General Election 2025

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New face Jackson Lam ‘very good on the ground’, will be asset to Parliament: Shanmugam​

Mr Jackson Lam, the former PAP branch chairman in Hougang, at a constituency event at Nee Soon GRC on March 29.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Deepanraj Ganesan
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – Mr Jackson Lam, the former PAP branch chairman in Hougang, will be an asset to the party, Government and Parliament if he runs in the upcoming election, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam on March 29.

Speaking during a constituency event at Nee Soon GRC, where he is the anchor minister, Mr Shanmugam said of Mr Lam: “He was my branch secretary, and he is very good on the ground. I would love to see him contest the elections.”

Asked by reporters if Mr Lam would be fielded in Nee Soon, Mr Shanmugam said: “Well, from anywhere. He will be an asset to the party, to the Government and Parliament, wherever he contests from. Where he contests, and whether he contests, you have to wait and see.”

Mr Shanmugam was speaking to the media on the sidelines of a community pop-up market event organised by DBS Bank.

Mr Lam, who stepped down as PAP branch chairman in Hougang SMC on Feb 17, was also at the event.

The 40-year-old is one of a number of new faces recently seen at Nee Soon constituency events in recent weeks.

Others include former Nominated MP Syed Harun Alhabsyi, 39; grassroots volunteer and civil servant Lee Hui Ying, 36; and intellectual property lawyer Deryne Sim, 40.

The Straits Times understands that Dr Syed Harun and Mr Lam could be candidates for the PAP at the upcoming general election, widely expected to be held within the first half of the year.

On March 29, Mr Shanmugam and Mr Lam were joined by Nee Soon GRC MPs Carrie Tan and Louis Ng at the DBS event. Ms Sim was there as well.

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin, an Ang Mo Kio GRC MP, was also spotted in DBS colours at the event.

When asked about the presence of Ms Nadia, Mr Lam and Ms Sim at the DBS event, Mr Shanmugam told reporters that “some of them clearly are not candidates”.

“All of them, other than Nadia, are volunteers with my branch or the other branches in this area,” Mr Shanmugam said, adding that people must not jump to the conclusion that those seen at constituency events are automatically considered candidates.

“Nadia is a DBS employee, so that may be a reason why she’s here, not necessarily because she’s moving over,” he said. Ms Nadia is a team lead at DBS Foundation.

Mr Shanmugam added: “The others that you mentioned, I can tell you some of them clearly are not candidates, so it would be inaccurate speculation. They are my grassroots volunteers... so I can tell you, some of them are clearly not candidates. Some of them may be potential candidates, but I’m not at liberty to tell you who they are.”

Mr Lam told The Straits Times that he served the Nee Soon community as the branch secretary for Chong Pang for seven years, from 2017 to 2023. He added: “I believe in serving the community with a heart and will continue to do so.”

During the event, Mr Shanmugam said that while daily life and municipal concerns are important, some residents may also want to discuss broader national and international issues with their MPs and ministers.

He said that there are various platforms that cater to students, professionals, and residents to discuss these issues. He also pointed to the Government’s feedback unit Reach.

“I hold many town halls, both closed-door as well as open,” Mr Shanmugam said. “We talk about the Budget, we talk about many issues, Israel-Hamas, we talk about laws that are being put forward. I have attended hundreds of such sessions.”

Mr Shanmugam also said that Reach conducts many such sessions, sometimes with the help of a suitable office-holder or MP, depending on the issue.

He added: “Ministries conduct such sessions too. And whenever we have relevant legislation going through, we also conduct sessions. I would say a lot of our effort goes towards consultation, meeting, talking, discussing and getting feedback.”

 

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PM Wong committed to govt-citizen partnership, says ‘more open society will strengthen S’pore’​

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong called on Singaporeans to contribute to shaping solutions for the country.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY

Goh Yan Han
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – A more open and participatory society will strengthen Singapore, even though there will be divergent views and disagreements, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Calling on Singaporeans to contribute to shaping solutions for the country, he said this will allow them to have a sense of ownership and responsibility, strengthening the social compact and fostering a deeper sense of belonging.

Their suggestions have directly shaped key policy changes and the Forward Singapore agenda in the last year or two, said PM Wong.

The Government has listened, even though it does not always agree on every suggestion. Sometimes, it may agree on the intent, but needs more time to work through trade-offs. At other times, the ideas need to be fleshed out into good policies, added PM Wong.

“The Government will provide leadership and direction, but we cannot and should not do this alone,” he said.

“As prime minister, I am committed to strengthening this partnership between Government and Singaporeans,” he said at the 40th anniversary launch ceremony of government feedback unit Reach at Jewel Changi Airport.

He pointed to the evolution of Reach over the years, which reflects the Government’s deepening commitment to engaging Singaporeans and forging stronger partnerships.

Bringing together government officials, business leaders, academics and private-sector experts was something he had seen during his time as a civil servant with the Ministry of Trade and Industry. This led to robust debates and discussions that sharpened Singapore’s economic strategies.

Since then, public engagement efforts have expanded in scale and scope, with over 47,000 Singaporeans reached during the 2013 Our Singapore Conversation. More than 200,000 Singaporeans were engaged in the Forward Singapore exercise led by then Deputy Prime Minister Wong that concluded in 2023.

In these engagements, Singaporeans chipped in with suggestions that have directly shaped recent policy changes.

These include new guidelines on flexible work arrangements, additional shared parental leave, the Majulah Package for young seniors born in 1973 or earlier, as well as major shifts in education policies to create more pathways for students, said PM Wong.

“Of course, we will not always agree on every suggestion. And where we differ, the Government will explain our reasons,” he said.

For example, there have been suggestions for price controls amid concerns about cost of living and inflation.

“We understand the concerns about cost of living. But the experience everywhere shows that price caps are not effective and, in fact, can have counter-productive effects,” said PM Wong.

His government has found different ways to help Singaporeans, including through direct assistance such as cash payouts and CDC vouchers, which aid in defraying daily expenses.

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MediShield Life is an example of where the Government might agree with the intent of proposals, but needed more time to work through the trade-offs.

In the past, MediShield provided coverage up to age 90, and there were suggestions to extend the coverage beyond that, noted PM Wong.

“But it would also mean higher premiums and could make MediShield unaffordable. So, we had to study the implications carefully before we eventually introduced MediShield Life,” he said.

MediShield Life, introduced in 2015, is a compulsory medical insurance scheme that provides lifetime coverage for all Singaporeans.

Other ideas have had to be fleshed out, such as the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme, which was announced in 2024 and will be rolled out soon, said PM Wong.

For years, the Government had received suggestions to provide unemployment support for workers, but it was concerned about unintended consequences seen elsewhere, in which overly generous benefits dampened incentives to return to work.

The latest scheme is hence one that strikes the right balance, said PM Wong.

Under the scheme that will be rolled out in April, involuntarily unemployed individuals can receive up to $6,000 over six months if they take part in job search-related activities.

Unity amid diversity​

Pointing to a growing diversity among Singaporeans’ perspectives, life experiences and world views, PM Wong cautioned that this could pull society apart if not managed well.

“To be clear, diversity does not have to lead to fragmentation or polarisation. Nor does unity require us to erase our differences,” he said.

“We have to strike a balance – one where we can have healthy debates, agree to disagree where necessary, and still maintain overall unity of purpose as Singapore and Singaporeans.”

The Government will continue to keep policies inclusive, balance competing needs and create opportunities for engagement, said PM Wong.

But cohesion and unity cannot be mandated by policy.

“It must come from Singaporeans choosing day to day to stand together and look out for one another,” he said.

Singapore’s future is not one that the Government can build alone. Rather, it is something that must be created together.

“When we come together, we achieve far more than any one of us can do alone... This is how we can secure a better future – not just for ourselves, but for the generations to come in a strong and united Singapore,” said PM Wong.

Involving the young​

Singaporeans are already involved in shaping solutions for the nation, as can be seen in municipal projects where residents can design and build their own community playgrounds, said PM Wong.

In recent years, the Government has also convened citizens’ panels, which discuss ideas in a wide range of areas, such as tackling diabetes and improving employment resilience.

There are also youth panels, begun in 2023, where young Singaporeans put forth proposals that led to initiatives to boost financial literacy, job opportunities, digital resilience and recycling, said PM Wong.

“Moving forward, we will convene more citizens’ panels and youth panels. If the ideas are good, we will take them further. We will want to discuss them, we might table the recommendations as a White Paper in Parliament, perhaps even leading to legislative changes,” he said.

Inevitably, the journey to collaborate and co-create solutions will come with some messiness and may need time, noted PM Wong.

“But I firmly believe that a more open and participatory society will strengthen, not weaken, Singapore.”

Within the Government, it will strengthen the instinct to seek partnerships, said PM Wong, as he called on agencies to try new approaches and learn from successes and failures.

He also asked that Singaporeans recognise that creating solutions together is a “messy and iterative” process. “Things may not be as efficient as we like them to be, but if we persevere and stay the course, I believe the outcome will be better, and we will emerge stronger together.”

 

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Tanjong Pagar ‘where it all began’ for Lee Kuan Yew and Singapore: Indranee Rajah​

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah said "there would be no Singapore as we know it" without Tanjong Pagar.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Vanessa Paige Chelvan
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – Tanjong Pagar is “where it all began” for Singapore’s founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah on March 29.

“Without Tanjong Pagar, there would be no Singapore as we know it,” she said.

“If Tanjong Pagar had not given Mr Lee that original mandate, he would not have become the MP for the area, and he would not have become our founding prime minister.”

Mr Lee died on March 23, 2015, at the age of 91. He was Tanjong Pagar’s first MP, after being elected in 1955 when it was a single-member constituency. He remained MP for the constituency for almost 60 years. Tanjong Pagar is now a five-member group representation constituency.

And people who live in Tanjong Pagar remember this, said Ms Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and National Development and an MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC. She was speaking to reporters at the launch of Ramadan Festive Care 2025 at Tiong Bahru Community Centre.

“The journey started here, and I think Mr Lee and all successive MPs in this area have done their very best to build on that legacy and continue to take Singapore forward,” she added.

On whether there would be any movements in the GRC ahead of the upcoming general election, Ms Indranee said it is up to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to decide. The election is widely expected to be held by the first half of the year.

“He’s the man with the answers,” she said.

When asked what issues are on residents’ minds, Ms Indranee said the cost of living is “clearly” what people are worried about. For the 2025 Budget, the Government “has put in a lot of support”, she said.

Some 1.3 million Singaporean households will each get $800 in CDC vouchers and Housing Board households will get up to $760 in U-Save rebates in the 2025 financial year to help them cope with their utility bills. Families with children will also receive further support to defray expenses, as will lower-income families and individuals.

“So long as it’s needed, we will make sure that there is support for people,” Ms Indranee said.

“The key thing is for us to be sure that we continue to take care of residents, (their) concerns, their needs.”

Ramadan Festive Care 2025 is an annual initiative to help under-resourced families, and it has raised more than $21,000 this year, up from about $16,700 in 2024.

About 500 packages filled with essential food items were distributed to beneficiaries. The packages contained staples such as rice, dried and canned foods, as well as basic essentials like sugar and salt, and Milo, mee siam and honey.

The initiative, now into its fourth year, was started by real estate firm OrangeTee, in partnership with non-profit organisations Ray of Hope and Roses of Peace.

About 500 packages filled with essential food items were distributed to beneficiaries at Ramadan Festive Care 2025.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Mr Justin Quek, chief executive of OrangeTee, said the initiative aims to “ensure everyone has a chance to celebrate with the essentials needed”. He thanked Roses of Peace and Ray of Hope for helping to “amplify our efforts and bring more joy to families during this Ramadan”.

Ms Indranee helped to put together one of the packages and flagged off a group of volunteers who set off from the community centre at about 12.30pm to distribute the packages to beneficiaries in the area.

“The Government does many things but, at the same time, the community plays a really important role as well,” she said. For the less fortunate, having (businesses) like OrangeTee come forward during Ramadan is a signal that the community cares about them, she added.

“Kampung spirit is an indefinable thing, but it’s very real. It is that feeling that the people around you, the community that you live in, care about you, and I think that that is extremely important.”

 

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Govt feedback unit will reach out to niche groups, bridge dialogue on thorny issues: Tan Kiat How​

Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How noted that Singapore society has become more diverse.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Goh Yan Han
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – In August 2022, a group of sex workers sat down with civil servants from government feedback unit Reach for anonymous, one-on-one chats.

They were sceptical at first. But over time, the 17 sex workers opened up about their concerns, including the cost of living, qualifying for government support and job safety.

Working with these niche groups is part of Reach’s next phase of growth, said its chairman Tan Kiat How. It will also dig deeper to learn why people hold the views they do and work to bring differing camps together, he added.

Mr Tan, who is Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, noted that Singapore society has become more diverse.

Different groups hold strong views on issues such as sustainability, animal welfare and geopolitics, while digitalisation and social media create echo chambers of information or beliefs that may be “very skewed or even patently false”.

These are trends Reach is aware of as it focuses on its next phase, said Mr Tan.

Mr Tan was speaking to reporters ahead of Reach’s 40th anniversary celebration, launched by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on March 29.


Acknowledging the same trends, PM Wong said he had given Reach a new mission, which is to build bridges in an increasingly diverse society.

Public engagement must go beyond government-to-people dialogues, and Reach must enable people-to-people conversations to build trust and mutual understanding, he added.

As part of the 40th anniversary celebrations, Reach will organise a series of such sessions. The sessions will gather civil society leaders to engage one another on difficult issues such as race and religion, social mobility and the impact of rapid technological changes, said the Prime Minister.

“Building these bridges will not be easy. But we will take the first step. And with time, it will become smoother and easier,” he said.

Reach was set up in 1985 by then Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. Known as the Feedback Unit then, it was meant as an avenue for citizens to give feedback and suggestions on policies.

Mr Tan said Reach channels feedback to government agencies, where it helps to shape policies.

For example, it had sought views on the cost of living from homemakers, retirees living alone and low-income families, among others.

This contributed to Budget 2025 measures to help seniors and families with more children defray expenses, he said.

Wider outreach, deeper engagement​

In the coming years, Reach will “reach wider, reach deeper, and reach together”, said Mr Tan.

This means engaging different groups, but also trying to better understand the reasons for differing views, said Mr Tan.

He gave the example of how some older Singaporeans may raise concerns about high housing prices even though they are already home owners, because they are worried about whether housing will stay affordable for their children.

It also means bringing together groups with very different viewpoints, on topics such as Gaza, said Mr Tan. He was referring to the Israel-Hamas conflict there.

To teach organisations how to have meaningful dialogues on such sensitive issues, Reach is planning to put out a toolkit of best practices by early 2026.

When asked about some of the difficult topics Reach had tackled, Mr Tan said that sometimes for more sensitive issues, it helps to not solicit feedback too openly.

When the Government was looking at the repeal of Section 377A and the changes to the Constitution on the definition of marriage, what was meant to be a closed survey for certain groups was spread much more widely than expected, said Mr Tan.

This made it harder to distil the responses they were looking for, he said.

Parliament repealed Section 377A of the Penal Code, a decades-old law criminalising gay sex, in November 2022.

Project X, a non-profit organisation that provides social, emotional and health services to people in the sex industry, supported the Reach dialogue in 2022.

Its executive director Vanessa Ho said the workers, who were mostly local, said they felt heard and that their concerns were taken seriously.

“It’s powerful because it’s a very niche community and policies tend to be written for the majority. There are sometimes blind spots,” added Ms Ho.

Asked if feedback can be made public for the use of other groups, such as those in the social service sector, Mr Tan said it is up to ministries to decide. He pointed out that they also get feedback from their own channels, which contributes to a fuller picture.

“Sometimes, when the groups are small, the sample size is small, it is maybe a slightly skewed perspective of an issue, but still a valuable one,” said Mr Tan.

“Even if that perspective may be from a small group, you want to make sure this is heard by the right decision-makers. But if you just publish a very skewed perspective, (it) is very unfair, unrepresentative.”

Experimenting with different ways to gather feedback​

In recent years, Reach has also expanded the ways in which it gathers feedback.

It has tried push notifications through the Singpass digital identity app and surveys sent through an SMS link.

In 2023, it solicited pre- and post-Budget feedback through QR codes on tables in some restaurants under The Black Hole Group. The group’s co-founder Mustaffa Kamal is on Reach’s advisory panel.

Mr Mustaffa said the hope was that a more relaxed setting would allow people to give feedback more freely. Nearly 220 responses were received over a few weeks.

As a panel member, he has also been organising closed-door dialogues between those in the food and beverage sector and the authorities.

“Surveys, reports and data can sometimes be a bit flat and not tell the full picture... These conversations take time, but give more understanding and a bit more colour to the entire picture,” he said.

As a smaller outfit with some 30 officers, Reach can be more experimental in how it gathers feedback, said Mr Tan.

It introduced cartoon characters in 2021, which it used to engage Singaporeans through polls, comic strips and a physical mascot.

In 2022, it launched a free online game aimed at youth, which allowed players to control Reach characters as they learnt about labour policies. At the end of the game, they could give their views on local and foreigner workforce integration.

The game was live for three months and 544 responses were received.

“The DNA of Reach is that we don’t do things that definitely succeed – if you do so, then we’ll always be just following. (If you) do something that’s going to be more experimental, at the frontier, it’s okay when you don’t succeed,” Mr Tan said.

“In not succeeding, we also learn. And we want to share this learning with everyone.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

PM Wong committed to govt-citizen partnership, says ‘more open society will strengthen S’pore’​

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong called on Singaporeans to contribute to shaping solutions for the country.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY

Goh Yan Han
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – A more open and participatory society will strengthen Singapore, even though there will be divergent views and disagreements, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Calling on Singaporeans to contribute to shaping solutions for the country, he said this will allow them to have a sense of ownership and responsibility, strengthening the social compact and fostering a deeper sense of belonging.

Their suggestions have directly shaped key policy changes and the Forward Singapore agenda in the last year or two, said PM Wong.

The Government has listened, even though it does not always agree on every suggestion. Sometimes, it may agree on the intent, but needs more time to work through trade-offs. At other times, the ideas need to be fleshed out into good policies, added PM Wong.

“The Government will provide leadership and direction, but we cannot and should not do this alone,” he said.

“As prime minister, I am committed to strengthening this partnership between Government and Singaporeans,” he said at the 40th anniversary launch ceremony of government feedback unit Reach at Jewel Changi Airport.

He pointed to the evolution of Reach over the years, which reflects the Government’s deepening commitment to engaging Singaporeans and forging stronger partnerships.

Bringing together government officials, business leaders, academics and private-sector experts was something he had seen during his time as a civil servant with the Ministry of Trade and Industry. This led to robust debates and discussions that sharpened Singapore’s economic strategies.

Since then, public engagement efforts have expanded in scale and scope, with over 47,000 Singaporeans reached during the 2013 Our Singapore Conversation. More than 200,000 Singaporeans were engaged in the Forward Singapore exercise led by then Deputy Prime Minister Wong that concluded in 2023.

In these engagements, Singaporeans chipped in with suggestions that have directly shaped recent policy changes.

These include new guidelines on flexible work arrangements, additional shared parental leave, the Majulah Package for young seniors born in 1973 or earlier, as well as major shifts in education policies to create more pathways for students, said PM Wong.

“Of course, we will not always agree on every suggestion. And where we differ, the Government will explain our reasons,” he said.

For example, there have been suggestions for price controls amid concerns about cost of living and inflation.

“We understand the concerns about cost of living. But the experience everywhere shows that price caps are not effective and, in fact, can have counter-productive effects,” said PM Wong.

His government has found different ways to help Singaporeans, including through direct assistance such as cash payouts and CDC vouchers, which aid in defraying daily expenses.

MediShield Life is an example of where the Government might agree with the intent of proposals, but needed more time to work through the trade-offs.

In the past, MediShield provided coverage up to age 90, and there were suggestions to extend the coverage beyond that, noted PM Wong.

“But it would also mean higher premiums and could make MediShield unaffordable. So, we had to study the implications carefully before we eventually introduced MediShield Life,” he said.

MediShield Life, introduced in 2015, is a compulsory medical insurance scheme that provides lifetime coverage for all Singaporeans.

Other ideas have had to be fleshed out, such as the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme, which was announced in 2024 and will be rolled out soon, said PM Wong.

For years, the Government had received suggestions to provide unemployment support for workers, but it was concerned about unintended consequences seen elsewhere, in which overly generous benefits dampened incentives to return to work.

The latest scheme is hence one that strikes the right balance, said PM Wong.

Under the scheme that will be rolled out in April, involuntarily unemployed individuals can receive up to $6,000 over six months if they take part in job search-related activities.

Unity amid diversity​

Pointing to a growing diversity among Singaporeans’ perspectives, life experiences and world views, PM Wong cautioned that this could pull society apart if not managed well.

“To be clear, diversity does not have to lead to fragmentation or polarisation. Nor does unity require us to erase our differences,” he said.

“We have to strike a balance – one where we can have healthy debates, agree to disagree where necessary, and still maintain overall unity of purpose as Singapore and Singaporeans.”

The Government will continue to keep policies inclusive, balance competing needs and create opportunities for engagement, said PM Wong.

But cohesion and unity cannot be mandated by policy.

“It must come from Singaporeans choosing day to day to stand together and look out for one another,” he said.

Singapore’s future is not one that the Government can build alone. Rather, it is something that must be created together.

“When we come together, we achieve far more than any one of us can do alone... This is how we can secure a better future – not just for ourselves, but for the generations to come in a strong and united Singapore,” said PM Wong.

Involving the young​

Singaporeans are already involved in shaping solutions for the nation, as can be seen in municipal projects where residents can design and build their own community playgrounds, said PM Wong.

In recent years, the Government has also convened citizens’ panels, which discuss ideas in a wide range of areas, such as tackling diabetes and improving employment resilience.

There are also youth panels, begun in 2023, where young Singaporeans put forth proposals that led to initiatives to boost financial literacy, job opportunities, digital resilience and recycling, said PM Wong.

“Moving forward, we will convene more citizens’ panels and youth panels. If the ideas are good, we will take them further. We will want to discuss them, we might table the recommendations as a White Paper in Parliament, perhaps even leading to legislative changes,” he said.

Inevitably, the journey to collaborate and co-create solutions will come with some messiness and may need time, noted PM Wong.

“But I firmly believe that a more open and participatory society will strengthen, not weaken, Singapore.”

Within the Government, it will strengthen the instinct to seek partnerships, said PM Wong, as he called on agencies to try new approaches and learn from successes and failures.

He also asked that Singaporeans recognise that creating solutions together is a “messy and iterative” process. “Things may not be as efficient as we like them to be, but if we persevere and stay the course, I believe the outcome will be better, and we will emerge stronger together.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Seah Kian Peng says he wants to continue serving Braddell Heights ward​

Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng with a resident during an event at the Braddell Heights Community Hub on March 29.ST PHOTO: SHERMAINE ANG

Shermaine Ang
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng said he wants to continue serving the Braddell Heights ward of Marine Parade GRC if given the chance, as he has been “lucky” to have done for the last 19 years.

“I love this place... You develop a relationship with the place, with the people,” said Mr Seah, who is serving his fourth term as an MP for Marine Parade GRC.

The constituency has been renamed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, along with the shifting of electoral boundaries, as the general election draws near.

“But as you also know, nothing is certain until Nomination Day,” he added.

Mr Seah was speaking to The Straits Times on the sidelines of an event at the Braddell Heights Community Hub on March 29. The event aimed to educate residents about ways to stay safe from online and phone scams.

At the event, he gave residents an update on upcoming developments in the neighbourhood. These include the new Serangoon Polyclinic – the largest in Singapore – which will open by the end of 2025, as well as the upgraded Braddell Heights Community Club, which will be ready by May, and the refurbished Serangoon Market, which will open in October with a new study centre.

“Everything we do here, we do it because we want to make Braddell Heights a better home for all of us,” he told residents.

Mr Seah told ST he has built strong connections with the residents over the years, and knowing he has made things better for them has brought him gratification, and drives him to keep going.

Many residents came forward during the event to shake Mr Seah’s hand, taking photos with him and giving him their best wishes for the upcoming election. He said that he recognised many of the residents in the area, by face if not by name.

He acknowledged that there will always be some people who are unhappy, but they are “the minority”.

Mr Seah entered politics with the PAP in 2006, in the general election held in May that year.

He was appointed Speaker of Parliament in August 2023 after then Speaker and Marine Parade GRC MP Tan Chuan-Jin resigned over an extramarital affair with then Tampines GRC MP Cheng Li Hui.

When asked about the PAP team that will contest Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, Mr Seah said the party was not yet ready to disclose this, but it will be made known soon.

He added that candidates are decided based on the area’s demographics, with the Marine Parade and Braddell Heights wards skewing older, for instance.

More than 20 per cent of the area’s residents are aged 65 and above, higher than the national average of 17 per cent.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Sengkang GRC MPs to continue to speak up on key issues like jet noise, lack of coffee shops​

(From left) Sengkang GRC MPs Louis Chua, He Ting Ru and Jamus Lim at a town hall meeting with residents on March 29.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Kok Yufeng and Ang Qing
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE - The three incumbent Workers’ Party MPs in Sengkang GRC on March 29 assured residents that they will continue to be a voice for those living in the area for as long as they remain elected representatives.

Speaking during a town hall meeting, MPs He Ting Ru, Jamus Lim and Louis Chua said they have raised concerns flagged by Sengkang residents in Parliament over the years, from the lack of coffee shops in the area to the noise from fighter jets taking off and landing at nearby Paya Lebar Air Base.

On aircraft noise, a perennial bugbear among residents, Associate Professor Lim said: “Rest assured, as long as we are still here in a position to do so, we will continue to raise (this) as a pressing area of concern for Sengkang residents.”

Outside of Parliament, Mr Chua, who is vice-chair of the Sengkang Town Council, said he and his fellow MPs have also been working with the various authorities to ensure Sengkang is well-served with basic infrastructure and amenities, such as coffee shops.

The MPs were addressing the more than 50 residents who turned up for the town hall, which was held at a multipurpose hall in Compassvale Link, near Buangkok MRT station.

The meeting is part of a series of regular forums organised by the Sengkang MPs since 2022. Called Sengkang Conversations, it is for residents to discuss national and local issues.

During the event, residents also spoke up on other municipal and national issues. There was, for example, a suggestion for necessities to be exempted from the goods and services tax, and calls for greater scrutiny over government spending.

There was also a discussion about how to resolve neighbourly disputes.

However, those who attended the two-hour session hoping to hear more about the WP’s plans for the next general election - which is widely expected to be called by mid-year - were asked to wait a little longer.

In response to a resident who asked what the WP will do for Sengkang ahead of the polls, Ms He, who chairs the town council, said the meeting was not the right place to speak about election campaign issues as it was not a WP event.

“We will be making some announcements on that shortly. So just keep an eye out for those,” she said.

At the town hall, the Sengkang MPs shared snippets of how they had spoken up on issues raised by residents during the recent two-week debate over the Government’s latest $143.1 billion spending plan.

Mr Chua said that in parliament on March 4, he had spoken up on the need to rejuvenate Sengkang. Residents there have long called for more amenities, such as coffee shops, in the area, and the WP had promised during the 2020 hustings that they would push for more spaces for shops in the neighbourhood.

During the town hall, Mr Chua gave residents an update on this front, saying the Sengkang MPs will be meeting with the Urban Redevelopment Authority in April to flesh out some ideas the team has in mind. The agency is set to unveil its Draft Master Plan 2025 in June.

He pointed to the defunct Compassvale Bus Interchange as an example of land that could be used for amenities such as hawker centres and retail outlets.

A number of attendees at the March 29 town hall said they were there for the first time, citing the upcoming election as a reason for showing up.

Mr Tai Binquan, 23, who lives in Compassvale, said he attended the meeting to learn more about the issues that people are facing.

The freelance videographer he is concerned about the cost of living, and worries whether wages from future jobs will sufficiently cover his living expenses. The first-time voter said he hopes to see more support for those in his generation.

The WP team in Sengkang team has been operating without one member after Ms Raeesah Khan admitted to lying to Parliament and resigned from her post in 2021.

While the WP has not revealed who will be fielded in Sengkang for the coming election, one name tipped to fill the empty seat is Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik, who has been seen in previous community events and walkabouts.

The senior property manager at Aljunied-Hougang Town Council created a public Instagram account in March, publicising his activities with the Sengkang MPs. He was also seen interacting with residents at the March 29 meeting, but declined to comment when approached.

 

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OCBC pumps $2 million into programme to help over 180k seniors​

Residents playing a memory game during the launch of an OCBC programme at Bukit Canberra in Sembawang on March 29.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Syarafana Shafeeq
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – A $2 million programme by OCBC Bank aims to help more than 180,000 seniors in Singapore over the next three years.

The programme was launched at Bukit Canberra in Sembawang on March 29, with Health Minister Ong Ye Kung in attendance.

Among the initiatives that OCBC SeniorCare will support is home-based counselling for seniors from underprivileged backgrounds.

In collaboration with Care Corner Singapore, OCBC will fund these sessions to ensure vulnerable seniors will have convenient access to eldercare-trained counsellors to navigate personal, social and psychological challenges.

More details like how seniors can sign up for the programme will be provided soon.

OCBC group chief executive Helen Wong, who spoke at the launch, hopes the programme will yield a big impact as the initiatives are focused on meeting practical needs based on data and first-hand experiences from the bank’s front-line staff.

Raffles Medical Group and Q&M Dental Group, for instance, will provide senior OCBC customers with member rates on selected services, with other initiatives progressively announced over the duration of the programme.


OCBC also created dialect-speaking roles at some branches to help seniors who may not speak English or Mandarin. These staff are fluent in at least two dialects including Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese and Hakka.

Seniors make up a majority of the footfall at its branches, with staff noting that family members sometimes tag along to help overcome language barriers, the bank said on March 29.

Ten OCBC Care Ambassadors have been hired so far and are stationed at branches popular with seniors, like Ang Mo Kio Central, Jurong Point and Toa Payoh Central. Other initiatives include better time-deposit rates for seniors plus senior deals from merchants.

All OCBC senior customers can get a voucher booklet from five branches – Ang Mo Kio Central, Jurong Point, Nex, Tampines and Toa Payoh Central – from April 3.

The vouchers can be used at participating merchants such as Eu Yan Sang, Sheng Siong, Soup Restaurant, Swensen’s and Watsons.

On March 29, more than 1,000 seniors attended the launch that had a Zumba workout, with Mr Ong and two new likely People’s Action Party candidates for Sembawang GRC in the upcoming general election – Mr Gabriel Lam and Mr Ng Shi Xuan – taking part.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung (centre) and two new likely PAP candidates for Sembawang GRC in the upcoming general election – Mr Ng Shi Xuan (left) and Mr Gabriel Lam – speaking to residents in Bukit Canberra on March 29.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
The seniors also learnt more about digital banking and scams at booths.

Mr Ong said he encourages people in the community to rethink what turning 65 means.

“Who says 65 is old? While the Government may call it ‘super-aged’, the people must say ‘no’. If your mind is not old and your body is fit, 65 is young.”

The Republic is on track to attain super-aged status in 2026. This means that by that year, more than one in five in Singapore’s population are expected to be 65 or older.

On the importance of companies working with the community to create impact, Mr Ong noted that OCBC requires its staff to clock certain hours of volunteer work. “I think whatever we do, everyone can devote that little bit of time to contribute to the community.”

 

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DBS Foundation launches $7.3m initiative to support vulnerable seniors​

Residents at DBS Foundation's Community Pop-up Market event in Khatib on March 29.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Deepanraj Ganesan
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – A $7.3 million programme to enhance vulnerable seniors’ physical and social well-being will be rolled out by DBS Foundation from June, the bank announced on March 29.

The initiative, which aims to address nutritional and social isolation gaps, will see a twice-weekly distribution of nutritious meals to 6,000 lower-income individuals aged 60 and above over two years, across 12 towns such as Ang Mo Kio, Bedok and Queenstown.

Volunteers from the bank’s 14,000-strong workforce will also befriend the seniors via monthly bonding and enrichment activities. In addition, there will be quarterly grocery shopping trips to stock up with $60 worth of items.

DBS Foundation said it will work with community partners as well to facilitate regular social engagement among the seniors.

The new programme, one of the bank’s ways to commemorate Singapore’s 60th birthday, was announced at the foundation’s Community Pop-up Market event in Khatib on March 29. Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam and his fellow Nee Soon GRC MPs Louis Ng and Carrie Tan were also in attendance.

Speaking at the event, the head of DBS Foundation and DBS group strategic marketing and communications, Ms Karen Ngui, said that apart from household and nutritional needs, isolation and loneliness are key concerns that the bank wants to address.

Of the new initiative, she added: “We hope that this will further strengthen the Singapore social compact. One of the things that the DBS Foundation is actually wanting to catalyse is mindset shifts around ageing.

“All walks of society will either be seniors of today, if not seniors of tomorrow. We want to work together to create that paradigm shift, to enable all of us to live with purpose, dignity, and to age well and strong. Together we can make Singapore a healthy, strong and vibrant aged society.”

The event in Khatib is the final instalment of a series of 38 pop-up markets that DBS Foundation has held over the past seven months.

The foundation said it has contributed $3.8 million and deployed 2,000 volunteers for the endeavour which has benefited more than 30,000 households.

Those from lower-income households can select around $100 worth of groceries and essentials for free, on top of picking up financial planning and nutrition tips.

Ms Karen Wee Siew Lin, executive director at Lions Befrienders Service Association, one of the foundation’s community partners, said the pop-up market has been “a vital platform for connecting vulnerable seniors with essential resources and social support”.

“We look forward to the DBS Foundation’s new SG60 programme, which will further strengthen these efforts, empowering communities with greater access to care and meaningful engagement,” she added.

 

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S’pore can remain cohesive even as the world grows more nativist and tribalist: Desmond Lee​

National Development Minister Desmond Lee and PAP new face Chua Wei-Shan at a break fast event in Clementi on March 29.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Ng Wei Kai and Michelle Ng
Mar 29, 2025

SINGAPORE – Understanding and respecting the different cultures that make up Singapore will allow society to remain cohesive even as the world grows more nativist and tribalist, and other societies pull apart, said Minister for National Development Desmond Lee.

Speaking at a break fast event in Clementi on March 29, Mr Lee said: “We hold together because we thrive, not just in being with people who are like us, but celebrating the diversity around us.”

About 380 people of all races attended the event organised by charity Jamiyah Singapore, which also featured food distribution to 208 underprivileged households ahead of Hari Raya Aidilfitri on March 31.

The celebration marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Each family received 2kg of meat, two frozen chickens, rendang paste, and instant ketupat (rice cakes).

Mr Lee, who is an MP for West Coast GRC, pointed to the event as an example of Singapore’s unique brand of unity.

He said: “It is a very precious thing that we have, that we are able to break fast together, regardless of our race, our religion, our background, and that our Muslim friends embrace all of us in the celebration of your cultural and religious practices.”

He added that Singaporeans from every community making an “ardent effort” to open their own festivities to the wider society will strengthen and thicken the country’s multicultural threads.

The event was part of a wider series of food distributions organised by the charity in the lead up to the end of Ramadan.

One of Jamiyah’s beneficiaries at the event was Ms Emilda Jamil, 49, who runs a home-based food business.

Ms Emilda, who is a single mother, said that Jamiyah has over the past five years helped her get back on her feet.

She said: “Life has thrown me a lot of lemons for me to make lemonade. When the divorce happened, I had no plans and no job.”

She added that Jamiyah’s foodbank – Jampacked @ West Coast – helped her meet the needs of her three growing children.

She said: “It isn’t just the services they provide, but how they make us feel, they treat us with respect and dignity.”

Also at the event was PAP new face Chua Wei-Shan, an entrepreneur and long-time grassroots volunteer in West Coast GRC. Asked whether she will be fielded in the upcoming general election, which is widely believed to be called by mid-year, Ms Chua declined to comment.

Over at Bukit Batok, about 100 low-income families — many of whom are long-time Bukit Batok residents — also received gift bags of wet goods and dry ingredients on March 29.

Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai at the food distribution in Bukit Batok on March 29.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
The food distribution in Bukit Batok, graced by Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai, was part of the same series of events by Jamiyah in the lead-up to the end of Ramadan.

Mr Murali, who oversees the SMC, said Jamiyah and Bukit Batok have a fairly long history as the organisation also helped set up a food bank in the ward in 2021, which supports about 400 families.

Mr Murali, who started as a community leader in Bukit Batok in 2000, said he is glad to have the opportunity to be involved for over 25 years.

“We’ve seen children become parents, parents become grandparents. It’s nice to see the transformation of Bukit Batok,” Mr Murali told reporters at the distribution event at a sheltered court opposite Block 188 Bukit Batok West Ave 6.

“What is special is this kind of programme we have today, where community leaders and social service agencies work together to help the less fortunate in the true spirit of Ramadan,” he said.

 

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GE2025: Tan See Leng introduces potential candidate for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC​

(From left) Minister of State for Home Affairs and for National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Manpower Minister and Marine Parade GRC MP Tan See Leng, business development director Diana Pang and South East District Mayor Mohd Fahmi Aliman speaking to ST near Eunos Crescent Market and Food Centre on March 30.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Joyce Lim
Mar 30, 2025

SINGAPORE – Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng was at a walkabout at Eunos Crescent Market and Food Centre on March 30, accompanied by a potential new face, business development director Diana Pang.

Dr Tan, who is MP for Marine Parade, introduced Ms Pang to The Straits Times as a long-time volunteer at next-door East Coast GRC.

Ms Pang, 51, chairs both the Fengshan Women’s Executive Committee and the People’s Association Women’s Integration Network (WIN) Council. She has been leading initiatives like the WIN Caregivers Network providing support for caregivers, and fosters community building and volunteerism among women from diverse backgrounds.

Professionally, Ms Pang is a business development director with 19 years of experience in audit, tax and business advisory, according to a bio on the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations’ (SCWO) website. A serial entrepreneur, she is also an active board member of the SCWO, serving as its second vice-president.

Asked why she was considering entering politics, Ms Pang said she wants to contribute to making a Singapore “where family thrives, and we can build trust and resolve with our heart and passion”.

Business development director Diana Pang (centre) greeting residents during a walkabout at Eunos Crescent Market and Food Centre on March 30.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
If given a chance, she is “here to serve the country anywhere and everywhere”, she added.

Also at the walkabout were South East District Mayor Mohd Fahmi Aliman, who is MP for Geylang Serai, and Minister of State for Home Affairs and for National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, who is an MP in Nee Soon GRC.

The four of them were seen greeting hawkers and residents having their breakfast, in what appeared to be an early introduction of PAP’s potential Marine Parade-Braddell Heights slate for the upcoming general election.

Associate Professor Faishal’s participation in the walkabout sparked speculation that he could be fielded in the new Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.

The 57-year-old told the media that being back in the east felt like a homecoming. A four-term MP, Prof Faishal entered politics in 2006 as part of the team for Marine Parade GRC before he joined Nee Soon GRC in 2011.

“It feels like the good memories are coming back, and I’m happy to see some of the residents who have recognised me since 2006,” he said.

Dr Tan said Prof Faishal had been very good in familiarising him and Mr Fahmi with Marine Parade following the 2020 General Election, as they were both new, first-term MPs then.

Minister of State for Home Affairs and for National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim’s participation in the walkabout sparked speculation that he could be fielded in the new Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
The March 30 walkabout took place against the backdrop of the latest electoral boundary changes, which will see the new Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC take in the current MacPherson SMC, parts of the Mountbatten and Potong Pasir SMCs, and cede the entire Joo Chiat ward and Chai Chee Housing Board estates to neighbouring East Coast GRC.

At present, Marine Parade GRC has five wards: Marine Parade, Joo Chiat, Geylang Serai, Braddell Heights and Kembangan-Chai Chee. At GE2020, the People’s Action Party won the GRC with 57.74 per cent against a Workers’ Party team.

Besides Dr Tan and Mr Fahmi, the other incumbents are Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong (Joo Chiat) and Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng (Braddell Heights).

The fifth member, former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, resigned in 2023 after an extramarital affair.

The redrawn boundaries mean that a key member of the team, Mr Tong, is set to move out.

This sets the stage for Dr Tan to lead the PAP team at the coming election, in what is possibly a multi-cornered fight.

Both the WP and the National Solidarity Party have announced their intention to contest Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, which will have 131,493 voters.

The WP has continued to walk the ground in the GRC since the last general election.

Whom the WP will field in Marine Parade remains unclear, though several candidates who contested in 2020 could make a return – information technology professional Nathaniel Koh and lawyer Fadli Fawzi have been seen making their rounds in the constituency.

Other WP new faces spotted in Marine Parade include senior counsel Harpreet Singh Nehal, who is widely regarded as the opposition party’s “star catch” for this election.

On March 22, former chief executive of Make-A-Wish Singapore, Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim, 40, was spotted at a walkabout in Marine Parade, raising the possibility that she could also be fielded by the ruling party in the new Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.

Another possible PAP candidate is 38-year-old Dr Choo Pei Ling, an assistant professor with the Singapore Institute of Technology’s Health and Social Sciences cluster and second adviser to the grassroots organisations in Kembangan-Chai Chee.

The next general election is widely expected to be held by mid-year.

 

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GE2025: SDP will contest Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC​

SDP party chief Chee Soon Juan and chairman Paul Tambyah speak to media at 888 Plaza in Woodlands on March 30.ST PHOTO: TARYN NG

Lee Li Ying
Mar 30, 2025

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has said it will contest in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC at the upcoming general election.

Doing so will give Singaporeans a chance to vote for the best and most credible alternative candidates, SDP chairman Paul Tambyah said on the sidelines of a food distribution event at 888 Plaza at Woodlands Drive on March 30.

Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC is anchored by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, whose team prevailed against the SDP at GE2020 with 63.18 per cent of the votes.

On potentially contesting against the Prime Minister, Professor Tambyah said: “We don’t know whether he’s going to stay in Marsiling-Yew Tee… In any case, our priority is to send in the best team to the constituency.”

SDP party leaders did not say whom they would field in the four-member GRC.

The opposition party has contested in Marsiling-Yew Tee since the GRC was formed in 2015. It garnered 31.27 per cent of the votes in 2015 and 36.82 per cent of the votes in 2020.

A week earlier, SDP had said that party chief Chee Soon Juan will be contesting in the newly carved out Sembawang West SMC, Dr Tambyah will run again in Bukit Panjang SMC.


Before the redrawn boundaries were announced on March 11, SDP had said that it was also interested to run in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.

It was also interested in a rematch in Bukit Batok SMC and Yuhua SMC, but the two single seats have been redrawn into the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, with part of Yuhua forming the new Jurong Central SMC.

On March 30, SDP leaders did not confirm if the party would be contesting in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC or Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, but said they are talking to other parties before making a decision.

 

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GE2025: PAP’s Sengkang team says it is ‘working hard on the ground’ to win over residents​

(From left) Dr Elmie Nekmat, Ms Bernadette Giam, Dr Lam Pin Min and Ms Theodora Lai speaking to the media before their walkabout at Rivervale Shores on March 30.ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Ang Qing and Kok Yufeng
Mar 30, 2025

SINGAPORE - A new, younger slate of potential candidates from the PAP has been working the ground hard in Sengkang GRC from as early as 2022, when pandemic restrictions were lifted, said former senior minister of state Lam Pin Min.

The ruling party knows it is always a challenge to try to win back a constituency, especially a GRC, but the PAP team’s efforts so far “speaks for itself”, Dr Lam said at a walkabout on March 30.

The ophthalmologist was flanked by the other PAP branch chairs for Sengkang - Ms Theodora Lai, 39, a principal at private equity firm Tembusu Partners; Associate Professor Elmie Nekmat, 43, who teaches communications and new media; and Mrs Bernadette Giam, 38, a director at local food and beverage enterprise Creative Eateries.

“Even as a new team, we are working very hard on the ground,” said Dr Lam, 55.

Dr Lam, who has been active in Sengkang West since 2006, was the only PAP representative retained from the party’s previous slate that lost Sengkang GRC in GE2020. The election was only the second time that the Workers’ Party had won in a GRC, after it prevailed in Aljunied in 2011.

“We have started walking the ground the moment Covid-19 restrictions lifted, and in fact for Elmie, myself and Theodora, we have been walking the ground for the past three to four years,” Dr Lam added.

The PAP team will be doing a lot of more walkabouts in the days ahead, with the aim of visiting all parts of Sengkang, he added.


Dr Lam demurred on whether the PAP slate for the 2025 polls was firm, but noted that he, Ms Lai, Prof Elmie and Mrs Giam had been appointed Sengkang branch chairs. The team has a good gender mix, different strengths and “comes with a lot of passion”, he said when asked what they bring to Sengkang residents.

One reason why the PAP was said to have lost Sengkang GRC in 2020 was because it had fielded an all-male team, which included labour chief and former Cabinet minister Ng Chee Meng as a late addition.

They came up against a more youthful WP slate, who were all young parents like much of Sengkang’s population.

Asked about the feedback his team has received from residents so far, Dr Lam said one aspect the PAP team has heard about is transportation concerns.

“During our routine house visits, we do have much feedback from residents, some regarding eateries, connectivity in terms of LRT, LRT crowdedness,” he said. “These are some of the feedback that if elected as MPs we will definitely try to address.”


On March 30, the four PAP branch chairs and a large group of PAP volunteers visited Rivervale Shores, a Build-to-Order project completed in 2023.

They also visited Sengkang Grand Mall and Buangkok Hawker Centre, where they spoke to residents and handed out toy bears sporting white shirts emblazoned with the words “PAP Sengkang”.

Speaking to reporters at Buangkok Hawker Centre, Ms Lai said such visits are a chance for her and her team to get to know residents better.

“It also gives them a chance to reach out to us as well, if they feel they need help in some ways,” she added.

On how the PAP team’s background can help with the specific concerns of younger families in Sengkang, Prof Elmie, who researches digital media effects, said an issue he is particularly concerned about is digital safety and wellbeing.

“This affects the young ones, the children, as well as the seniors,” he said, adding that this is an area where more can be done.

Among those who received the toy bears on March 30 were Mr Jason Wong, 29, and his wife, who will be voting in Sengkang for the first time.

Mr Wong, an operations specialist who moved from Hougang in 2023, said: “A big walkabout like this wouldn’t help (to win my vote), but seeing them day-to-day will help us know that they’re not doing this just for show.”

What has left a greater impression on the couple were the efforts of PAP’s former branch chair in Sengkang East, Mr Ling Weihong, who was responsible for their Rivervale estate between March 2022 and November 2023.

Mr Wong and his wife said they were touched by Mr Ling’s near-weekly visits, as well as the lawyer’s responsiveness addressing issues such as debris in stairways and carpark connectivity.

Mr Ling was replaced as Sengkang East branch chair by Mr Marcus Loh, a director at digital transformation company Temus, who later stepped down in January 2025 citing family reasons, passing the baton to Mrs Giam.

Mr Wong said: “We’re looking out for an MP who listens to our concerns... For the upcoming elections, we will be looking out for what plans the parties have on a national level.”

 

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GE2025: PSP team meets Keat Hong residents with an eye on contesting Chua Chu Kang​

The team from PSP taking a group photo before conducting door-to-door visits in Keat Hong on March 30.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Osmond Chia
Mar 30, 2025

SINGAPORE – Three members of the opposition Progress Singapore Party went door to door meeting residents in Keat Hong on March 30, further staking a claim to contest Chua Chu Kang GRC in the coming polls.

Businessman Phang Yew Huat, 65, Mr S. Nallakaruppan, 60, a stockbroker and president of the Society of Remisiers, and intellectual property and tech lawyer Wendy Low, 48, were accompanied by about 20 party members as they distributed fliers detailing their policy positions.

Mr Nallakaruppan, in a Facebook update later in the day, said the team covered more than 20 blocks.

Speaking to The Straits Times, Mr Phang, said: “My principal role here in Chua Chu Kang is to engage the residents consistently over the last five years. I do have a heart for Chua Chu Kang since 2020, and I look forward to the opportunity to be in this ground.

“But as you know, you have to leave it to the party to decide.”

Mr Phang Yew Huat, PSP’s potential candidate for Chua Chu Kang GRC, engaging a resident during a door-to-door visit in Keat Hong on March 30.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
In the 2020 election, Mr Phang was principal election agent to former PSP chief Francis Yuen, who stood in Chua Chu Kang GRC, and Ms Low was part of the PSP team contesting Tanjong Pagar GRC.

In recent months, PSP candidates who have been walking the ground – mostly in the western part of Singapore – include Mr Lawrence Pek, the former secretary-general of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, former journalist Stella Stan Lee, and in-house legal counsel Sani Ismail, all of whom are fresh faces for the party.

Ms Wendy Low, PSP’s potential candidate for Chua Chu Kang GRC, said much of her focus has been to visit residents in four- and five-room flats, as well as younger families.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Ms Low, who also visited residents in Brickland with Mr Phang earlier in the week, said much of her focus has been to visit residents in four- and five-room flats, as well as younger families.

Like a few other PSP members, she said a key issue raised by residents is concerns about the rising cost of living.

Mr Pek has been making the rounds in the newly built Tengah neighbourhood, which will merge with Chua Chu Kang GRC in line with recent boundary changes.

He said he began volunteering with PSP in 2023, and has been focusing his efforts on Tengah, within the Hong Kah North single seat, held by Dr Amy Khor, who is Senior Minister of State for Transport, and Sustainability and the Environment.

Mr Pek said: “It’s very logical for my team and I to focus our efforts on engaging the residents in Tengah. During the past year, we’ve been to Tengah several times, especially Plantation Plaza.”

Since March 25, Mr Pek has made at least three visits to Tengah, at last count home to roughly a tenth of about 93,000 electors in Chua Chu Kang GRC, based on The Straits Times analysis of data from 2024.

PSP member Lawrence Pek (left) has been making the rounds in the newly built Tengah neighbourhood, which will merge with Chua Chu Kang GRC in line with recent boundary changes. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
The needs of Tengah residents are unique, said Mr Pek. The estate is home to many young families who have moved in recently, amid teething issues like the lack of public transport options and issues with the town’s centralised cooling system.

Mr Pek said: “We tell residents about avenues that we know about, for the Government to hear their feedback, and direct them to feedback channels.”

Nearly 8,000 households in Tengah had collected their keys up until November 2024, the Housing Board said.

At the 2020 polls, the PAP team led by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong won Chua Chu Kang GRC with a vote share of 58.64 per cent, roughly an 18 percentage point drop from the 2015 election. It was also the PSP’s best showing after West Coast GRC and Marymount SMC.

 

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Close to $1m raised for Gaza during Ramadan: Masagos​

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli thanked the Malay/Muslim community for contributing generously towards the campaign.PHOTO: MDDI

Joyce Teo
Mar 30, 2025

SINGAPORE – Close to $1 million has been collected in an ongoing fund-raising campaign for humanitarian relief in Gaza, as contributions flowed in from the Malay/Muslim community and other Singaporeans throughout the month of Ramadan, said Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli.

In his Hari Raya Aidilfitri message on March 30, he thanked the contributors for their generosity towards the campaign conducted by local charity Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF).

The donations will help provide food, medical supplies and essential goods to the people of Gaza.

RLAF’s campaign, Aid For Gaza, started on Feb 24, and will run till April 6.

Israel launched its invasion of Gaza in response to the Oct 7, 2023, attack in southern Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas. Singapore’s humanitarian aid to Gaza has amounted to more than $19 million since then.

Mr Masagos’ Hari Raya message was delivered in Malay on TV channel Suria’s 8pm news on March 30.

In it, he also highlighted the Malay/Muslim community’s strong unity in supporting those in need through various charitable initiatives organised by mosques and community networks. Ramadan is the month for the community to reflect, worship and increase their good deeds, he said.

“I am glad to see the strong spirit of unity within our community. We come together in acts of worship, strengthen ties and help those in need,” said Mr Masagos.

“Throughout Ramadan, our mosques warmly welcome congregants for porridge distributions, breaking of fast, tarawih prayers and religious lessons, amongst many other activities.”

One such effort by a mosque is an initiative called Our Community Pantry at Masjid Al-Iman in Bukit Panjang.

The mosque works with community partners to provide food supplies to underprivileged families regardless of race or religion, underscoring the community’s core values of collaboration and helping one another, said Mr Masagos.

In 2025, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, also known as Hari Raya Puasa, falls on March 31. It marks the first day of Syawal – the 10th month of the Islamic calendar.

“This Syawal, let us preserve and build upon the noble values of compassion, concern and generosity that we embraced during Ramadan,” Mr Masagos said.

“Together, we can make positive change and leave a legacy that future generations can be proud of – one that embodies our vision of ‘Masyarakat Gemilang, Masa Depan Cemerlang’, or ‘Community of Success, Thriving Future’.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

PAP’s slate of new faces shapes up with 30 likely names; party could field younger group, more women​

The PAP's new slate is likely to reflect the priorities of its secretary-general, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
Ng Wei Kai and Goh Yan Han
Mar 31, 2025

SINGAPORE – The PAP’s latest crop of candidates could be its youngest since the 2011 election, with more women in the mix.

In all, The Straits Times has identified around 30 new faces who could stand in the upcoming election. Among them are senior civil servants, C-suite executives and long-serving grassroots volunteers.

This is in line with the party’s practice of refreshing between a quarter and a third of its slate each term. As Singapore’s next Parliament will have 97 elected members, it is likely to field between 24 and 32 new faces.

The new slate is also likely to reflect the priorities of its secretary-general, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. In November 2024, PM Wong emphasised leadership renewal as a priority in his first speech as party leader.

He has also said he plans to field more women in the upcoming general election.

ST’s analysis of the potential candidates showed several trends.

First, the party could field more women than in previous years, in keeping with a steadily rising trend.


Second, the split between the number of potential candidates from the private sector and the public sector has remained roughly consistent since 2006.

Third, the potential slate for 2025 is slightly younger than those in previous years – with an average age of about 40.

Women in PAP politics​

About 40 per cent of the potential candidates are female, which means 12 new women candidates could be fielded in 2025.

This is up from 37 per cent in GE2020 and under a quarter in 2015.

PM Wong had identified this as a priority in August 2024, saying he hoped to increase female representation in Parliament. “To me, having that diversity in the team is very useful,” he said.

Fresh faces seen on the ground with PAP MPs include Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim, the former chief executive of Make-A-Wish Singapore, lawyer Gho Sze Kee and business development director Diana Pang.

Two public servants who will leave the service in early April could join them – Health Ministry deputy secretary for policy Jasmin Lau and Smart Nation and AI policy director Goh Hanyan.

(From left) Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim, Ms Jasmin Lau and Ms Goh Hanyan.PHOTOS: SHINTARO TAY, MOH, MDDI
The move to field more women comes on the back of government efforts to engage them over the past few years. For instance, it declared 2021 the year to celebrate Singapore women and launched national conversations on women’s issues.

“Not only was this a reflection of the views of women and listening to them, but it was also a way to engage women and build political capital among them,” said Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) senior research fellow Gillian Koh.

Pointing to the current Cabinet make-up of three women and 16 men, IPS Social Lab research fellow Teo Kay Key said it would be a welcome sign if more women candidates are identified, especially those with potential to become ministers.

Independent political observer Felix Tan said of the likely women candidates: “These are very established individuals who have the experience and the skills to take up more significant roles if they are voted in.”

Public sector crucial, but more private sector high-fliers desired​

The potential slate for 2025 shows that the public sector remains an important source of recruitment for the ruling party, political observers said.

But they said repeated messaging from PAP leaders also shows that the party hopes to attract more high-fliers from the private sector.

About half of the potential candidates are from the private sector – a ratio that is largely similar to previous batches. The figure was between 40 per cent and 50 per cent in the past for elections since 2006, except for 2015, when it spiked to 62 per cent.

On March 26, PM Wong spoke of the challenges in getting candidates from the private sector.

“For someone who is in the private sector, who is very successful, for example, in his 30s or 40s... potentially moving into a senior leadership position in a firm, MNC (multinational corporation) or large local company, the sacrifice is much greater,” he said.

“It is not just a recent phenomenon. That has always been the case. It has always been difficult.”

SMU law don Eugene Tan said: “The party recognises the importance of having greater diversity among its first-time candidates and softening its image as a party that draws its candidates primarily from the public sector and the military.”

But the challenge could lie in differing life goals of private sector individuals, said Dr Felix Tan.

“Unlike public servants who safeguard Singapore’s interests at a national level, private sector candidates might not necessarily be in line with that expectation,” he said.

All candidates will have to “flip the switch” in their minds to recognise that they will have to win the trust of ordinary citizens, and to understand the authority conferred upon them through the ballot, said IPS’ Dr Koh.

“However, this switch is probably less of a distance to bridge (for a public servant) than for someone who is used to being a freewheeling entrepreneur, no matter how successful he or she might have been,” she added.

Just over a third of the potential 2025 rookies are from the public sector, with a majority from the civil service. A handful come from a military background.

Individuals who have chosen careers in the public service are a natural pool to draw from, said Dr Koh.

“They have to offer themselves for the appropriate reasons and motivation. This is not a question of good or bad,” she said.

“It is a question of fit and a grasp of the stringent, disciplined, gruelling and demanding task of being an MP. It isn’t just about sacrifices and the scrutiny of public life, but also the suitability.”

These public servants also hold the experience and skills to become political office-holders if elected, said Dr Felix Tan. With their seniority in the ministries, they also have the added advantage of being able to handle policymaking, he noted.

Slightly younger slate, signs of a nascent 5G?​

The slate of new faces identified so far for the upcoming election is 40.5 years old on average.

This is about two years younger than the average ages in the past two general elections, though slightly higher than 2011’s average of 39.1 years.

A significant number of 2011’s rookies were tipped to be the building blocks of the PAP’s fourth-generation leadership.

The group included current Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, both of whom became full ministers in their first term. PM Wong also joined politics that year, and rose to minister for culture, community and youth in that term.

Mr Heng was 50 then, while Mr Chan was 41. PM Wong was 38.

Based on precedent, some of the potential candidates – Mr Jeffrey Siow, the 46-year-old former second permanent secretary; Mr Shawn Loh, 38, the former Finance Ministry director who oversaw the last two Budgets; and Ms Lau, 41, who was deputy secretary at the Health Ministry – could be potential political office-holders.

Given their ages, these individuals could also form a core part of leaders who will support PM Wong’s tenure as head of government, Associate Professor Eugene Tan added.

Dr Teo said their candidacy could signal that the PAP is focused on leadership renewal.

The party appears to be looking at who is likely to have potential to join the Government and have more years ahead of them to contribute, she said.

The party has perhaps begun identifying its fifth generation of leaders, giving them a longer runway to learn the ropes, test them on suitability as well as rotate around different ministries, she added.

While the changes in average age between elections were not necessarily significant, Dr Felix Tan said fielding younger candidates may suggest that many of them intend to be in politics for the long haul, with the bandwidth to continue through PM Wong’s term.

Overall, the slate’s relative youth could appeal to younger voters.

Prof Eugene Tan added that with the citizen population’s median age at 43.4 years, the average age of new candidates being younger than that could be read as a declaration of the PAP’s intent to reach out more to millennials and Gen Zs.

“(They) are increasingly an important vote bank that the PAP is desirous of engaging and winning over,” he added.

​

 

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GE2025: New PAP faces could be formally introduced soon​

Moving company chief operating officer Gabriel Lam (left) and battery company director Ng Shi Xuan were introduced as new faces likely to stand in Sembawang GRC.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Goh Yan Han and Ng Wei Kai
Mar 31, 2025

SINGAPORE – With a general election coming, the ruling party has begun introducing potential candidates to the public.

New faces have been out in force with sitting PAP MPs, meeting residents and speaking to the media at walkabouts and community events across the island.

This will be followed by a formal introduction of the new candidates, which could be as soon as this week, observers said.

They added that the pace is likely to pick up in the first week of April. The 2025 format looks to be a mix of past approaches.

On March 29, in what was the most definitive introduction so far, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung announced moving company chief operating officer Gabriel Lam and battery company director Ng Shi Xuan as new faces likely to stand in his Sembawang GRC in the coming polls.

More are likely to follow.

Potential candidates began surfacing as early as 2024, but before the release of the new electoral boundaries, many were not formally introduced to the public and the media.


Political observers noted that the new faces have been spending more time on the ground quietly before being introduced to the public. They were spotted shadowing MPs at community events, where they identified themselves as grassroots volunteers or party activists.

Independent political observer Felix Tan said it has been a slow and steady process this time.

He said: “Introducing these new faces (this way) will allow the PAP to suss out the ground and gauge the support that these individuals will have in these areas.”

Institute of Policy Studies Social Lab research fellow Teo Kay Key said the party could be putting new faces on the ground earlier in response to feedback from previous elections about “parachuting” candidates in at the last minute.

But since the electoral boundaries were made public, informal introductions seem to have ceased, and new faces have been pushed to the fore as part of potential slates.

New face Hazlina Abdul Halim, who had previously been spotted shadowing MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling, was formally introduced to residents and reporters at a Marine Parade GRC walkabout on March 22.

Wearing the party badge, her appearance alongside the constituency’s anchor minister Tan See Leng has fuelled speculation that she could be part of the slate for the renamed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, although sitting MPs were coy about confirming her candidacy.

As Polling Day draws closer, the party is expected to move into the next phase and formally introduce its candidates to the nation.

Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan said that the pace is likely to pick up this week, with attempts to profile prospective candidates.

The recent string of high-profile public servant resignations – six known so far – also hints at this, as they usually quit close to the hustings. Their last days at work all fall between the end of March and this week.

In 2020, the PAP introduced eight to nine candidates a day over three consecutive days amid the Covid-19 pandemic, which necessitated online introductions.

This strategy, with introductions centralised at the party headquarters and managed by a senior member of its executive committee, has been employed by the PAP in past elections.

It was a different approach in 2015.

Wanting to appear up front with residents about their options and in response to feedback that the previous flurry of announcements was too overwhelming, each constituency announced its own slate and retiring MPs.

This happened over several weeks in August, ahead of Polling Day on Sept 11.

It is unclear which style the party will adopt in 2025, but based on the introductions in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC and Sembawang GRC at the weekend, it seems the PAP could be putting forth its new faces in the individual constituencies without confirming its final line-up.

However, potential candidates being introduced in a certain constituency does not guarantee they will contest in that area, Associate Professor Eugene Tan noted.

He added that everything about the PAP’s deployments will be fluid right up to Nomination Day.

He said: “Being discreet about the actual deployments of the first-time candidates is to be expected. It is a strategic decision, but not as critical as where the incumbent MPs, especially the GRC anchors, will be deployed.”

 

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Former AIC chief spotted with East Coast GRC MPs; first public servant new face seen on the ground​

Minister Edwin Tong takes a picture with (back row, third from left) DPM Heng Swee Keat, MP Jessica Tan Soon Neo, Minister Maliki Osman, (front row, second from left) Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash, Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim and congregation members at Al-Ansar Mosque on Mar 31.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Goh Yan Han
Mar 31, 2025

SINGAPORE – Recently-resigned public servant Dinesh Vasu Dash accompanied East Coast GRC MPs at a mosque visit in Chai Chee on the morning of March 31.

Mr Dinesh, whose last day as the chief of Agency for Integrated Care was on March 27, is the first former public servant spotted on the ground with PAP MPs since the recent string of resignations from the Government.

The 50-year-old was seen walking into Al-Ansar Mosque in Chai Chee, accompanying Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong.

This comes amid speculation that he has joined the ruling party and will be fielded in the upcoming elections.

Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim, 40, the former chief executive of Make-A-Wish Singapore, was also with the group.

She had previously been spotted shadowing MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling and was formally introduced to residents and reporters at a Marine Parade GRC walkabout on March 22.

Ms Jessica Tan was also in attendance. Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How arrived slightly later and joined the group before they entered the mosque.


The other two East Coast GRC MPs – Dr Maliki Osman and Ms Cheryl Chan – were not with the group. Dr Maliki had arrived earlier on his own while Ms Chan was on a work trip.

Mr Tong, who is currently MP for Marine Parade GRC, oversees the Joo Chiat area that was carved into East Coast GRC in the latest electoral boundaries report.

He has been in talks with East Coast GRC MPs on integrating plans between the two areas, and was seen on March 23 on a walkabout in Bedok with DPM Heng.

Mr Dinesh is the latest senior officer to quit the government sector in recent weeks.

Three other senior civil servants quit the service on March 25.

They include Mr Jeffrey Siow, second permanent secretary of the Manpower and Trade and Industry ministries, and Mr Shawn Loh, who oversaw the last two budgets and was director of security and resilience programmes at the Finance Ministry.

The third is Smart Nation Strategy Office director Goh Hanyan, who is also director of the national artificial intelligence group for policy and strategy at the Digital Development and Information Ministry.

ST had earlier reported that Ms Jasmin Lau, deputy secretary for policy at MOH, and Mr Foo Cexiang, director for private and future mobility at the Transport Ministry, had resigned. Their last day at work will be in early April.

The civil service is a traditional PAP hunting ground for election candidates. Those who are selected usually resign from their jobs in the run-up to the polls.

 

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Constitution provides for NMPs to step down to stand in elections: Shanmugam​

(From left) MP Louis Ng, Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, MPs Derrick Goh and Carrie Tan, and Mr Jackson Lam speaking to the media outside Ahmad Ibrahim Mosque on March 31.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Tay Hong Yi
Mar 31, 2025

SINGAPORE – Under Singapore’s Constitution, a Nominated MP can step down to join a political party and run for election, Minister for Law K. Shanmugam said on March 31.

“But we must make sure, of course, that while they are NMPs, they are independent, and Parliament has got to choose men and women of character and who carry themselves properly,” he stressed.

He added: “The fact that they can contribute subsequently, or prior, is something that was always understood and provided (for).”

Mr Shanmugam was speaking outside Ahmad Ibrahim Mosque in Sembawang Road after a series of community visits to mosques and prayer sites in Yishun on Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

He is also Minister for Home Affairs and the anchor minister for Nee Soon GRC.

His comments come after NMPs Raj Joshua Thomas and Syed Harun Alhabsyi resigned about a year before their terms ended. They have emerged as PAP new faces recently.

The resignations sparked comments that a scheme meant to ensure independent voices free from party politics in Parliament would be undermined.

Said Mr Shanmugam: “If you look at the debates and the speeches around that time, including the background papers that were put forward, Mr Lee Kuan Yew talked about, potentially, NMPs becoming ministers.

“And certainly the constitutional documents clearly envisaged that NMPs could join political parties and take part in elections, and I think the final word really is the Constitution itself – the way it’s been drafted, that was the intention.”

He noted that he is one of only two people still in Parliament, alongside Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who were present during the debate on the NMP scheme, which entered legislation in 1990.

“Well, I thought that it was a good idea to bring in more voices into Parliament, and I strongly supported it.”

He added: “I can understand that (the parliamentary debate) was more than 30 years ago, and not a lot of people would know the background or the provisions of the Constitution, but the final word, I think, is that the Constitution expressly provides for this framework.”

Asked if fellow Nee Soon GRC MP Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim would be fielded elsewhere, Mr Shanmugam said it was difficult for him to give a complete and final answer to that, as such decisions are made by the PAP’s central executive committee.

Nonetheless, Mr Shanmugam said Associate Professor Faishal is “unlikely to be here”.

Prof Faishal, who is Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development, had joined Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng on a walkabout at Eunos Crescent Market and Food Centre on March 30.

This sparked speculation that he could be fielded in the new Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.

Mr Shanmugam noted: “As people can see, he is spending a lot of time in Marine Parade, and I think that is one indication of what might happen.”

Speaking to reporters after the community visits, Dr Syed Harun, who has been seen walking the ground, said he has been able to learn from Mr Shanmugam, Prof Faishal, as well as other MPs, in recent weeks about community issues.

“Really, it’s (me) putting myself forward to be able to serve in whatever capacity that is possible in the future, and I look forward to continuing my service for the country,” he said.

Dr Syed Harun, who is a psychiatrist by training, outlined his previous volunteer work with the Malay/Muslim community, including contributing to Lembaga Biasiswa Kenangan Maulud, a charity dealing with educational bursaries and scholarships for students in need.

“Other than that, I’ve also contributed to the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore as a board member for seven years prior.”

Dr Syed Harun and fellow Nee Soon GRC new face Jackson Lam joined Mr Shanmugam and Nee Soon GRC MPs Carrie Tan, Derrick Goh and Louis Ng on the community visits on March 31.

Mr Jackson Lam and Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi participated in the community visits on March 31.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Another PAP new face, Ms Lee Hui Ying, was also seen on the visits. She is a grassroots leader in the area.

Without confirming if Dr Syed Harun and Mr Lam would replace anyone on the Nee Soon GRC slate, Mr Shanmugam said: “I think (Mr Lam), Dr Harun – they will be able to serve the community very well.

“Whoever we put forward in Yishun, we will have to have the confidence that they can serve the residents of Yishun very well, and we will try and make sure of that.”

 

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Election spotlight: Eyes on PM Wong’s turf in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC​

In his first election as prime minister, Mr Lawrence Wong’s four-member constituency of Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC is one to watch, simply because it is the PM’s turf. The Straits Times dives into the issues on the ground and looks at how the 10-year-old GRC is solidifying as a northern PAP stronghold.​

The 10-year-old Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC is solidifying as a northern PAP stronghold.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Anjali Raguraman
Apr 01, 2025

SINGAPORE - On a balmy night 10 months ago, sleepy Yew Tee came to life when over 1,000 residents gathered in the district under a giant tent to watch their MP being sworn in as Singapore’s fourth prime minister.

The buzzy atmosphere crescendoed when the newly minted Prime Minister Lawrence Wong arrived from the Istana at about 10.30pm, gave a speech, and stayed for half an hour to greet residents and take wefies.

PM Wong’s personal popularity was clear when The Straits Times spoke to Marsiling-Yew Tee residents, with virtually all of them confident that his PAP team would win comfortably at the coming general election.

This is especially so given that the young constituency, which is facing only its third electoral contest, is now led by a sitting prime minister.

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.

But exactly how well the constituency polls for the PAP at GE2025 will be closely watched, not just by residents but also the rest of Singapore and political observers.

“This is because our head of government still has to draw his authority from his local constituents in parliamentary elections,” said Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) senior research fellow Gillian Koh.

In a nutshell, citizens expect that PM Wong and his team “do as well locally, as his party does nationally”, she added.

Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan noted: “Marsiling-Yew Tee is also a constituency to watch as a barometer of how the ruling party will campaign, and how much time PM Wong devotes to campaigning in the constituency given that he also has to campaign for his party colleagues across the island.”

PM Wong’s islandwide engagements have stepped up a gear in past weeks, with surprise appearances across the island from Marsiling to Marine Parade, and Serangoon to Sengkang, stumping for his party colleagues in between prime ministerial engagements locally and overseas.

These visits have mostly centred on constituencies where hot contests are expected.

These include the newly formed West Coast-Jurong West GRC and Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, which he visited on the morning of March 30, and gamely posed for photos with residents at hawker centres in Clementi and Yuhua.

Later that night, he dropped in on his own GRC, making a surprise visit at a community hall in Woodlands Drive 14 in Woodgrove district to greet residents after their final congregational tarawih prayers for Ramadan.

How the battle will shape up​

Political observers said it would be a formidable task going up against the PM, who has traditionally done well in his own ward.

This is evident from the electoral records of PM Wong’s predecessors – Mr Lee Hsien Loong in Ang Mo Kio GRC, Mr Goh Chok Tong in Marine Parade GRC, and Mr Lee Kuan Yew in Tanjong Pagar GRC.

The northern region of Singapore is seen as safe for the ruling People’s Action Party, with Sembawang and Nee Soon GRCs having outperformed the national average at the last election.

Marsiling-Yew Tee stretches from Yew Tee in Chua Chu Kang to Sungei Kadut, Kranji and parts of Woodlands, including Woodlands Checkpoint.

The four-member GRC is anchored by PM Wong in the division of Limbang, and comprises Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad (Marsiling), North West District Mayor Alex Yam (Yew Tee) and Ms Hany Soh (Woodgrove).

Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC is anchored by PM Lawrence Wong in the division of Limbang, and comprises Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad (Marsiling), North West District Mayor Alex Yam (Yew Tee) and Ms Hany Soh (Woodgrove).ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
The PAP’s line-up is expected to remain the same for the upcoming election, making this the team’s second electoral outing.

The group representation constituency was first formed in 2015 from parts of Chua Chu Kang GRC and Sembawang GRC that had seen significant population growth.

It is one of nine constituencies whose boundaries were kept intact by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee in its March 11 report.

Observers noted that PM Wong’s profile has been building steadily.

IPS’ Dr Koh said that has included leading Singapore’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has been globally acknowledged as a success; steering the Forward Singapore agenda to refresh and strengthen the social compact between the Government and the people; as well as his role as finance minister, in which he has delivered the national Budget since 2022.

This national record is why Woodlands resident and events organiser Raden Masyadi, 49, said he is confident that the PAP team will secure a higher vote share this time around, as “there has been a lot of good response (to) Lawrence Wong since the pandemic”.

Mr Raden said he was glad that the constituency would be contested at the coming election so that the Prime Minister can win outright, and not through a walkover.

On March 30, the SDP announced that it would return to contest Marsiling-Yew Tee as part of its “northern strategy” at this election to take on the PAP in several constituencies such as Sembawang and the single-member constituencies of Bukit Panjang and Sembawang West.

At an event at 888 Plaza in Woodlands Drive, SDP chief Chee Soon Juan said he would put up “a good slate” for the election that includes both “gung-ho” new faces and veterans such as party vice-chairman Bryan Lim.

Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soo Juan (foreground, right) and party vice-chairman Bryan Lim leading a walkabout.PHOTO: BRYAN LIM/FACEBOOK
Mr Lim was part of the SDP team that challenged the PAP in Marsiling-Yew Tee both in 2015 and 2020. In 2015, the PAP won with 68.73 per cent of the votes.

Other SDP members who have been seen on the ground there include party treasurer Surayah Akbar, and its deputy head of ground operations Abdul Salim Harun.

While odds are slim that the SDP can prevail there, analysts such as Dr Koh said going up against the Prime Minister’s team allows the opposition to receive “outsized attention” when it addresses PM Wong’s performance on the ground and in the country during the campaigning period.

SMU’s Associate Professor Tan said the SDP would also be keen to see how well it performs against a team led by the leader of the ruling party. “They do not expect to win, but they can portray it as a victory of sorts if they can deny the PM a significant win in his own constituency,” he said.

Even so, whether the GRC becomes an unquestioned PAP stronghold is yet to be seen, said observers.

“If it is to be a stronghold of the PAP, then it has to be among the top performers for the PAP in the coming GE – it has to poll above the PAP’s national average by about 10 per cent. So, PM and his team have got their work cut out for them,” said Prof Tan.

The final tally depends not only on support for the PM’s team, but also the credibility of the opposition party it faces, said former PAP MP Inderjit Singh.

He pointed to how constituencies like Ang Mo Kio GRC and Jurong GRC, among the best performing GRCs in GE2020, were led by popular PAP leaders, but also did not face off against strong opposition parties such as the WP.

Mr Zaqy said the PAP team takes each election seriously, and does not take for granted that it will get residents’ mandate.

“Residents are objective and rational... they will view how advisers and MPs work the ground, and certainly we have been listening to their concerns and issues,” he said, speaking to reporters ahead of an iftar, or breaking fast, with 7,000 guests at Marsiling Mega Sports Park in March.

“Ultimately, the PAP has been in place for many years and this is one way in which the mandate is important, especially for the PM during his first general election.”

Responding to residents’ concerns​

Residents told ST they were excited about how their towns have come to life and shed their ulu (remote) reputation in recent years, given the greater connectivity to town from the Thomson-East Coast Line.

The long-awaited Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link will also provide Singaporeans a direct link from Woodlands to Johor by end-2026, bypassing Causeway congestion.

Long-time Yew Tee residents like homemaker Lynn Koh, 56, are also abuzz about the upcoming Heart of Yew Tee.

Billed as a “vertical kampung”, the integrated development is tailored for seniors with necessary amenities within easy reach, such as a community club, hawker centre, polyclinic, kidney dialysis centre and retail outlets.

The construction site of the upcoming Heart of Yew Tee, which is scheduled to be completed in 2027.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Currently being built a short walk away from Yew Tee MRT station, it is scheduled to be completed in 2027.

“I now have to take a feeder bus to get to the polyclinic in Chua Chu Kang, but as I get older, that will be harder, so this will be convenient for me,” said Madam Koh, who has lived in the area for over 20 years.

The GRC is also home to the Yew Tee Lifestyle Corridor, an initiative that has repurposed land beneath the MRT viaducts into a community hub, complete with a water play plaza, amphitheatre and playground for residents.

Children at the Yew Tee Lifestyle Corridor’s water play plaza on March 28.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
While the general sentiment was one of no complaints, with estates managed efficiently and effectively, there was the occasional gripe about local facilities such as not enough ATMs, and insufficient Muslim-friendly food options.

Close to a quarter of residents in Marsiling-Yew Tee are Malays, compared with about 13.5 per cent nationally, according to an ST analysis of data from the 2020 Singapore population census. The census is conducted once every 10 years.

Some Yew Tee residents also said their transport connectivity paled in comparison with that of other areas nearby, such as Woodlands, now a major transport node with two MRT lines and an integrated transport hub.

Storeman Shaik Abdul Rahman, 43, who lives in Choa Chu Kang Crescent, said his neighbourhood’s connectivity does not compare well with that of towns like Jurong East and Clementi.

“It feels a bit disconnected,” said Mr Shaik, who wished for more bus services to town, or transport hubs and major interchanges.

Responding to queries from ST, Mr Zaqy said the Marsiling-Yew Tee team had been focused on commitments it made at GE2020, such as precinct upgrading, better transport links, more parks, and greater support for families and vulnerable groups.

The precincts have since undergone significant improvements, including upgraded lifts and enhanced accessibility and recreational spaces, he added.

Other things residents can look forward to include a refreshed Marsiling Community Club, new MRT stations coming up near Yew Tee Village and Sungei Kadut, and several upgraded parks such as Stagmont Park, Mandai Tekong Park and Acadia Park.

“The growth of Marsiling-Yew Tee is well under way… these developments reflect our commitment to meeting the housing needs and enhancing the vibrancy of our town,” Mr Zaqy said.

A worker at Stagmont Park, which is being upgraded.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
With issues like cost of living being top of mind for residents, community initiatives have also been rolled out to support more vulnerable households.

These include the MY $1 Deals initiative introduced in January 2025, where essential items like cooking oil, eggs or rice can be bought for a dollar.

Mr Zaqy said the initiative has been met with overwhelming response, and has benefited about 10,000 households across the GRC.

Mr Yam, chairman of Marsiling-Yew Tee Town Council, and vice-chair Ms Soh, pointed out that over 33,000 households have benefited from repairs and redecoration works, and more than 800 lifts have been upgraded in the last five years.

The rejuvenated Limbang Shopping Centre, which officially reopened in 2024, now features a larger supermarket, more amenities and dining options, as well as improved accessibility for residents.

Nearly 300 playgrounds, game courts and fitness corners have also been upgraded or newly built across the town, as have more than 500 sheltered linkways and barrier-free access ramps, they added.

In the next five years, the GRC will welcome new housing projects, such as the two upcoming Build-To-Order (BTO) projects in Woodgrove, namely the 1,540-unit Woodgrove Ascent and the 1,127-unit Woodgrove Edge, as well as seven BTO projects in Marsiling that will add approximately 5,220 units.

The prevailing sentiment among residents was that it is good to be in the Prime Minister’s GRC.

“I think most residents will consider ourselves blessed to have the Prime Minister as an MP,” said long-time resident Patrick Xie, 65, a retired businessman who has lived in Limbang for over 20 years.

The PM’s estate has to set the example for the rest of the country, he added.

Residents also see the constituency as a place with potential, and a good place to raise a family.

This was the case for special needs educator Farhanah Aziz, 33, who has three young children aged six, three and one.

After she got married, she chose to return to Yew Tee to live near her parents.

“We live very near the swimming complex, and right opposite our house we have the Stagmont Park coming up, there are new playgrounds and the water play area at Yew Tee MRT, so it is fun for our kids,” she said. “I think I will live here for a long time.”