Lim Boon Heng asks residents to support PAP 'underdog'
By Grace Chua
campaigning at Hougang SMC
OUTGOING minister Lim Boon Heng turned up in Hougang yesterday to lend support to Mr Desmond Choo, the People's Action Party's (PAP) candidate there.
His presence appeared to be a bid to increase PAP firepower in the opposition-held Single Member Constituency, which has been held by Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang since 1991.
Mr Low has moved to head the WP team contesting in Aljunied GRC, and his protege, Mr Yaw Shin Leong, 34, hopes to succeed him as MP.
Mr Lim, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Office who is retiring from politics this year, said Mr Choo, 33, had 'a chance, but we are still the underdogs'.
'Please give Desmond a chance. We think we've picked a good person for Hougang and he can get things done for people in Hougang,' said Mr Lim.
He said he had strong personal ties to the neighbourhood, having grown up in Punggol and gone to schools there.
Mr Choo, who is deputy director of the NTUC's youth development unit, said the reception on the ground had been 'very encouraging'.
'Residents came up to me and said, 'It's going to be tough, but you don't give up'. So this is what we're going to do. We're never going to give up until the last day of campaigning,' he said.
'The last hour,' Mr Lim interjected, smiling.
By Grace Chua
campaigning at Hougang SMC
OUTGOING minister Lim Boon Heng turned up in Hougang yesterday to lend support to Mr Desmond Choo, the People's Action Party's (PAP) candidate there.
His presence appeared to be a bid to increase PAP firepower in the opposition-held Single Member Constituency, which has been held by Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang since 1991.
Mr Low has moved to head the WP team contesting in Aljunied GRC, and his protege, Mr Yaw Shin Leong, 34, hopes to succeed him as MP.
Mr Lim, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Office who is retiring from politics this year, said Mr Choo, 33, had 'a chance, but we are still the underdogs'.
'Please give Desmond a chance. We think we've picked a good person for Hougang and he can get things done for people in Hougang,' said Mr Lim.
He said he had strong personal ties to the neighbourhood, having grown up in Punggol and gone to schools there.
Mr Choo, who is deputy director of the NTUC's youth development unit, said the reception on the ground had been 'very encouraging'.
'Residents came up to me and said, 'It's going to be tough, but you don't give up'. So this is what we're going to do. We're never going to give up until the last day of campaigning,' he said.
'The last hour,' Mr Lim interjected, smiling.
