This election, the Opposition has been banking on one key idea to win seats in Parliament: that Singaporeans have been faced with growing pressures – the cost of living, housing prices and foreigners among them – and the incumbent PAP has failed to mitigate them adequately. The conventional wisdom is that an effective “check and balance” in Parliament is needed to represent the “people’s voice”. But how this “voice” can be translated into action is still not clear.

The broad-based nature of PAP’s policies makes it extremely difficult to form a credible alternative vision. However, grievances of the people are not so much about whether the PAP is right or wrong in pursuing FDI or opening our doors to foreign labour. Rather, it is a question of extent.

NCMP and Workers' Party candidate for Aljunied GRC Sylvia Lim takes a moment to consider (Shirley Ho, Channel NewsAsia)

Currently, the PAP, perhaps erring on the side of caution, leans towards a trade-off which ostensibly makes light of Singaporean concerns. What the Opposition should aim for is a rebalancing of these fundamentally correct policies in favour of residents. The current mish-mash of policy suggestions can then be convincingly united under this framework. The Opposition would then serve as the counterweight which would ensure that the ruling party, whatever its promises, recalibrates its policy with greater reference to Singaporean concerns.

However, before the Opposition can even attempt this task, they must recognise this approach as the only credible one, and ensure that voters recognise it as well.