SINGAPORE — Instead of just being a check on the People’s Action Party-led government, the Singapore Democratic Alliance’s (SDA) candidate for the Punggol East by-election, Mr Desmond Lim, yesterday sought to offer himself as a check on the “two dominant parties”.

“You want democracy? Then why restrict the voices in Parliament to two? Where is the system of checks and balances with two dominant parties in action?” Mr Lim asked in his first online rally video posted on YouTube. “Empower me to make sure those highly-paid representatives are earning their keep. Let democracy reign.”

The video was among two clips posted last night. The first was shared on the SDA’s by-election Facebook page an hour later than scheduled as Mr Lim said his team “needed a little more time to get (the video) duly trialled and tested”. TODAY understands that the clips were posted late as the SDA had not declared to the Elections Department of Singapore its intention to do so as part of election advertising, as required by the Parliamentary Elections Act. The party had to submit its declaration before it could post the videos.

The 45-year-old Lim plans to produce at least 10 rally clips of between seven and 10 minutes duration. He had said that cost was a key reason for making the SDA the first party here to hold an online rally.

In the first six-minute-long video, Mr Harminder Pal Singh, who led the SDA’s team in contesting in Pasir Ris-Punggol in the 2011 General Election and who is assisting in Mr Lim’s by-election campaign, noted: “There are many impending issues today, including better childcare support, safer living spaces and sustainability of incomes.”

And in his latest flyer to residents, Mr Lim said he plans to review existing childcare facilities, study the possibility of increasing traffic lights and designated pedestrian crossings to enhance road safety, and increase interaction and bonding among residents.

Asked why voters should choose the SDA over other parties that have more resources to implement similar plans, Mr Lim told TODAY: “Experience has shown that (resources) do not guarantee performance on the ground. There are many unresolved matters in Punggol East and deliverables (are) not achieved. This tells you that ... it is the candidate who makes the difference.”

Alluding to the resignations of former Members of Parliament Michael Palmer and Yaw Shin Leong, Mr Lim said in the first video: “Big names cannot guarantee loyalty and performance. At the end of the day when the fanfare is over, what counts is the individual. The individual and his values should be what you should be voting for.”

Similarly, Mr Singh noted the “exit of prominent players who succumbed to personal challenges in their political careers”, and asked viewers: “Who is here to stay?”

Mr Lim had contested in Punggol East in the 2011 General Election and received 4.5 per cent of the valid vote.