SINGAPORE — Potong Pasir, which is the smallest constituency in terms of number of voters, is set to be one of the most hotly contested areas in the coming General Election (GE).
Former National Solidarity Party secretary-general Tan Lam Siong, who wants to stand in the GE as an independent candidate, is the latest to throw his hat into the ring. Mr Tan was speaking to reporters during a Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) walkabout in the Sengkang area, which is part of Pasir Ris-Punggol Group Representation Constituency.
Mr Tan, who was there to show support for SDA chairman Desmond Lim, had previously indicated his interest to stand in the Whampoa single-seat ward. However, the constituency has been absorbed into Jalan Besar GRC, which has been re-introduced into the electoral map. Mr Tan said he decided to contest in Potong Pasir after spending time in the constituency for the past five days and getting feedback from residents that they want an alternative. He had also visited Jalan Besar GRC and the Mounbatten single-seat ward.
Potong Pasir was held by veteran Opposition figure Chiam See Tong for 27 years until the 2011 GE, where the People’s Action Party’s candidate, Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, won the seat against Mr Chiam’s wife, Lina.
Mrs Chiam has declared her intent to contest in Potong Pasir again while Democratic Progressive Party has also said it plans to put up a candidate there.
The opposition parties are scheduled to meet on Monday (Aug 3) for horse-trading talks, and Mr Tan said he will not attend the meeting.
Adding that he is not deterred by the prospect of a multi-cornered fight, he said: “Residents deserve a choice and they should relish (having the different options).” His campaign, which will adopt the slogan “My Singapore. My Home. My Kind of Town”, will be supported by community groups Project Awareness and Happy People, Mr Tan said.
Mr Tan noted that during his tenure as Potong Pasir MP, Mr Chiam, who is now 80, used a similar slogan for the estate, “Potong Pasir, My Kind of Town”. Mr Tan said he hopes to bring back the “kampong spirit” to the town.
In June, Mr Tan resigned from the NSP due to “incompatibility issues”, just five months after he was appointed as secretary-general.
http://www.todayonline.com/singapor...r-nsp-sec-gen-becomes-latest-declare-interest
