whom she also called an " elephant " and "future Pritam Singh ") during the rally on the previous night. SDP had since taken action by giving Wong a stern warning, and having every member present in the following night's rally make a joint apology.