Ariffin Sha, 27, is a legal executive. Armed with a strong sense of social justice, he has been writing and speaking on socio-political issues since he was aged 16 in 2013, which was the same year he founded Wake Up Singapore. He loves Pink Floyd and Eminem. After completing his O Levels in First Toa Payoh Secondary School, Ariffin received the ASEAN Scholarship for his undergraduate law studies in Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. In 2018, he founded and served for three years as President of the Wellington Singaporean Students’ Association (WESSA), a home away from home for Singaporeans in New Zealand.
Once he starts practicing law, Ariffin hopes to dedicate his time to serving the underprivileged. It is his firm belief that the privileged have a duty to those who have fallen through the cracks. For Ariffin – the law, the pen, the mic, and politics are all but tools of advocacy to shine light on issues that matter.
From writing speeches for a former NCMP to serving as a leader in youth movements, he has been involved in political advocacy for more than a decade. If elected, Ariffin hopes to champion the concerns of younger Singaporeans. He is acutely aware of the burdens, anxieties, and struggles of young Singaporeans who have forgotten how to dream. This mental health crisis, Ariffin often explains, is inextricably linked to the cost of living crisis. In his introductory speech for Marsiling-Yew Tee, Ariffin shared that narrow margins of victory lead to better policies and welfare for the people. The policy shifts following GE 2011 and GE 2020 serve as evidence. He is committed to mount a campaign focused on SDP’s policies which help Singaporeans thrive, not just survive.
