General Election 2025

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DBS/POSB rolls out SG60 deals, including 60-cent meal deals​

Education Minister Chan Chun Sing (right) and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth and Social and Family Development Eric Chua at the POSB “Support Our Heartlands” community event at Tiong Bahru Plaza on March 15.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Judith Tan
Mar 15, 2025, 08:04 PM

SINGAPORE – To celebrate Singapore’s 60th birthday, DBS/POSB has rolled out year-long special offers for its customers that include 60-cent grocery and meal deals, while also ramping up the bank’s efforts to improve the well-being of vulnerable seniors.

At an event on March 15, the bank said its employees will engage with seniors from super-aged and aged towns, such as Ang Mo Kio, Queenstown and Bedok, and drive initiatives to improve their nutrition and deepen social connections.

The bank said it will also redouble its community engagement efforts throughout SG60. This includes taking its digital and financial literacy carnivals and getai roadshows to more neighbourhoods to make digital and financial education more accessible and convenient for everyone.

For all customers, the bank has lined up a suite of “60-themed” rewards and deals all year round, which are available through the POSB Everyday Card and PAssion POSB Debit Card.

They include:

• 60-cent rice (1kg pack) and 60-cent oil (500ml bottle) at any Sheng Siong supermarket for customers who purchase these essential items, capped at the first 50,000 redemptions for each item a month from now until June 30;
• 60-cent deals at participating food and beverage outlets from July 1 to Sept 30; and
• 60 per cent discount on entry passes to participating attractions from Oct 1 to Dec 31.

More details on participating merchants and attractions will be released at a later date.

Education Minister Chan Chun Sing and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth and Social and Family Development Eric Chua were at the POSB “Support Our Heartlands” community event at Tiong Bahru Plaza, where they interacted with participants.

Mr Chan, who is anchor minister for Tanjong Pagar GRC, said at the event that Mr Chua will continue to look after the residents of Queenstown, as will the rest of the Tanjong Pagar team.

The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee had in its March 11 report carved out Queenstown from Tanjong Pagar GRC into a new single-member constituency. Queenstown division has been represented by Mr Chua since 2020.

The current five-member team for Tanjong Pagar GRC comprises Mr Chan; Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Finance and National Development Indranee Rajah; Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan; Mr Chua and Ms Joan Pereira.

Mr Chan said: “(Mr Chua) will continue to take care of Queenstown... and we will continue to work with him. He is always part of our team of brothers and sisters.”

Asked by reporters earlier whether he will be contesting in the newly demarcated Queenstown SMC, Mr Chua said: “The plan has not been finalised yet, so it is too early to speculate now.”

For now, Mr Chua said, it is “business as usual”, which included continuing with his home visits during the weekends.

At the event, the bank also announced lower monthly mortgage payments for both aspiring and existing Housing Board home owners through the bank’s HDB three-year fixed-rate home loan package.

The bank also said that it will offer a one-time cash bonus of up to $310 to customers who credit their salary into a DBS/POSB account for the first time. This includes full-time national servicemen and those on their first job.

DBS Singapore country head Lim Him Chuan said: “We feel it is important to commemorate this SG60 year by continuing to give back to fellow Singaporeans and residents, as we remain steadfast in our commitment to standing by our customers and the community.”

 

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GE2025: Queenstown MP Eric Chua says anyone’s guess who PAP will field in new SMC​

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth and Social and Family Development Eric Chua at a community event in Mei Ling Street on March 15.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Chin Soo Fang
Mar 15, 2025

SINGAPORE – Queenstown residents will continue to be served even as the constituency is carved out from Tanjong Pagar GRC into a single seat.

Speaking on March 15 on the sidelines of a community event in Mei Ling Street, Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Eric Chua, who overseas the Queenstown ward, said: “For the remaining runway, we’re still here.

“Don’t worry. There is continuity moving from GRC to SMC. Whoever is going to be here as part of the PAP team will be serving the residents.”

With the reshaping of boundaries after the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report on March 11, Queenstown will be a single-member constituency for the next general election, which must take place by Nov 23, 2025.

“Who will eventually take part in elections in Queenstown is anybody’s guess for now,” said Mr Chua, who is Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth and Social and Family Development.

“I will be happy and honoured to continue the work that we’ve been doing the past five years,” he said, adding that this includes his focus on mental health, low-income families and seniors.

“These are needs within the community, and I think these are what I will continue probably focusing on and also expanding more upon,” he said.

Mr Chua said there has been a lot of speculation on who will be fielded since the EBRC report was released.

“There’s a lot of excitement; I can understand why. But to me, it’s about keeping the focus on serving the residents.

“Actually, for me, it’s business as usual,” he said, adding that he has been going about his activities in his constituency and speaking with residents, many of whom he had worked with previously.

“It’s all about a marathon, and it’s all about constant and consistent work. I have been doing my homework all this while, so I’m not worried,” he said, when asked if he was ready to contest the ward again.

Mr Chua was speaking after he officiated the opening of the Happy Village @ Mei Ling, a shared community space located at Block 160 Mei Ling Street.

It is part of the Health District @ Queenstown initiative, which sees Singapore’s first and oldest satellite town carved out as a health district in a pilot programme to support residents to lead healthier and more productive lives.

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At the event, Mr Tan Kiat How, who is Senior Minister of State for National Development and Digital Development and Information, shared findings of a study that showed health challenges and age-related health issues can begin earlier than many may expect.

National University of Singapore researchers found that limited mobility and sensory impairment may begin earlier, before the 50th birthday.

The researchers said that while most respondents above 65 years old are mentally healthy, they should be more active socially and physically.

They noted that about two-thirds of respondents aged above 65 do not actively participate in pursuits such as exercising, volunteering and learning.

In their report, the researchers said that overall health is influenced by various physical, mental and social well-being factors such as social connections, environment, productivity and engagement.

The study also explored the financial health of respondents. They found that full-time employment starts to decline from age 50, which may indicate risks for future financial security.

The report suggested that community initiatives could explore financial literacy programmes and enhance employment support for mature workers.

Researchers had engaged more than 5,000 Queenstown residents aged 21 to 102 years from September 2023 to May 2024 for the study.

Happy Village @ Mei Ling is led by the National University Health System (NUHS), in collaboration with community partners including the Ministry of Social and Family Development, Agency for Integrated Care, Health Promotion Board, People’s Association, Sport Singapore and Lions Befrienders.

The Happy Village @ Mei Ling, a shared community space located at Block 160 Mei Ling Street, is part of the Health District @ Queenstown initiative.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
The new space adopts a care model that brings together health and social care partners, as well as volunteers.

Mr Tan said those working and volunteering at the community space will work closely with residents to develop personalised care plans that address their physical, mental and social well-being.

He added that NUHS will be expanding the Happy Village @ Mei Ling concept to support more residents across the western region.

Mr Jalaludin Peer Mohamed is an active member of the Happy Village @ Mei Ling walking group.

The 68-year-old Queenstown resident leads about 15 participants on weekly walks to explore their neighbourhood, where he shares information about Queenstown’s heritage.

Mr Siew Kum Chuen (left) and Mr Jalaludin Peer Mohamed are members of the Happy Village @ Mei Ling walking group.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Mr Siew Kum Chuen, 78, joined the walking group some months back and has noticed improvements in his health.

He said he is able to walk for longer durations and has better balance now.

“Here at the Happy Village, we get regular check-ups, hospital referrals and advice on how to exercise. I also made many friends here,” he added.

The friends include Mr Jalaludin, who said the elderly members at the community space regularly check in with one another on WhatsApp.

“We share photos, tell others if we are not feeling well, or when we go overseas,” he said. “We look out for each other.”

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RDU confident of chances in GE2025, introduces new face​

RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon (left) and tech start-up business director Pang Heng Chuan, the party's potential new face, distributing porridge at Bukit Batok East Point on March 15.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Lee Li Ying
Mar 15, 2025

SINGAPORE - With a slate that will consist of academics and professionals, the Red Dot United (RDU) party said it is confident it has a fighting chance against the ruling PAP at the coming polls.

On the sidelines of a porridge distribution event at Bukit Batok East Point on March 15, RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon also revealed a potential new face to the media, tech start-up business director Pang Heng Chuan.

The area is part of the reconfigured Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, which is one of the six constituencies that the opposition party intends to contest in the general election.

Mr Philemon introduced Mr Pang as one of the architects of the RDU’s economic proposals, and called the RDU central executive council member “a clear thinker, committed leader and a compassionate person”.

Mr Pang was part of a group of about 15 RDU members and volunteers who gave out porridge and interacted with residents for about an hour. The group included former RDU candidate for Jurong GRC and author Liyana Dhamirah.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Pang said he joined RDU after the 2020 General Election. Issues he is concerned about include cost of living and a Singapore where citizens have a fair share of economic growth.

Under RDU, he has stepped in to write to town councils and MPs on behalf of residents, including on cleanliness issues.

He said he has been walking the ground in Radin Mas, Jurong and Nee Soon, and does not know where he might be fielded.

RDU’s first election outing was in 2020, when the party was just three weeks old. Led by Mr Philemon, the RDU team stood in Jurong GRC against a team led by then Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. The PAP won with 74.62 percent of the vote.

Mr Philemon pointed out that since GE2020, the party has concentrated its efforts on the Taman Jurong ward, where it had its weakest performance due to the popularity of Mr Tharman.

Supporters had told him that RDU would stand a better chance in Jurong GRC after Mr Tharman left the constituency to become president, but the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee’s report has hived off Taman Jurong into the new West Coast-Jurong West GRC.

“These are the cards we’ve been dealt with. If you ask me if it’s fair, I will say that it’s not fair because we have put in a lot of work,” he said.

But the party is prepared for the upcoming election, with more than 20 people having been trained as potential candidates since February 2024, he said. The training included professional grooming and education on the party’s policies.

“In the past five years, we have built enough brand (recognition), and we have enough good people.

“In 2020, we were an 11-man party, while in 2025, we have 250 people helping us in different areas of party activities,” said Mr Philemon.

As it happened, RDU’s porridge distribution event coincided in place and time with a similar event by incumbent Jurong GRC MP Rahayu Mahzam, who represents the Bukit Batok East ward.

Incumbent Jurong GRC MP Rahayu Mahzam speaking to RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon at Bukit Batok East Point on March 15.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Mr Philemon said his party had intended to use the same pavilion as Madam Rahayu for their event, but realised the night before that the venue had been booked.

It was too late to get another location as volunteers had already been informed, but Mr Philemon said he gave clear instructions that RDU’s event be held a distance from the pavilion and to not obstruct what the MP of the area was doing.

In a cordial and friendly exchange, Mr Philemon and Madam Rahayu shook hands and passed each other the porridge they were distributing.

Madam Rahayu said: “Everyone’s entitled to start their efforts in engaging residents, so I’m not surprised, because (RDU) did contest here last time.”

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