The Workers' Party will table a motion in Singapore's Parliament on August 4 presenting its vision for the country's economy and responding to the Government's Economic Strategy Review (ESR) report released on June 24, 2026 [1, 2, 3].
The motion, filed by Kenneth Tiong (Aljunied GRC MP) and seconded by Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC MP), asks whether Parliament believes in creating a more equal and inclusive economy that offers opportunities for entrepreneurs, households, businesses, workers, and innovation to flourish [1, 2, 3]. It calls for an economic engine powered by dynamic local companies, strong domestic demand, and Singaporean capital venturing overseas [1, 2, 3].
Most of the Workers' Party's 12 MPs are expected to speak on the motion, covering themes such as innovation, the cost of doing business, supporting local jobs, and helping Singaporean firms expand regionally [1, 3]. At a press briefing on August 1, Tiong said, "This is our attempt to answer the pressing questions of the day and to write our own economic playbook" and asked, "How does an ordinary Singaporean get a lasting share of our country's success?" [1, 2, 3].
Jamus Lim said the motion is meant to complement the Government's ESR, not replace it. "We want to ensure that the message that we send both reacts to the report, but is also distinct from the report," he said. "We think that there are still some gaps in that vision, and we provide both an alternative vision and a way forward that we think fills in many of these gaps" [1, 2, 3].
The government's ESR report contains 32 recommendations across eight focus areas and aims to address challenges such as some multinational corporations relocating regional headquarters to find lower manpower and rent costs elsewhere in Asia [1, 2, 3]. The Workers' Party agrees with aspects like encouraging local firms to internationalize but says the report does not fully address business pain points [1, 3].
The next key step is the debate in Parliament on August 4, when the Workers' Party will formally present its economic vision and engage lawmakers on how Singapore's economy should develop amid regional competition and changing business dynamics [1, 2, 3].
