General Election 2025

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Parents’ dedication to helping others inspired PAP new face Goh Hanyan to join politics​

Ms Goh Hanyan said her parents’ example meant that service “for Singapore and Singaporeans has always been very core to what I wanted to do”.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY

Deepanraj Ganesan
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE – Growing up, Ms Goh Hanyan would often wonder where her father was.

Mr Goh started volunteering in Ang Mo Kio GRC before his daughter was born – he has kept at it for more than 40 years – and as she grew older, Ms Goh came to understand his impact on the community.

People would go up to her father and thank him for helping them with their problems, and she saw how gratified he would become. “Those were the moments that really stuck with me over the years,” she said.

Her mother, a secondary school mathematics teacher, marked schoolwork late into the night. This was because she spent the earlier part of the evening trying to find out why her students with more complicated backgrounds had missed school that day.

“I saw how my parents kind of went beyond themselves to care for others, and that truly inspired me to also go down a path of service for myself,” said Ms Goh, 39.

Until early April, Ms Goh had been a senior civil servant overseeing Singapore’s Smart Nation and artificial intelligence (AI) policies. She left the service on April 3, and is a potential candidate for the PAP at the upcoming general election.

Speaking to The Straits Times at a coffee shop in Nee Soon Central on April 11, the only child said her parents’ example meant that service “for Singapore and Singaporeans has always been very core to what I wanted to do”.

Fresh off getting her master’s degree in engineering management at Columbia University in 2009, Ms Goh started her career with the Economic Development Board (EDB).

After a three-year stint running EDB’s Washington office, she returned to Singapore in 2016, and started being involved in grassroots volunteering two years later.

She went on to work on the economy and sustainability under the Prime Minister’s Office in its strategy group, and in 2023, joined the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI).

At MDDI, Ms Goh served as a director in the Smart Nation Strategy Office and the national AI group for policy and strategy. There, she was involved in shaping Singapore’s refreshed Smart Nation plan, known as Smart Nation 2.0, as well as the coordination and implementation of the Republic’s refreshed National Artificial Intelligence Strategy.

Ms Goh said her grassroots work included helping with the Breakfast with Love programme in Jalan Besar GRC’s Kampong Glam division. The monthly event brings the area’s elderly residents together for exercise, conversation, entertainment programmes, and – of course – breakfast.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Ms Goh joined a group of volunteers delivering groceries to vulnerable seniors.

Then came the call to join politics. Without revealing when she was first asked, Ms Goh said a minister she had worked closely with raised politics as another capacity that she could contribute in.

“After being in public service for almost 16 years of my life, going into politics and doing the work that I’m hoping to have the privilege to do was a natural next step,” she said.

But it was a decision that required soul-searching as she was by then a mother to three young children – a two-year-old son and two daughters, aged four and six.

Ms Goh said her parents never pushed her in this direction, but were supportive when she became ready “to step forward in this manner”.

Her husband saw how much her past experiences in community work energised her and made her happy, and also gave her his blessing.

“As for my family, well, my three children, they are along for the ride,” she said. “They would understand in time to come.”

Since resigning from the civil service in early April, Ms Goh has spent the past week in Nee Soon, and said she was struck by the warmth that residents there have shown her.

This was down to the work of the area’s MP, Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, and the rest of the Nee Soon GRC team, she said.

On April 11, Associate Professor Faishal announced that Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had asked him to join the PAP team in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC for the coming election, and that he had accepted.

If elected, Ms Goh said, she hopes to use her professional experience to contribute on economic issues, including how Singapore can navigate global changes while creating jobs for young people.

She also hopes to draw on her own experience to represent the needs of both young families and caregivers.

“As a mother of three young children and with two ageing parents, I hope to be able to represent the views and the interests of families and caregivers of the young and the old,” she said.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Maliki Osman set to be replaced by new face Hazlina Abdul Halim in East Coast GRC​

Dr Maliki Osman has asked grassroots leaders to put their support behind new face Hazlina Abdul Halim.ST FILE PHOTOS

Goh Yan Han
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE - Second Minister for Education and Foreign Affairs Maliki Osman will not be part of the PAP slate for East Coast GRC in the upcoming general election, The Straits Times has learnt.

It is not clear if Dr Maliki, who has been in politics since 2001, will be fielded elsewhere or retire.

He has asked grassroots leaders to put their support behind new face Hazlina Abdul Halim, who has been seen at East Coast GRC walkabouts in recent weeks.

Dr Maliki, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, had gathered more than 100 grassroots leaders on April 11 for an evening meeting at Siglap Community Club to tell them the news.

There had been speculation that the 59-year-old, who started his political career as an MP for Sembawang GRC, would be retiring from politics at the end of the current term. He has helmed the Siglap ward in East Coast GRC for three terms since 2011.

He did not raise the subject of his retirement at the meeting, ST understands.

Dr Maliki said that he could not share more, but that people would know when the time is right. If he stands in the upcoming election, he would be seeking his sixth term in Parliament.


He told the room that he had met Madam Hazlina to tell her about work being done in Siglap, and that he would introduce her to them.

That Dr Maliki will not contest in East Coast in the general election is not unexpected, given recent developments.

Following the release of the electoral boundaries report on March 11 which saw Ministry for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong’s Joo Chiat ward absorbed into East Coast GRC, there had been discussion about the number of senior political-office-holders on the slate.

Mr Tong would be joining incumbent MPs Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and Dr Maliki – making it three ministers in one GRC.

It is uncommon for the PAP to field so many ministers in one GRC.

Parts of Dr Maliki’s Siglap ward – in the Loyang and Flora estates – were also moved into the neighbouring Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.

Dr Maliki’s successor, Madam Hazlina, has been seen with the East Coast GRC MPs over the past few weeks.

She was at a walkabout on April 5 in parts of Siglap that come under Mr Tong’s purview, as well as at a mosque visit in Chai Chee on March 31.

Madam Hazlina, the former chief executive of Make-A-Wish Singapore, started her career as a radio presenter for Mediacorp’s Ria 89.7FM. She later transitioned into television, and was at one point an assignments editor on CNA’s Singapore desk.

She was formerly the president of PPIS (Singapore Muslim Women’s Association) from 2020 to 2024.

She is currently the senior vice-president of strategy and communications at advisory firm Teneo.

​

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Bukit Panjang MP Liang Eng Hwa hopes to defend his seat, anticipates another fierce fight​

Bukit Panjang MP Liang Eng Hwa has been in politics since 2006.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI

Lee Li Ying
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE – Bukit Panjang MP Liang Eng Hwa hopes to stay on to defend his seat in the upcoming general election, and expects a repeat of a fierce fight against the same opponent in the last polls.

“I’m ready to stand. I look forward to serving again, and I hope I can be fielded in Bukit Panjang again,” he told The Straits Times when asked if he will be contesting the election.

The four-term PAP MP faced Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chairman Paul Tambyah in a closely watched fight in 2020, and prevailed with 53.73 per cent of the vote.

The SDP has announced that it will field Professor Tambyah in Bukit Panjang – the largest single-member constituency with 33,566 voters – in the upcoming polls.

In an exclusive interview with ST on April 11, Mr Liang called Prof Tambyah “a formidable opponent”.

“He wants us to think that he’s the underdog, but I don’t think that’s the case. He stands a good chance, like me, of winning the SMC. The outcome could go either way, and I’ll do my best.”

He added: “But I say this with humility – I believe I’m able to do a better job than (Prof Tambyah)... I know (Bukit Panjang) very well, and I have a track record of getting things done, be it big or small projects.”


Mr Liang is not letting his battle with cancer hold him back either.

The 60-year-old was diagnosed with stage 2 nose cancer in July 2023. After undergoing 33 sessions of radiotherapy treatment, he was cleared of cancer and resumed his MP duties in mid-September 2023.

He has since made lifestyle changes such as cutting back on processed food, exercising more regularly and scheduling time for rest. He also goes for check-ups every three months, and his latest CT scan was also in the clear.

Acknowledging that the health scare could have prompted questions about whether he would step down in the upcoming election, Mr Liang said his wife and children had also asked if staying on as an MP was something he really wanted to do.

“I did think through that, but (my family) also understands my sense of mission,” he said.

“After all these check-ups and consultations with doctors, they felt I’m able to go on as per normal. Many cancer survivors also won’t stop what they do because of one incident,” he added, citing Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong as an example.

“I don’t see (cancer) as affecting me. My way of life changed, but my purpose in life itself, I don’t think that has changed.”

Mr Liang said that he takes one term at a time and does his best. When asked at the end of each term whether he could serve another, he would think about it.

“So similarly for this, after four terms, I felt that Bukit Panjang is so dear to me, if I can serve, I will go all out and try my best.”

Mr Liang, a managing director at DBS Bank, has been in politics since 2006. He represented the Zhenghua ward in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC for three terms, and was moved to Bukit Panjang SMC in 2020 following the retirement of Dr Teo Ho Pin.

In his 19 years in politics, Mr Liang has raised national issues such as improving Singapore’s economic resilience and developing home-bred industry champions. He currently chairs the government parliamentary committee for finance and trade and industry.

One of his topmost concerns now is how the tit-for-tat tariff war between the United States and China could slow economic growth and further affect graduate unemployment in Singapore.

Findings from the Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey 2024 showed that more fresh graduates were unemployed – 12.9 per cent in 2024, up from 10.4 per cent in 2023.

Some young residents told him that it can take six months or more to get a job.

“So this is worrying,” Mr Liang said.

If re-elected, he hopes to suggest that the Government consider reviving the SGUnited Traineeship Programme, which was rolled out during the pandemic to support companies in giving opportunities to first-time job seekers.

Mr Liang also wants to address how Singapore can continue to attract investors, and leverage free trade agreements it has already signed.

“On the economic outlook, I feel that I can continue to push and make Singapore stronger,” he said, adding that strengthening Singapore on that front is his obsession.

On a local level, Mr Liang has worked to improve facilities for the ageing population in the 40-year-old estate.

About one in five residents in Bukit Panjang SMC is above the age of 60. Since he took over in 2020, three new active ageing centres and two new senior care centres have opened in the constituency.

Mr Liang said he has also pushed for improvements to transport connectivity in Bukit Panjang town over the years.

When the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced in 2020 that bus services 700 and 700A that linked the area to the city would cease operations due to falling ridership, Mr Liang worked with transport planners to find alternatives for residents.

Bus 972M was introduced to preserve the residents’ connectivity to the city, as well as improve inter-town connectivity. Mr Liang said he has spoken to the LTA about increasing the frequency of the service as demand has increased.

On winning the hearts and minds of voters, Mr Liang said he feels an affinity with the residents as he grew up and lived in the area himself.

“Bukit Panjang SMC is not just a constituency I serve, it’s a home... I won’t get my block numbers wrong, I know where to go, and I will not confuse the (electoral) boundaries,” he said.

“I will serve it with all my heart.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: ‘Integrity, empathy, purpose’, says Maliki Osman on East Coast successor Hazlina Abdul Halim​

PAP new faces Goh Pei Ming and Hazlina Abdul Halim (back row, first and third from left) joined five East Coast MPs, including DPM Heng Swee Keat (front row, second from left), and Joo Chiat MP Edwin Tong (holding mobile phone) on a walkabout at Bedok 85 Market on April 12.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Wong Pei Ting
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE – Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Maliki Osman has formally endorsed Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim, the former chief executive of Make-A-Wish Singapore, as his successor in East Coast GRC.

The 40-year-old will take over his work at the five-member group representation constituency’s Siglap ward, he told reporters on the sidelines of a walkabout at Bedok 85 Market on April 12.

Dr Maliki said he has known Madam Hazlina for many years, since she started out as a journalist.

He also knew her through her work as the president of PPIS (Singapore Muslim Women’s Association) from 2020 to 2024, he said.

Vouching for her qualities, he added: “I have known her to be one who is full of integrity, empathy, purpose, which are qualities that will bode her well to be in public life.

“As a former journalist, as well as having worked and headed the non-profit sector, I believe she knows well the needs of Singaporeans and that’s one of the key qualities of being in public office.”

Dr Maliki, 59, first broke the news to more than 100 grassroots leaders at Siglap Community Club on April 11. During the meeting, he also asked them to throw their support behind Madam Hazlina.


The development could mean that Dr Maliki is ready to wrap up his 24-year political career, which kicked off five election cycles ago in 2001, when he was elected MP for Sembawang GRC.

But he did not confirm if he would retire on April 12.

Also present was former brigadier-general and PAP new face Goh Pei Ming, who expressed hopes of running in the constituency.

“I grew up in East Coast. I’ve attended school here. My family, my parents, my kids are all here,” said the 42-year-old, who was until recently the Singapore Armed Forces’ chief of staff – joint staff.

“My past, present and future are closely tied to East Coast, and I look forward to doing my best for everyone here in East Coast,” he added.

He said his candidacy in East Coast would be meaningful as he grew up in Bedok North and now lives in the Joo Chiat ward, which has been absorbed into East Coast.

He has also been active in its Kampong Chai Chee ward, becoming the vice-chair of its citizens’ consultative committee in 2019, and chairman of its community club’s management committee in 2021.

Mr Goh noted that the final slate would be decided by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, but said he is nevertheless currently focused on understanding other divisions of East Coast and integrating with the PAP team here.

Since Mr Goh’s last day with the SAF on March 31, he has made appearances in Punggol GRC, fuelling speculation that he could be fielded there.

Asked about his involvement in Punggol, Mr Goh said he found it to be a “very useful” learning journey.

Punggol is a relatively new town with many Built-To-Order flats. In contrast, East Coast GRC, especially its Bedok Town, is more mature and has more seniors, he pointed out.

“I think having seen both ends of the spectrum gives me a good sense of what the challenges are, and how I can better serve our people,” he said.

East Coast GRC is helmed by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, 63. The other MPs are Dr Maliki; Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and National Development Tan Kiat How, 47; Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jessica Tan, 58; and Ms Cheryl Chan, 49.

All five current East Coast MPs, as well as Joo Chiat MP Edwin Tong – whose Marine Parade ward has been absorbed into East Coast GRC – were at the April 12 walkabout.

Dr Maliki (second from right) and Madam Hazlina (second from left; standing) at a walkabout at Bedok 85 Market on April 12.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
That means eight PAP members, including four political officeholders, were present.

Asked who among the eight would be retiring or be fielded elsewhere, DPM Heng said the appearances are part of the team’s “overall exposure”.

“As you know, every round of election will have some renewal. As to the speed at which we are doing this renewal is something which the secretary-general would have to decide, not just for East Coast, but for the entire Singapore,” he said.

Mr Tong said the public might be interested in retirements and replacements during this season, but the PAP is focused on the equally important work of refreshing the party.

He said: “Change is pretty much a constant. We constantly review, refresh our team to serve our residents better.

“I, myself, for example, if I am fielded at East Coast for this GE, it would be my fourth GE, but my third GRC.”

Mr Tong made his political debut in 2011 in Moulmein–Kallang GRC, and was moved to Marine Parade GRC from 2015.

Mr Tong also said the PAP’s branches, activists and structures are equipped to deal with the regular cadence of change.

“Whoever will be the candidates, whichever is the team that is fielded, the support will be strong, and we will carry on and ensure that our residents’ interests will remain unchanged. That’s our priority,” he added.

Madam Hazlina’s first public outing in East Coast was on March 31, when she visited a Chai Chee mosque alongside another new face – former Agency for Integrated Care CEO Dinesh Vasu Dash.

During her last East Coast walkabout on April 5, which covered three coffee shops in the Siglap estate, DPM Heng and Mr Tong, who is also Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, had introduced both her and Mr Dinesh to residents.

Mr Dinesh did not participate in the April 12 walkabout, in a signal that he could be fielded elsewhere.

East Coast GRC was where a PAP team led by DPM Heng locked horns with the WP in the 2020 general election and secured 53.39 per cent of the vote, making it the second-worst performing GRC won by the ruling party.

The general election in 2025 will likely see the PAP go head-to-head with the Workers’ Party in the constituency for the fifth time.

Asked about its closing winning margin in the last election, Mr Tong said the margin is “something that we can never take for granted”.

That said, he pointed out that the work is already cut out for the PAP regardless of the opposition party that contests in East Coast.

“We’ve been working, as DPM said, for the past five years, and we stand on that,” he added.

The PAP has to work under the assumption that any constituency would be heavily contested, he also said.

“We will have to work very hard to win every vote, to ensure that all our residents’ interests are met, and that they will be comfortable with the team that we will ultimately field at East Coast,” he said.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: PSP confirms it will contest Marymount, Kebun Baru, Pioneer SMCs again​

PSP secretary-general Leong Mun Wai (centre) bumped into Marymount MP Gan Siow Huang ahead of his walkabout in Bishan Street 22 on April 12.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Samuel Devaraj, Gabrielle Chan and Chin Hui Shan
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE – The opposition PSP will be returning to contest the Marymount, Kebun Baru and Pioneer SMCs in the upcoming general election, with party leaders saying they will confirm their candidates closer to Nomination Day.

Party leaders were spotted on walkabouts in the various constituencies with potential candidates on the morning of April 12.

PSP secretary-general Leong Mun Wai told reporters on the sidelines of a walkabout at Bishan North Shopping Mall that the party has not decided on the candidate it will field in Marymount.

This will be made public before or on Nomination Day, said Mr Leong, who was joined by former PSP central executive committee member Jeffrey Khoo on the walkabout.

Mr Leong said: “We think that Marymount residents have indicated to us in the last round that they would consider PSP as a credible alternative in Marymount.

“So I look forward to a breakthrough this round.”

Marymount SMC was carved out of Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC before the 2020 General Election.


The PSP’s candidate, Dr Ang Yong Guan, contested the constituency against Ms Gan Siow Huang from the PAP and lost with 44.96 per cent of the vote.

PSP’s return to Marymount sets the stage for a multi-cornered fight in the SMC.

In a Facebook post on March 11, Mr Lim Tean, the secretary-general of opposition coalition People’s Alliance for Reform, had indicated that it will be contesting in two group representation constituencies and eight single-member constituencies, including Marymount.


In March, Ms Gan, who is Minister of State for Education and Manpower, told The Straits Times that she hopes to contest Marymount SMC again.

At the party’s walkabout at Kebun Baru’s Mayflower Market, PSP first vice-chairperson Hazel Poa also did not confirm who PSP will field in that constituency.

Ms Poa was joined by her husband, Mr Tony Tan, who she described as “one of the potential candidates”.

She told reporters that the party is “keeping (its) options open”, adding that it could decide to field her or Mr Leong in an SMC.

PSP’s Ms Hazel Poa and her husband, Mr Tony Tan, during a walkabout at Mayflower Market in Kebun Baru on April 12.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
The duo had previously contested in West Coast GRC in the 2020 General Election.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Tan said: “I think the high cost of living and the economic uncertainty are going to weigh heavily on our society, stretching our social fabric. There will be Singaporeans who feel left behind, or are left behind, and I think we as a country can do more for them.”

PSP contested Kebun Baru SMC in GE2020. The party’s Mr Kumaran Pillai lost to PAP’s Mr Henry Kwek, who won with a vote share of 62.92 per cent. PSP obtained 37.08 per cent of the votes.

Speaking to the media at 652 Jurong West Street 61, PSP founder and chairman Tan Cheng Bock said on April 12 that the party will be contesting the Pioneer SMC, but will decide who to field only close to Nomination Day.

He was joined by former PSP candidate Lim Cher Hong – who contested the SMC in GE2020 – and the party’s new face, Ms Stephanie Tan.

Ms Tan, who is turning 38 in 2025, is a full-time homemaker with a law degree from the National University of Singapore. She has two young children.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: People’s Power Party unveils two new faces at Tampines walkabout​

The People’s Power Party’s (from left) Mr Martinn Ho, Mr Peter Soh, Madam Arbaah Haroun and Mr Derrick Sim after a walkabout at Tampines Round Market and Food Centre on April 12.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Aqil Hamzah
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE – A former civil servant and the founder of a green technology firm – both over the age of 60 – were unveiled as new faces by the People’s Power Party (PPP) on April 12.

The introduction of Mr Martinn Ho, 64, and Mr Peter Soh, 65, came after a party walkabout at Tampines Round Market and Food Centre.

Mr Ho’s LinkedIn account shows he had worked at the National Environment Agency as a deputy principal engineer.

PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng said that the party has “good candidates” despite being small.

Addressing criticisms on social media that its first slate of candidates are blue-collar workers who cannot speak well, he said: “They are normal Singaporeans, who are extraordinary. They have the guts to stand up and be counted.”

The Straits Times reported in March that its team in Tampines GRC will be led by Mr Goh. Other candidates expected to be fielded in the ward are party chairman Derrick Sim, 44, who is a financial planner; landscaping executive Vere Nathan, 26; and entrepreneur Arbaah Haroun, 50. The party has yet to confirm its final member.

Mr Goh said, however, that the candidacy may change closer to the general election.


During the walkabout at the market, which is located in the newly carved out Tampines Changkat SMC, 10 party members and volunteers were seen handing out pamphlets and talking to residents.

The pamphlets contained a summary of the party’s manifesto, which was launched on April 4 on the PPP’s website. It is the first political party to release its manifesto ahead of the general election.

Key policy suggestions include a monthly payout of $300 for each child from families that earn a household income at or below the 70th percentile of the population, up until the child completes secondary school.

The PPP also suggested that employees’ contributions to the Central Provident Fund be reduced to 5 per cent from the current 20 per cent to increase workers’ disposable income, and that essential groceries and healthcare services be exempted from the goods and services tax.

Thus far, the PPP looks set on contesting Tampines GRC and Ang Mo Kio GRC, despite the prospect of multi-cornered fights in both group representation constituencies.

The other opposition parties likely to contest Tampines GRC are the Workers’ Party and the National Solidarity Party.

People’s’ Power Party (PPP) secretary-general Goh Meng Seng and his team talking to residents at Tampines Round Market and Food Centre on April 12.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Ang Mo Kio GRC, which is helmed by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, will see the Singapore United Party (SUP) contesting there as well.

On April 10, SUP secretary-general Andy Zhu said that his party is adamant about contesting the GRC, despite the presence of a “third party”.

Although talks were held between SUP and PPP, both sides were unable to come to an agreement over which party should step aside.

Asked about the discussions, Mr Goh said he proposed fielding a combined team in the constituency under the PPP banner, but the proposal was refused.

While it has not revealed its complete slate there yet, party treasurer William Lim, 47, will lead the team in the GRC.

Apart from the three constituencies, the PPP had earlier said it will also contest Jalan Kayu SMC and Nee Soon GRC, after the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report on March 11.

The party had backed out from running in Nee Soon GRC, having jointly declared with Red Dot United (RDU) that it will give way to it in the constituency.

Jalan Kayu SMC, meanwhile, “used to” factor into PPP’s plans, but Mr Goh did not elaborate further, beyond saying that PPP is in talks with RDU.

“Never say never in politics. We might contest in new areas that we have not indicated,” he added.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Faishal Ibrahim to anchor Kembangan area of Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC for PAP​

Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (left) and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng mingling with residents at a carnival organised by a Eunos residents’ network on April 12.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG

Shermaine Ang
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE – Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim will anchor the Kembangan area of the Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC for the PAP at the upcoming election, said Manpower Minister Tan See Leng.

Dr Tan, who is anchor minister for Marine Parade GRC, was speaking to the media at a community brunch event at Koon Seng Park on April 12, where he told residents about plans to upgrade private estates in Joo Chiat.

The Kembangan area is part of the current Kembangan-Chai Chee ward of Marine Parade GRC, which was helmed by former Speaker of Parliament and then Marine Parade GRC MP Tan Chuan-Jin. The Housing Board estates in Chai Chee will be carved out and absorbed into East Coast GRC, based on the latest electoral boundaries.

Mr Tan resigned in July 2023 over an extramarital affair with then Tampines GRC MP Cheng Li Hui.

Associate Professor Faishal announced on April 11 that he will leave Nee Soon GRC to join the PAP team in the newly renamed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC in the upcoming polls.

Prof Faishal said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had asked him to make the move, and he has agreed.

Dr Tan said on April 12: “Prof Faishal is homecoming. We really welcome him home, back to Marine Parade GRC itself.


“And I think it’s an excellent and a very welcoming sort of return for him to help us with Kembangan itself, and anchoring Kembangan.”

The 56-year-old entered politics in 2006 as part of the team for Marine Parade GRC, before he joined Nee Soon GRC in 2011.

Dr Tan said the rest of the PAP’s Marine Parade-Braddell Heights slate is not confirmed, adding that new faces such as Ms Diana Pang are being given exposure to different areas.

Ms Pang, 51, chairs the Fengshan Women’s Executive Committee and the People’s Association Women’s Integration Network (WIN) Council. She leads initiatives such as the WIN Caregivers Network.

Ms Pang, who was first introduced to The Straits Times during a walkabout on March 30, is a business development director with 19 years of experience in audit, tax and business advisory.

South East District Mayor Mohd Fahmi Aliman (right), MP for Marine Parade GRC, and PAP new face Diana Pang mingling with residents at a carnival organised by a Eunos residents’ network on April 12.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Dr Tan said: “Today, it is really about the exposure. In time to come, when the slate of candidates is firmly lined up, we will, of course, announce it to you at the first port of call, the first available opportunity.”

A lot will depend on what happens in the run-up to the election, said Dr Tan.

He added: “Right up to the final lap… we are still trying to look and see the contributions and also the chemistry, the building of the bonds with all of our residents.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: WP new face Kenneth Tiong spotted in Aljunied community event​

WP new face Kenneth Tiong at Workers' Party neighbourhood conversations at Eunos division on April 12.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Isabelle Liew
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE - Workers’ Party new face Mr Kenneth Tiong was spotted with Aljunied GRC MPs at a community event in Bedok Reservoir on April 12, fuelling expectation that he could be part of the opposition party’s slate in the constituency.

The 36-year-old, who is director of tech start-up Sensemake AI, spoke to residents along with Aljunied GRC MPs - WP chief Pritam Singh, chairwoman Sylvia Lim, Mr Faisal Manap and Mr Gerald Giam. Hougang MP Dennis Tan was also at the event.

The Neighbourhood Conversations event was held at Block 122 Bedok Reservoir Road, which is under Mr Singh’s Eunos ward.

Mr Singh and Mr Tiong declined to comment when approached by The Straits Times.

Mr Tiong is expected to be fielded in the group representation constituency’s Serangoon ward, which has been left vacant since July 2023 when former MP Leon Perera stepped down.

He has been coordinating Meet-the-People Sessions in the ward since 2024.

Mr Tiong has also been recently seen at mosque and temple visits with WP MPs, and appeared in several social media photos posted by Mr Singh, Ms Lim and Mr Giam.

In a Facebook post on March 26, Mr Tiong said he felt “compelled to step up and play a more active role in shaping the conversation about where our nation is headed” at the upcoming election.

Also spotted at the event on April 12 was Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik, 35, a senior property manager at Aljunied-Hougang Town Council, who appears set to contest in Sengkang GRC.

WP new face Abdul Muhaimin Workers’ Party neighbourhood conversations at Eunos division.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Mr Jimmy Tan, 53, a potential WP candidate in Tampines GRC, also attended the event. The industrial equipment sales manager is legislative assistant to Mr Singh.

Analysts have speculated that Mr Singh, who is Leader of the Opposition, would leave Aljunied to go to neighbouring East Coast GRC.

A WP team in East Coast managed to poll 46.6 per cent against a PAP team led by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat in the 2020 General Election.

WP new faces Kenneth Tiong (far left) and Jimmy Tan (second from right) with WP volunteers and Aljunied GRC MPs (from fourth from left) Faisal Manap, Sylvia Lim, Gerald Giam and Pritam Singh.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Eunos resident Ivy Lim, 75, said she attended the community event as she wanted to tell Mr Singh, about the difficulty seniors face in keeping up with technology.

Madam Lim, who works in a massage parlour, said she does not know how to use ride-hailing apps such as Grab, so she takes the bus and MRT most of the time.

“But when I’m in a hurry, it’s not easy to flag a cab nowadays as most people use Grab. It’s very difficult for seniors like me to keep up,” she said.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

PAP has finalised slate for GE2025 which will take place amid great global uncertainty: PM Wong​

GE2025 will be PM Wong’s first general election as Prime Minister and PAP’s Secretary-General.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Osmond Chia
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on April 12 that the PAP has finalised its slate of candidates for the upcoming general election, which will be held at a time of great global uncertainty.

He revealed that the PAP will field more than 30 new candidates - the largest in recent history - in its 2025 slate.

They will be introduced, constituency by constituency in the coming days.

“There is a gathering storm and we are flying straight into turbulence in such conditions,” said PM Wong, speaking to the media at a press conference where he announced his team for the Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.

“Who you have in the cockpit matters,” he said. “Singaporeans will have to decide on the team they trust to navigate the storm and chart the way forward for our nation.”

“I take this responsibility seriously, because the stakes are high for ourselves and our families and for our future and for Singapore’s place in the world,” he added.

It is a very different world, he stressed. Not only is there economic uncertainty, the world is also looking at a transition to a completely different, new global order. “It will be messy, it will be unpredictable. It may even be unstable.”

Asked about criticisms from some in the opposition camp that the ruling party was engaging in fearmongering, PM Wong said he and his team will always focus on doing the right thing for Singapore and Singaporeans.

The government will make rigorous, objective assessment of the threats and challenges that Singapore faces, and be upfront and transparent with Singaporeans, he added.

GE2025 will be PM Wong’s first general election as Prime Minister and PAP’s Secretary-General.

On why he chose to stay in Marsiling-Yew Tee amid rising contest within other constituencies, he said it does not matter where he stands, adding that regardless of constituency, he will lead the party into the elections.

PM Wong said: “I will present the case to Singaporeans and I hope Singaporeans will give me and my team the chance to do our best for them in these difficult times.”

Singaporeans will soon hear about PAP’s plans when it publishes its manifesto, he said.

New faces will also be introduced to the party to rejuvenate the PAP with new ideas and energy.

He said: “This is the largest slate of new faces we’ve introduced in recent history, and you will get to know all our new candidates in the coming days, as each GRC and SMC unveils its candidates.”

The PAP is prepared for a hotly-contested election, PM Wong said.

“I have no doubt about that, both at the constituency level and at the national level. And so even in my own GRC, even in this constituency, I don’t take the contest lightly. I assume it’s going to be a fierce contest.”

Introduction of (from left) Mayor Alex Yam, Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Ms Hany Soh, as the team representing PAP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC at PAP Limbang branch on April 12.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
On whether he has set any targets for himself and the party for the upcoming GE, he said he will do his best, expects the rest of the team to do the same and in the end, they will respect the decision of Singaporeans.

PM Wong said: “The PAP has walked alongside Singaporeans for the past 60 years and more. Working together, we have overcome crises and storms time and again, including most recently, getting through the Covid pandemic together.

“Through it all, we have delivered stability, progress and better lives for all Singaporeans.”

He said: “I hope Singaporeans will give me and my team the chance to do our best for you. We will give our all to serve you and to secure a brighter future for every Singaporean.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: PM Lawrence Wong to lead PAP team in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC for GE2025​

Introduction of (from left) Mayor Alex Yam, Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Ms Hany Soh, as the team representing PAP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC at PAP Limbang branch on April 12.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Anjali Raguraman and Osmond Chia
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will once again lead the People’s Action Party team in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC in the coming election, in his first trip to the polls as PM.

He will be accompanied by the same slate of incumbents, namely Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad; North West District Mayor Alex Yam and Ms Hany Soh.

PM Wong, 52, announced the make-up of the team in place to defend his home turf in a press conference at PAP’s Limbang branch in Chua Chu Kang on April 12.

This is the first of the PAP’s official full slate introductions ahead of the 2025 general election.

PM Wong said: “We have now finalised our candidates for the coming general election, and starting today, we will introduce them constituency by constituency.”

“For Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, we are fielding the same team,” said PM Wong, adding that he will continue to anchor the four-member GRC team.

He said voters can expect to see new candidates for the PAP, which will field more than 30 new candidates - the largest slate of new faces the party has introduced in recent history.


“The team in Marsiling-Yew Tee has not changed, but there will be more significant changes elsewhere,” said PM Wong, who is also the secretary-general of the PAP.

The line-up for each constituency is only set in stone on Nomination Day, when parties reveal the final slate of candidates.

In the 2020 general election, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC’s slate - first unveiled at a walkabout in Marsiling a month before the polls - remained the same.

Last weekend, the constituency’s five-year masterplan was shared with residents, who can expect a slew of amenities in the coming years, such as new or revamped community clubs, new parks and more sustainable features in their neighbourhoods.

Other major upcoming projects in the precinct also include the redevelopment of Kranji racecourse and Woodlands Checkpoint.

Mr Wong, who was sworn in as Singapore’s fourth Prime Minister in May 2024, noted how this is his first general election as PM, secretary-general of the PAP, and “with a refreshed PAP team”.

Asked why he chose to stay in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC given the sharper electoral contest in some other constituencies, PM Wong said it does not matter where he stands.

Regardless of constituency, he will lead the party into the elections, he said.

He added: “I will present the case to Singaporeans and I hope Singaporeans will give me and my team to do our best for them in these difficult times.”

This is the first time Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC will be led by a sitting Prime Minister. It is among nine constituencies that have not had their boundaries redrawn for the 2025 polls.

This is only the third contest for the relatively young constituency, which was formed in 2015 after being carved out of parts of Chua Chu Kang GRC and Sembawang GRC that had seen significant population growth.

In 2020, the PAP retained the GRC with 63.18 per cent of the votes against the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), above the ruling party’s national average of 61.24 per cent.

The SDP, who has announced that it will return to contest the GRC, is expected to announce its lineup soon, with SDP chief Chee Soon Juan saying previously that he would put up “a good slate” for the election that includes both “gung-ho” new faces and veterans.

When asked if he had a target vote share for GE 2025, PM Wong said: “I don’t come in with an expectation of a target or a particular figure in terms of what we might get in vote share for the party or the GRC.”

“I go in with the view that it’s a hotly-contested election nationally and in every constituency, including mine, and all I will do is my best as party leader, as anchor for the GRC, and I expect the rest of my team to do the same.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: RDU withdraws from opposition coalition over NSP’s refusal to back down from 3-way fight​

RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon said it cannot support NSP’s intention to enter a three-way contest against the opposition Singapore Democratic Party and the PAP in Sembawang GRC. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Samuel Devaraj
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE - Opposition party Red Dot United (RDU) has said it would withdraw from a coalition of parties formed in 2023, after the National Solidarity Party (NSP), a fellow coalition member, refused to back down from a three-cornered fight in Sembawang GRC.

The Coalition is an alliance of opposition parties that also includes the Singapore United Party and Singapore People’s Party.

In a Facebook post on April 12, RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon said it cannot support NSP’s intention to enter a three-way contest against the opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the PAP in Sembawang GRC.

Doing so undermines a core belief of the coalition, which is to always put the interests of voters first, he wrote.

He said: “Our evaluation is that SDP is in a positive position to serve as the people’s choice, and should be accorded the benefit of a clean two-way fight against the PAP.

“We are disappointed that NSP has decided to take this route, but remain hopeful that it will return to the original values we have collectively established for The Coalition.”

He said the key reason RDU had been part of The Coalition was to avoid multi-cornered fights in constituencies, while allowing the parties to come forward as a strong and united platform, consolidate resources and help one another put their best candidates forward.


“We believe that this approach must also be extended to the broader opposition movement in Singapore,” he said, adding that it is why RDU has worked tirelessly with other opposition parties outside the coalition to avoid multi-way contests.

Mr Philemon said RDU will not contest in a constituency unless it knows it has “made a strong connection with residents, and has the ability to represent their needs and interests in Parliament and as town councillors”.

He said his party recognises that the incumbent already enjoys an outsized presence in citizens’ everyday lives, and the right to contest should not come at the strategic expense of giving the PAP an even greater advantage.

“A multi-cornered fight serves only the incumbent,” he added.

“We believe that the party with the strongest support from the ground, sufficient resources, a message that resonates, and candidates who are reasonable and recognised should be given the space for a direct contest with the PAP.”

In a message to the other parties in The Coalition, RDU chairman David Foo said the decision for the party to leave was not an easy one.

He added: “Despite our resignation, RDU remains committed to opposition unity, and we look forward to working with all of you whenever our mission aligns.

“We remain in the same ecosystem, and our goal is the same – to serve Singapore and her people better. But at this juncture, we are convinced that we must walk alone.”

NSP secretary-general Spencer Ng told The Straits Times on April 12 that it was very unfair of RDU to blame its withdrawal on his party.

NSP, he said, has been the “incumbent opposition party” in Sembawang for the past 10 years, and it is SDP that is making the contest at the upcoming election a three-cornered fight.

NSP contested Sembawang GRC in the 2020 and 2015 elections, while SDP did so in 2011 and 2006.

Mr Ng said the memorandum of understanding signed by parties in The Coalition states very clearly that they would work together to avoid three-cornered fights among themselves to achieve the goal of opposition unity.

“There is nothing being said about having multi-cornered fights with non-coalition political parties. So it is very, very wrong of RDU to put up that statement (suggesting that) NSP has broken the spirit of the coalition,” he said.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: NSP, SDP fail in talks to avoid three-cornered fight in Sembawang GRC​

(From left) NSP members Raiyian Chia, Spencer Ng – who is the party’s secretary-general, Kevryn Lim and Zee Phay speaking to the media at Woodlands Mart on April 12.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY

Shabana Begum
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE – The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Solidarity Party (NSP) have failed to reach an agreement to avoid a multi-cornered fight at Sembawang GRC.

In their meeting on April 8, SDP had asked NSP to contest in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC to avoid a multi-cornered fight at Sembawang GRC, a proposal which NSP said it has rejected.

Likening the proposal to the “exchanging of wives”, NSP secretary-general Spencer Ng said: “I couldn’t accept this kind of proposal where it goes against our party’s integrity and the value of the work that we have done in Sembawang GRC and Sembawang West SMC.”

Speaking to the media on April 12 during a walkabout in Woodlands Avenue 6, he added that NSP does not intend to contest in Holland-Bukit Timah, which opposition party Red Dot United (RDU) had indicated an interest in.

“We made our stand very clear to them, because it makes no sense to us to swop electoral areas like it’s just a piece of paper,” said Mr Ng, 45.

NSP, led by Mr Ng, is expected to contest both Sembawang GRC and the newly formed Sembawang West SMC.

SDP chief Chee Soon Juan is also eyeing Sembawang West SMC after Bukit Batok SMC, where he had been active, was redrawn into the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.

Mr Ng, speaking to the media at Koufu coffee shop at Block 768 Woodlands Avenue 6, said: “The redrawing of the electoral map boundaries is something that a respectable, established opposition party should expect.

“If you cannot be ready for such a small thing like electoral map changes, how can you be ready to handle the changes that (Singapore faces) daily?”

Mr Ng said NSP has been active in Sembawang since 2011. “We made a commitment that we will continue to serve here, and we will not back away,” he added.

An SDP team led by Dr Chee was also spotted having lunch in Koufu on April 12, after a walkabout at Block 768. Both parties saw each other, but did not meet.

SDP revealed its five-member slate for Sembawang GRC on April 6.

Its chairman Paul Tambyah said his party has had a presence in the north of Singapore since 2006, when it first contested the constituency. SDP last contested in the group representation constituency in 2011, when it secured 36.1 per cent of the votes.

He had earlier said that his party was still evaluating potential candidates to field in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC for the upcoming polls.

During NSP’s walkabout on April 12, Mr Ng was accompanied by Mr Zee Phay, 32, who started volunteering with NSP in 2011.

A financial consultant, Mr Phay is Mr Ng’s former student in North Vista Secondary School. “He is very bright, very intelligent, very motivated,” said Mr Ng.

New candidate Raiyian Chia, 46, and Ms Kevryn Lim, 36 – a former model who last stood in the 2015 election – were also at the walkabout.

NSP has not revealed its full slate in Sembawang, but the party said it will announce its candidates for Tampines GRC and Tampines Changkat SMC on April 13.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: PM Wong unveils eight new PAP faces in video, among more than 30 to be introduced​

The new faces are (clockwise from top left) Ms Goh Hanyan, Mr Shawn Loh, Ms Cassandra Lee, Dr Hamid Razak, Mr Ng Shi Xuan, Ms Jasmin Lau, Mr Goh Pei Ming and Ms Diana Pang.PHOTOS: SCREENGRABS FROM LAWRENCE WONG/FACEBOOK

Anjali Raguraman
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE – Eight new faces who look set to run under the PAP banner in the 2025 General Election have been revealed by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

They are: Ms Goh Hanyan, Mr Shawn Loh, Ms Cassandra Lee, Dr Hamid Razak, Ms Diana Pang, Mr Goh Pei Ming, Ms Jasmin Lau and Mr Ng Shi Xuan.

The candidates featured in a video posted online by PM Wong on April 12. They are a mix of individuals from the public and private sectors.

“Let’s build a better Singapore, a Singapore we can all be proud of,” he said in the video.

It did not reveal which constituencies they would be running in for the upcoming general election.

Earlier on April 12, PM Wong said the PAP will field more than 30 new candidates – the largest in recent history – in its 2025 slate.

The eight new faces have been spotted at walkabouts and PAP engagements around Singapore in recent weeks.

Several are former senior civil servants, such as Ms Goh, a former director at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information; Mr Loh, a former director with the Finance Ministry; and Ms Lau, the former deputy secretary for policy at the Health Ministry.

Ms Goh has been spotted in Nee Soon GRC, where Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim has left a vacancy. He announced on April 11 that he will join the PAP team in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.

Last week, Mr Loh was seen with Jalan Besar MPs at a community event providing free groceries and school supplies to lower-income families.

Ms Lau has yet to be spotted at PAP events.

Meanwhile, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Razak has been spotted at community events in Jurong Spring since 2024. He is expected to be fielded in the newly minted West Coast-Jurong West GRC.

Mr Goh, formerly Singapore Armed Forces chief of staff – joint staff, has been spotted in both the new Punggol GRC and East Coast GRC. He has expressed interest in being fielded in the latter, where he grew up, and has continued to serve on two Kampong Chai Chee grassroots committees.

Business development director Ms Pang has been seen in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, while Mr Ng, director of battery company Powermark Battery and Hardware, has been introduced to residents formally in Sembawang GRC.

Meanwhile, Ms Lee, a long-time grassroots volunteer and lawyer, who has been volunteering with the PAP in Jurong since 2015, was seen at the launch of Jurong-Clementi Town Council’s five-year masterplan.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: People’s Alliance for Reform set to contest in Yio Chu Kang SMC​

Lecturer Michael Fang is set to represent the People’s Alliance for Reform to contest the single seat of Yio Chu Kang.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

Gabrielle Chan
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE – The opposition People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR) will contest the single seat of Yio Chu Kang in the upcoming general election, with lecturer Michael Fang, 48, set to represent the party.

Speaking to The Straits Times on April 12, Dr Fang added that he has invited all opposition parties to a meeting on April 19, to iron out potential multi-cornered fights.

PAR – an alliance of three parties – has been walking the ground in Yio Chu Kang SMC for two years, he said, adding that it has been running a bread distribution programme for needy residents during this time.

Most Yio Chu Kang residents live in Housing Board blocks, with only 7.7 per cent in landed property. The majority of residents are above 46 years old.

Residents there have raised concerns about issues such as the rising cost of living, loss of jobs and high healthcare costs, said Dr Fang, a health sciences lecturer at a private college. “I decided to run, out of service to this country and compassion for the people.”

He added: “We know the ground and hope to serve the residents with love and care.”

Yio Chu Kang was re-established as a single-member constituency in 2020 after being part of Ang Mo Kio GRC for several elections.

That year, the PAP fielded a first-time candidate, Mr Yip Hon Weng, who secured 61 per cent of the votes against the Progress Singapore Party’s Kayla Low.

If elected, Dr Fang said he hopes to represent residents on both national and municipal matters. “The people are at a crossroads – they must decide if overall issues affect them more, or local residency issues.

“If elected as an MP, I will represent them on both.”

When asked why PAR is contesting both group representation constituencies and single seats, Dr Fang said the party is focused on serving the central, middle and southern parts of Singapore. “The GRCs will carry the bulk of the candidates, while the SMCs ensure there is ground-level representation should the GRCs fall short,” he said.

As for why he chose Yio Chu Kang SMC specifically, Dr Fang said he has stepped in to continue the groundwork started by PSP’s Ms Low.

“Unless there is a good reason to convince the public and me otherwise, the mantle would be assumed by me going forward,” he said. “I view myself as the barometer of change in this country, and hope to bring about better reforms for Singapore and its people.”

Dr Fang previously contested Jalan Besar GRC in GE2020 under the banner of Peoples Voice, alongside party founder Lim Tean, Mr Leong Sze Hian and Mr Nor Azlan Sulaiman. The PAP won the constituency with 65.36 per cent of the vote.

In the upcoming election, the PAR has said it will contest several constituencies.

These include the single seats of Yio Chu Kang, Potong Pasir, Jalan Kayu, Queenstown, Kebun Baru, Marymount, Mountbatten and Radin Mas. The party also plans to field teams in Tanjong Pagar GRC and Jalan Besar GRC.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Ex-army chief David Neo spotted with PAP’s Tampines team again​

(From left) Former Chief of Army David Neo and Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli posing for photos with a resident at Our Tampines Hub on April 12.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

David Sun
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE - Former Chief of Army David Neo has joined the PAP’s Tampines GRC team in the lead-up to the election, with the constituency’s anchor minister Masagos Zulkifli saying he hopes the line-up there will be confirmed soon.

Mr Neo, 47, has been introduced to various parts of Tampines and has been following the incumbents on house visits, said Mr Masagos, who is Social and Family Development Minister.

He has also been joining the team in many events around Tampines.

“We are happy that he’s making his rounds and getting himself familiar with them,” Mr Masagos.

“Today, I’m happy to have David Neo joining our team. We hope that the final confirmation of the team will be made soon.”

Mr Masagos made these comments on the sidelines of the Irama Aidilfitri 2025 Concert at Our Tampines Hub on April 12.

He was joined by Tampines GRC MPs Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Sustainability and the Environment Koh Poh Koon; Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Sustainability and the Environment Baey Yam Keng; and Mayor of North East District Desmond Choo.


Also present was the team’s other new face, Dr Charlene Chen, 43, an assistant professor of marketing at the Nanyang Technological University.

Dr Chen was introduced to Tampines residents in June 2024, and is the second grassroots adviser in the Tampines East ward.

There has been much speculation about who the PAP would field in Tampines, after the departure of former MP Cheng Li Hui and the carving out of the Tampines Changkat single seat.

Ms Cheng, who oversaw the Tampines East ward, resigned in 2023 over an extramarital affair with then Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin.

Mr Masagos took over her duties at the ward, and introduced residents to Dr Chen in 2024.

A former Buona Vista grassroots volunteer, Dr Chen has been helming Meet-the-People sessions for residents in Tampines East since late 2024.

(From left) Former Chief of Army David Neo and Dr Charlene Chen with Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli and his fellow Tampines GRC MPs Koh Poh Koon, Baey Yam Keng and Desmond Choo.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Mr Neo is a newer face in Tampines, having handed over the reins as army chief only on March 21.

He appeared in an April 5 Instagram post with Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng, and was on April 8 spotted with Tampines grassroots volunteers at new Housing Board Build-To-Order projects in Tampines North.

He joined the Singapore Army in 1996 and served as army chief from March 2022.

Tampines is set to be hotly contested at the polls, with up to three opposition parties expected to vie with the PAP for the five-member Tampines GRC and the Tampines Changkat single seat.

Shortly after the electoral boundaries were redrawn on March 11, the opposition National Solidarity Party and People’s Power Party threw their hats into the ring.

The WP has so far kept its cards close to its chest, but has been spotted actively engaging Tampines residents over the past two years, at least.