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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GE2025: PSP says it faces ‘uphill battle’ in West Coast-Jurong West GRC after Jurong voters added​

Progress Singapore Party chairman Tan Cheng Bock (right) greeting Taman Jurong residents during his party's walkabout at Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre on March 16.ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO

Ng Wei Kai
Mar 16, 2025

SINGAPORE – The opposition Progress Singapore Party (PSP) faces “an uphill battle” in the new West Coast-Jurong West GRC at the next general election, said the party’s Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai.

Speaking to the media on March 16 after the party’s first walkabout in Taman Jurong since the latest electoral boundaries were announced, Mr Leong said: “41,000 new residents are now being given to us. We have served the Telok Blangah residents very closely over the last four years, but they have taken them out.”

He was referring to changes to the electoral boundaries unveiled on March 11.

The new West Coast-Jurong West GRC will include some estates from the current Jurong GRC, a stronghold of the ruling People’s Action Party, and cede parts of Telok Blangah and Dover.

Mr Leong added that the runway to the next election is “very short”, and hence, the party has to gear up its interactions with Jurong residents who will now vote in the new GRC.

The election must be held by November, but is widely expected to take place by mid-2025.

He said PSP chairman Tan Cheng Bock has a strong record in the west of Singapore, and the party will do its “very best” in the run-up to the election to engage every resident.

Mr Leong and Dr Tan were part of the PSP slate that contested West Coast GRC in the 2020 election.

When asked about the PSP’s plans to engage Jurong residents, Dr Tan declined to go into detail, but said the party is “always prepared” and is “seeing a lot of people now coming to support us”.

The PSP turned out in force at the Taman Jurong walkabout on the morning of March 16.

Besides Mr Leong and Dr Tan, party chief Hazel Poa and about 50 volunteers spoke to residents and handed out the party newsletter at Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre.

The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report on March 11 recommended that West Coast GRC absorb some estates from Jurong GRC and be renamed West Coast-Jurong West GRC in the coming general election.

It will also cede estates in HarbourFront and Sentosa to Radin Mas SMC, and Dover and Telok Blangah estates to Tanjong Pagar GRC, the EBRC said.

The changes were triggered by the carving up of Jurong due to population changes farther north, the committee added.

The new West Coast-Jurong West GRC will be a five-member constituency with 158,581 voters. This is up from the 144,516 voters that the current West Coast GRC had at the 2020 General Election, when it saw that election’s closest contest.

The ruling PAP won the GRC with 51.69 per cent of the vote against the then newly founded PSP led by Dr Tan, a former PAP stalwart.

Of the new voters in the GRC, about 41,000 are from Jurong West, specifically the wards of Taman Jurong and Jurong Spring.

Ms Poa, PSP’s secretary-general, said on March 16: “Now that these (voters) have been added, they have raised the bar. But we will rise to the occasion. And today’s walkabout shows that residents here are actually very warm (to us).”

Dr Tan added that he has a long history in Jurong, both as a medical doctor and a politician.

He said many of the residents recognised him from his time as a doctor in Ama Keng village, as they had resettled in Jurong from there.

He said he had also helped set up the Jurong East Town Council as a PAP MP.

“The whole area – it’s not new (to me),” he added.



Dr Tan said the party would put up a fight wherever it goes.

He said: “We fight because we’re all fighting for the country, for Singapore, and that’s most important.

“So wherever we go, we will still continue to give all our best, and we will put our best candidates.”

He and the other party leaders did not confirm who would be fielded in the new GRC in the next election, or if the party would contest the new GRC, adding that the party will “leave our options open”.

In GE2020, PSP fielded Dr Tan, Mr Leong and Ms Poa, alongside Mr Jeffrey Khoo and Mr Nadarajah Loganathan, in West Coast GRC.

Mr Khoo and Mr Loganathan were at the walkabout as well, along with several of PSP’s new faces, including logistics firm director Anna Ravichandran, former journalist Stella Stan Lee and Mr Sumarleki Amjah, head of packaged food and business development at food and beverage company Del Monte Pacific.

Jurong GRC was the PAP’s best-performing GRC in the last two elections, where it secured 79.29 per cent of the vote in GE2015 and 74.61 per cent in GE2020.

Experts have said it is a fair assumption that Taman Jurong could provide very strong support to the PAP in the new West Coast-Jurong West GRC and affect the PSP’s prospects in the new constituency.

A key figure in Jurong GRC’s success was President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who served as an MP there for more than two decades. He represented Taman Jurong from 2001 to 2023 before stepping down to run for president.

The ward’s current MP is Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Finance Shawn Huang. He also represents Jurong Spring.

 

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‘We will do everything we can to help you’: PM Wong to young parents during Sengkang visit​

PM Lawrence Wong (centre, in white) posing for photos with residents at the Sengkang West Sports and Family Fiesta on March 16.ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH

Kok Yufeng
Mar 16, 2025

SINGAPORE – The Government wants to do everything it can to ensure that Singapore is a society “made for families”, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

“For all the young parents out there, please have the assurance that we are here with you to support you,” he said on March 16 during a visit to Sengkang – his first since taking over the country’s top job.

After being sworn in in May 2024, the Prime Minister has embarked on a series of visits to different constituencies across the island, to meet as many Singaporeans as he can.

He was joined by advisers to the Sengkang GRC grassroots organisations – Dr Lam Pin Min, Associate Professor Elmie Nekmat and Ms Theodora Lai – at a community event in Anchorvale targeted at young families.

PM Wong pointed to the support measures for parents with young children that were announced as part of Budget 2025.

“We know that cost pressures are a concern. That’s why we have given out more CDC vouchers. And even for the SG60 package, we have provided some vouchers for every adult Singaporean to help,” he said in a short speech at the community plaza in Anchorvale Village shopping centre.

Families with young children will get greater support via a one-off disbursement of $500 in LifeSG credits for Singaporean children aged 12 and below.

Larger families with three or more children will get even more aid, added PM Wong, who is also Finance Minister.

Measures introduced under a new Large Families Scheme include a higher $10,000 grant to cover pre-school and healthcare expenses for baby number three, four or more, as well as $1,000 in LifeSG credits each year for the third and subsequent child during the years that the child turns one to six.

“I know it’s not easy to be young parents. I know it’s not easy to have kids in Singapore. You have so many things to worry about. But we want to make this journey as convenient, seamless (and) fuss-free as possible,” PM Wong said.

“So whether it’s pre-school, whether it’s cost pressures, whether it’s education, whether it’s housing, we will do everything we can to help you along the way.”

The Prime Minister’s visit to Sengkang began at about 10am at Anchorvale Community Club, where Sengkang West residents participated in a variety of sporting activities and games. PM Wong tried his hand at pickleball and a brief game of futsal, before interacting with event attendees there.

At Anchorvale Village, PM Wong visited various booths with activities aimed at bringing families closer together. He also spent an hour greeting and taking photos with diners and stallholders at Anchorvale Village Hawker Centre.

PM Lawrence Wong joining residents for a game of pickleball at the Sengkang West Sports and Family Fiesta at Anchorvale Community Club.ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
In his remarks on March 16, PM Wong said 2025 is a special year as it is the 60th anniversary of Singapore’s independence, and it marks a new phase of nation-building.

But he warned of the profound changes that are happening around the globe.

While the world has always been a dangerous place, PM Wong noted, it is only going to get more troubled and turbulent.

“Every day, we see something more and more worrying.”

“All the things we see around us simply remind us of one simple fact – no one is going to come to our rescue,” he stressed.

“If something goes wrong, we can only count on ourselves, Singaporeans, to defend Singapore, to advance our interests and make sure this little red dot continues to survive and thrive.

“So I hope we can all proceed forward in our next phase in the same spirit of solidarity and unity, come together as team Singapore to chart our new way forward in a very uncertain environment, and make sure we continue to have a better future for ourselves and for the next generation of Singaporeans.”

Sengkang resident Vincent Zye, 35, was among those who interacted with PM Wong at the hawker centre on March 16. He said he is happy with the measures in the 2025 Budget, especially those aimed at young families like his.

The engineer, who has two children, aged five and two, highlighted the reduction in pre-school fees as one initiative that will be of real benefit.

Long-time Compassvale resident Alvin Khong was surprised to see PM Wong in his constituency.

“I think it is important he has a closer relationship with residents,” said the 63-year-old, who works in the semiconductor industry.

Sengkang GRC, formed in 2020, was won by the opposition Workers’ Party at the last election.

It is one of nine constituencies that will not have their boundaries redrawn for the 2025 polls, which is widely expected by mid-year.

Sengkang GRC MP Jamus Lim, who looks after the Anchorvale ward, was seen at Anchorvale Village speaking to residents on March 16 as PM Wong was taking his leave.

Associate Professor Lim stayed to observe the official opening of the mall, officiated by Senior Minister of State for National Development Sim Ann. However, he declined to comment when approached.

Also seen at the March 16 events in Anchorvale was Mrs Bernadette Giam, 38, a director at local food and beverage enterprise Creative Eateries, who was appointed chairwoman of the People’s Action Party’s Sengkang East branch in January.

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Safra offers members 12 months of free insurance for SG60​

Underwritten by Singlife, the 12-month personal accident insurance plan will provide $50,000 in coverage for Safra members, their spouses and children. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Shermaine Ang
Mar 16, 2025, 05:45 PM

SINGAPORE - Free insurance for a year is among the slew of SG60 goodies for national servicemen and their families, as the nation celebrates its 60th year.

Underwritten by Singlife, the 12-month personal accident insurance plan will provide $50,000 in coverage for Safra members, their spouses and children.

This was announced by Senior Minister of State for Defence and Safra president Zaqy Mohamad on March 16 at the Safra Family Day Out held at Rainforest Wild Asia. The event drew more than 1,500 Safra members and their families, who visited the newly opened attraction at a discounted rate.

“For over 60 years… NSmen have been a very important pillar of Singapore’s Total Defence,” Mr Zaqy said.

“This is one way Safra looks to enhance their offerings to recognise our NSmen for their efforts, and certainly to their families, for supporting their efforts on the ground as they serve the country.”

Named Safra Family Care, the free 12-month insurance plan is a collaboration between Safra and Professional Investment Advisory Services, a subsidiary of Singlife.

Under the plan, Safra members, their spouses and children are entitled to a lump sum payout of $50,000 each upon accidental death or accidental total and permanent disability.

They will also have coverage of up to $200 for medical reimbursement due to accidents, and up to $1,000 coverage for a simple fracture, ambulance fee and other medical expenses.

Safra members can register their interest for the plan at https://www.safra.sg/our-services/safra-insurance/safra-family-care by the end of 2026.

The Safra Family Day Out event kicked off Safra’s series of SG60 celebratory activities.

Safra‘s SG60 Food Galore from June to August will feature food tasting and cooking, while the Safra Fitness Festival from July to October will feature a team relay competition, where groups of five will compete in swimming, running, climbing, laser shooting and strength challenges.

As part of Safra’s renewed partnership with Mandai Wildlife Group, Safra members can enjoy quarterly special promotions, as well as 30 per cent off admission tickets when they visit Singapore Zoo, Bird Paradise, River Wonders and Night Safari, from Mondays to Thursdays, throughout the year.

Safra members can also look forward to special discounts on admission tickets to Rainforest Wild Asia later in the year.

Among the promotions are also $60 discounts for some Royal Caribbean cruise trips and National Service Resort and Country Club stays, as well as special deals at food and beverage joints such as Sushiro and KFC.

Safra members, who comprise more than 420,000 Singapore Armed Forces servicemen and their families, will benefit from the SG60 perks.

This was announced by Senior Minister of State for Defence and president of Safra Zaqy Mohamad (left) on March 16 at the Safra Family Day Out held at Rainforest Wild Asia.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
One of them is project manager Avier Ling, who attended Safra Family Day Out with his wife Joreen Koh and their three-year-old daughter Annette Ling.

“We saw the promotion on the website, and decided to come because my daughter always wants to see animals. She’s very excited and looking forward to taking more pictures – she brought her camera along.”

The family paid a promotional rate of $60 to enter Rainforest Wild Asia, which has a usual entry fee of $117.

Mr Ling has made use of Safra membership discounts to buy his prescription glasses, and to take Annette to the water playground at Safra Punggol near their home.

Mr Zaqy – an MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, along with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, North West District Mayor Alex Yam and Ms Hany Soh – was asked by media about the next general election, which must take place by Nov 23.

(From left) Ms Jean Choi, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Sales and Experience Development, Mandai Wildlife Reserves; Senior Minister of State for Defence and president of Safra Zaqy Mohamad, and Ms Kris Ho, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, SAFRA, at the Safra Family Day Out held at Rainforest Wild Asia.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
Asked if he will continue running in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC in the election, Mr Zaqy said: “That’s something for the Prime Minister to decide. We will wait for Nomination Day and find out more. But our work plans are coming up, something that we look forward to upgrading with our residents for the next five-year town masterplan, so look out for that.”

On whether he feels pressure running alongside PM Wong, he said: “As always, with anyone with such a stellar track record and credentials, I think there’s certainly a lot to learn from. The benefit of being on the sidelines with PM is that we can see how to manage the ground better.

“We look forward to collaborating and working and supporting him as we make Marsiling-Yew Tee a great place to stay, and one that we can always just look forward to.”

 

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GE2025: Labour chief Ng Chee Meng seen at Fernvale, part of new Jalan Kayu SMC, ahead of election​

Labour chief Ng Chee Meng (in white), with Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong (centre) at a Fernvale community event on March 16.ST PHOTO: SUE-ANN TAN

Sue-Ann Tan
Mar 16, 2025, 08:10 PM

SINGAPORE - Labour chief Ng Chee Meng was spotted at a family carnival at Fernvale on March 16, ahead of the upcoming general election.

Fernvale is part of the newly carved-out Jalan Kayu SMC.

When asked if he would run in Ang Mo Kio GRC or the new Jalan Kayu SMC, he told reporters: “You’ll find out, I’m sure, in good time. You’ll see what the Prime Minister decides.”

Mr Ng said he has attended constituency events in some parts of Bukit Batok, Ang Mo Kio and Sengkang once every quarter or so.

The new Jalan Kayu SMC takes in some areas from Ang Mo Kio GRC that are currently under Ms Ng Ling Ling, who oversees the Jalan Kayu ward, and some under Mr Gan Thiam Poh, who represents Fernvale.

The next general election must be held by November but is widely expected to take place by mid-2025.

Mr Ng, who is secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), was with Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the anchor minister for Ang Mo Kio GRC, and Mr Gan at the Chill Lah Fernvale Family Carnival on March 16.

Mr Ng joined politics in 2015 and won as part of a five-member PAP team at Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

He was appointed Education Minister for Schools and Second Minister for Transport in 2016.

In 2018, he was elected NTUC chief, a position he held while also being Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.

In the 2020 General Election, he led the PAP’s team in the new Sengkang GRC and was voted out after the ruling party lost the constituency to the opposition Workers’ Party. He retained his role as labour chief.

 

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GE2025: Potential NSP candidates for Tampines spotted during walkabout with coalition​

The Coalition, which consists of NSP, RDU, SPP and SUP, at an outreach event at Our Tampines Hub and Guhfran Mosque on Mar 16.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

David Sun
Mar 16, 2025

SINGAPORE - Several new and old faces from the National Solidarity Party (NSP) were spotted during a walkabout in Tampines on March 16.

These included NSP’s president Reno Fong, 54, and vice-president Mohd Ridzwan Mohammad, 63, who had both contested in Tampines GRC in the 2020 General Election.

Both have confirmed their intentions to run in Tampines GRC in the coming general election, with Mr Fong leading the team.

The other NSP members touted as potential candidates in Tampines GRC are Mr Lim Rui Xian, 36, an operations manager; Ms Nur Farahiyah Mahfoot, 39, a safety officer; and Mr Thamilselvan Karuppaya, 57, who is self-employed.

They were spotted among the 50 or so members of the opposition coalition at Our Tampines Hub and outside Masjid Darul Ghufran in Tampines Avenue 5 on March 16.

The group, which consisted of members from NSP, Red Dot United, Singapore People’s Party (SPP) and Singapore United Party, had been handing out pamphlets and dates for Muslims to break their fast in the evening during the holy month of Ramadan.

This is NSP’s first walkabout since the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report on March 11.

Other key figures at the outreach event were NSP secretary-general Spencer Ng and SPP secretary-general Steve Chia.

Speaking to the media after the event, Mr Fong confirmed that Mr Ng will be running again in Sembawang.

He said, however, that the party’s slate of candidates for the five-member Tampines GRC was still being decided.

“We won’t be introducing them so soon. It’ll be a mixture of candidates that contested before, like myself, and maybe two to three new faces,” he said.

“The new faces, we’re still giving them some time, giving them some warm-up. So, when the time is right, we will have a press release to officially announce it to the public.”

Mr Fong said he felt the boundary changes were unfair, and that the formation of Tampines Changkat SMC made it difficult for opposition parties.

(Clockwise) National Solidarity Party candidates Ms Nur Farahiyah Mahfoot, Mr Thamilselvan son of Karuppaya, Mr Reno Fong Chin Leong, Mr Lim Rui Xian, and Mr Ridzwan Mohd at Our Tampines Hub on Mar 16.ST PHOTOS: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Tampines Changkat SMC was largely carved out from Tampines GRC, and also takes in a polling district from East Coast GRC.

The EBRC had recommended the new SMC as Tampines GRC had seen significant population growth in the last five years due to several new housing developments.

Mr Fong said: “I don’t think anyone would dare to say it’s fair.

“Changkat has been a stronghold of the People’s Action Party all these years... it’s a very difficult ground there because we have to admit that the grassroots there are very strong.”

Asked if NSP would contest in the single-member constituency, Mr Fong said there was a “good chance” the party would still do so, but it would have to field a strong candidate who is a familiar face, and not a new face.

He added that NSP was willing to give way if another opposition party were to contest there with a better candidate.

Tampines GRC and Tampines Changkat SMC are expected to be hotly contested in the coming election, with talks of a four-way fight between the PAP, Workers’ Party (WP), NSP and People’s Power Party (PPP) in Tampines even before the EBRC report was released.

PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng has said his party intends to contest in both Tampines GRC and Tampines Changkat SMC.

He had also told the media he was confident of a good result in Tampines, as he had previously led the NSP team in the 2011 General Election and obtained 42.78 per cent of the vote share.

Tampines Changkat SMC was largely carved out from Tampines GRC, and also takes in a polling district from East Coast GRC. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
It was the best showing by an opposition party in the GRC since its formation in 1988.

Mr Goh, who was previously the secretary-general of NSP, stepped down after the 2011 General Election and set up the PPP in 2015.

Asked to comment on Mr Goh potentially contesting against his former party in Tampines, Mr Fong said Singapore is a free country and it was up to the people to decide what to make of it.

“It seems like he likes to move around. He has not contested in the same constituency twice,” said Mr Fong.

Mr Goh, who has never been elected, first contested in the 2006 General Election in Aljunied GRC with the WP, followed by Tampines GRC with the NSP in 2011.

In 2015, he contested in Chua Chu Kang GRC with the PPP. His most recent outing in 2020 was in MacPherson SMC with the PPP. He had said it would be his last election.

Mr Fong said NSP will continue to focus on the GRCs in Tampines and Sembawang, despite saying it also intends to contest Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, Jalan Besar GRC, Marine Parade GRC, Tampines Changkat SMC and Sembawang West SMC.

“Our commitment to the Tampines residents is there for them to see,” he said. “Our key areas are still Tampines and Sembawang. The rest are our second, third choices.”

 

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Spotlight on Punggol: Fierce PAP-WP fight expected in Singapore’s youngest GRC in GE2025​

With battle lines redrawn and significant changes to many constituencies, which will be the ones under the spotlight in GE2025? The Straits Times dives into the issues and concerns on the ground, starting with the newly created Punggol GRC.​

Punggol reflects the Singaporean heartland – though with a youthful tilt. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Wong Pei Ting, Nadine Chua, Zhaki Abdullah and Lee Li Ying
Mar 17, 2025

SINGAPORE – It is new, it is young, and it will almost certainly be the site of a fierce contest.

Punggol reflects the Singaporean heartland – though with a youthful tilt.

For years, it has been the nation’s youngest town, with over half of its more than 120,000 voters estimated to be aged between 21 and 45.

They will play a key role in shaping voting patterns.

And it is growing, with new Build-To-Order estates completed over the last five years, and more in the pipeline.

Hence, the freshly minted Punggol GRC was created by splitting the existing Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, carving out estates in Punggol and merging those with Punggol West SMC.

With neighbouring Sengkang GRC taken by the Workers’ Party in the last election, and WP busy on the ground in areas of Punggol over the last year, a showdown with the incumbent People’s Action Party is almost inevitable.

How the battle will shape up​

While political parties have been keeping their cards close before the Writ of Election is issued, the PAP is virtually guaranteed to face off with the WP in what will be a keen contest, said political observers.

“The likelihood of an upset – a la Sengkang GRC in GE2020 – cannot be understated,” said Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan.

Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, a senior international affairs analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore, said that the younger profile of voters means that a party seeking to prevail in Punggol must be able to address the concerns of these “political kingmakers”, or field a slate of candidates who can better resonate with them than the competition.

He pointed to Punggol GRC’s contiguity with Sengkang GRC – which the WP flipped in GE2020 – as a sign of greater unpredictability in the contest for the new GRC.

Without officially staking a claim, the WP has spent the past year laying the groundwork in areas outside of Punggol West SMC, as if in anticipation of the estate becoming a standalone GRC, ST understands.

Punggol West SMC was the only part of Punggol that the WP had contested before. It came away in GE2020 with 39.02 per cent of the vote there.

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In late February, ST spotted a WP team of at least six individuals walking the blocks in Punggol Place, which is in the Punggol Coast ward under Dr Janil Puthucheary, who is Senior Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information.

The group, comprising WP members and volunteers, was led by three-time candidate and former Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong. Two WP members accompanied Mr Yee when ST approached – Mr Sufyan Mikhail Putra, an associate director at Abdul Rahman Law Corporation, and Mr Daniel Lee, a self-employed corporate trainer.

Three-time Workers’ Party candidate Yee Jenn Jong (left) seen walking the ground with self-employed corporate trainer Daniel Lee (third from left) and lawyer Sufyan Mikhail Putra (right).ST PHOTO: THAM YUEN-C
Asked why they were covering ground there, Mr Yee said: “We don’t want to be caught by surprise because they typically change boundaries, and the election comes soon after that.”

Analysts such as Associate Professor Bilveer Singh from NUS’ department of political science had noted the effectiveness of WP’s “politics of osmosis”, where growing out of its eastern stronghold of Hougang into Aljunied, and then Sengkang, has paid dividends.

SMU’s Prof Tan also noted the WP’s cachet as Singapore’s leading opposition party for close to three decades, and ground perceptions among some voters of its role in transitioning the Republic away from a one-party dominant system.

Indeed, a fresh-faced WP slate took Sengkang GRC in 2020, with 52.12 per cent of the vote.

For these reasons, Punggol GRC could be a potential “political banana skin”, in that it could trip up the PAP in the next election, said Dr Mustafa.

A team of Workers’ Party members and volunteers seen at the public housing blocks at Punggol Place, which is under Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, on Feb 25, 2025. ST PHOTO: WONG PEI TING
But observers cautioned against drawing a direct link between Sengkang in 2020 and Punggol in 2025, noting that there are a number of differences.

In fast-growing Punggol, PAP MPs have worked hard to address issues affecting new estates.

This has ranged from increasing the number of pre-school facilities to improving traffic congestion.

In addition, PAP has secured victory in Punggol in the past.

The WP had actually held a piece of Sengkang prior to 2020, noted Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) senior research fellow Gillian Koh. This was when Ms Lee Li Lian prevailed at the 2013 Punggol East by-election in a four-way contest with the PAP, Reform Party and Singapore Democratic Alliance.

PAP veteran Charles Chong wrested it back in 2015 with 51.77 per cent of the vote.

At GE2020, the former Sengkang West SMC was also represented by Dr Lam Pin Min, who was the face of unpopular transport policies that had hit the working class in particular, while another PAP candidate, Mr Amrin Amin, was parachuted into the new GRC from Sembawang, Dr Koh noted.

The PAP is unlikely to repeat its mistakes in Sengkang from the last election, said SMU’s Prof Tan.

He noted that incumbent MPs such as Dr Janil, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Sun Xueling and National Trades Union Congress assistant secretary-general Yeo Wan Ling can be expected to continue on the PAP ticket for Punggol, though that leaves open the question of who will fill the remaining seat in the four-member GRC.

Dr Koh said the PAP would be mindful of the need for a strong anchor minister in Punggol GRC, given the likely contest with WP or even a multi-cornered fight in what looks to be a more hotly contested election.

MP for Punggol West Sun Xueling (second from left) with Mr Sharael Taha (left), Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean (second from right) and Dr Janil Puthucheary, who are among the MPs for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.PHOTO: SUNXUELING/FACEBOOK
She also emphasised the differences during the pandemic-era 2020 election, when anxiety over economic conditions played a large role in the swing from the PAP to the opposition, based on IPS’ post-election surveys.

Prof Tan agreed: “The WP won’t go into the battle in the same way as it did in Sengkang in GE2020, even as it might seek to replicate the victory.

“If it does, it will not likely have the dividends desired. Context matters immensely.”

Responding to residents’ concerns​

Punggol Arcadia resident Olivia Wei had little hesitation when asked what was foremost on her mind for the coming election.

A nursing cover over her shoulders, the new mother, who gave birth to her first child in January, said plainly that cost of living is the biggest factor for how she will vote, and her choice will depend on which political party persuades her with its plan to keep a lid on the price of essentials.

“I’ve not made a decision yet, but what I’m looking out for is what the PAP and the opposition will propose to tackle rising costs,” said the 37-year-old pre-school teacher.

A few blocks away at Punggol Regalia, another Housing Board development, an operations manager who gave her name as Madam Chua also raised inflation as a pain point.

The 49-year-old said she had found herself “counting each dollar” in recent years, and has taken to crossing the Causeway from her workplace in Woodlands to stretch her grocery dollars.

“I’m worried about my retirement, and how the Government will take care of us residents in such a climate of rising costs,” she said.

The election in Punggol is likely to centre on such bread-and-butter issues.

ST spoke to residents of Punggol GRC in the days after the new constituency was firmed up on March 11 by the electoral boundaries report that officially kicks off election season in Singapore.

In this election, Punggol is the sole group representation constituency in which over half of voters are working adults between 21 and 45. This observation is based on ST’s analysis using Department of Statistics data dated June 2024.

These young voters – widely referred to as millennial and Gen Z voters – are over-represented in the GRC by a wide margin of over 10 percentage points.

The analysis also found that close to one in 10 residents is an infant or pre-schooler aged six or under, while about one in five is of school-going age (between seven and 20 years old).

Punggol will be the youngest GRC to head to the polls in 2025. ST’s analysts found that over half its over 120,000 voters are working adults between the ages of 21 and 45.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
New housing projects added over the years meant it was timely for the town to become a GRC in its own right, said organisation development lead Muhammad Hafiz Abdul Khalid, 38.

A Punggol resident for close to a decade, he cheered the move to make Punggol a self-contained GRC, which the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee has done by combining the Punggol part of the existing Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC with Punggol West SMC.

“It makes sense for it to be a dedicated GRC that focuses on Punggol-specific concerns,” said Mr Muhammad Hafiz, who is married with five children.

Young couples and families had, over the years, asked for more infant care and pre-school spots. That has largely been addressed with the opening of more and larger pre-schools, such as a My First Skool at Punggol Waterway Point with over 1,000 spots.

But other concerns remain.

Human resources practitioner Cindy Lin, 41, who has two children aged six and 10, would like to see childcare leave days increased further so that parents can better attend to their young children’s needs.

Meanwhile, 47-year-old account executive Gloria Lau is worried about whether her children, aged 13 and 17, can afford homes once they are ready to settle down.

Besides cost-of-living concerns, residents whom ST spoke with surfaced other grouses, such as traffic jams, aircraft noise, and the lack of amenities for marketing and eating out.

Ms Sun, who has represented Punggol West for two terms, said various initiatives have been introduced to cushion the impact of rising costs for her residents. These include a programme that since 2021 has let lower-income households buy up to $200 worth of basic groceries at half price every two months.

Punggol West residents participating in a half-priced grocery shopping session in March 2024. PHOTO: SUN XUELING/FACEBOOK
There is also a community shop that distributes free groceries to 800 vulnerable families every month, she added.

To deal with transport-related issues in the town, Ms Sun said she and her team of MPs rolled out a new City Direct bus service in October 2024 to shorten peak-hour commutes to the city centre.

The Land Transport Authority is also on track to deliver two-car LRT trains for the Punggol LRT West Loop in the third quarter of 2025, which would add train capacity, she noted.

Other initiatives that have been rolled out in recent years include Lighthouse@Punggol, a children and youth-centric hub which provides free academic support, after-school enrichment activities and counselling support for children and teenagers.

As much as Punggol trends young, it also has older estates, such as some in Punggol Shore that were built about two decades ago, and also older residents.

ST’s analysis suggests that almost one in 10 residents of the town is over 65, or half the national average of one in five residents.

One of them is Madam Lai Yim Mei, 75, who lamented the lack of eldercare facilities and activities in her neighbourhood.

“There are many childcare (centres), pre-schools and playgrounds here, but I hope there can be more amenities and activities for the elderly in Punggol, like group exercises for example,” she said.

“My husband and I are getting old, so we care more about convenience and the cleanliness of the estate.”

Ms Yeo, who oversees Punggol Shore, said new active ageing centres have been introduced, while a second free traditional Chinese medicine clinic was added to support the community’s needs.

Older parts of the town have also been refreshed with sporting and recreational facilities, health and mental wellness programmes for youth and seniors have been added, and residents are looking forward to the construction of the new Cross Island MRT line, she said.

Ms Yeo added that the Punggol MPs’ approach has always been to keep up “open and proactive communication” with residents through town halls, block visits and social media engagements.

“As such, our team, which includes volunteers, merchants, religious organisations and the grassroots, maintains a very close pulse on the ground,” she said.

“Our residents see our team as friends and fellow neighbours, and residents know who to speak with on their challenges and aspirations.”

Dr Janil said Punggol has grown very rapidly over the last 14 years that he has been an MP there.

The MPs have been able to deal with issues that affect new estates by working together with grassroots volunteers, helpful neighbours and the community liaison officers from the various agencies, he said.

“Some issues do take a bit of time and effort to sort out, and I’m very grateful to the residents as they have been patient with us as we try our best to help make Punggol a better home for all the families that enjoy the greenery, the waterways and the friendly neighbours.”

 

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resigns; second senior civil servant known to step down so far​

Mr Foo Cexiang currently oversees private and future mobility at the Transport Ministry.PHOTO: FOO CEXIANG/LINKEDIN
Ng Wei Kai and Goh Yan Han
Mar 17, 2025

SINGAPORE – A director in the Transport Ministry (MOT) has resigned and is set to run in the upcoming general election.

Mr Foo Cexiang’s last day is April 1, The Straits Times has learnt.

The senior public servant currently oversees private and future mobility at MOT, including electric vehicle policy, and has been in the service for more than a decade.

Previously, he was MOT’s director of futures and transformation.

He spoke at the 2022 climate change conference (COP27) about Singapore’s push to encourage public transport and drive to move towards an electric ecosystem.

Mr Foo, 40, started his career at JTC Corporation and has also had stints at the Ministry of Education looking at pre-school education and after-school care, as well as with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Trade and Industry.

ST has contacted him for comment.

This follows the resignation of another civil servant – deputy secretary (policy) Jasmin Lau from the Ministry of Health.

Ms Lau had resigned from the role and retired from the administrative service, with her last day also on April 1.

She served in MOH from 2013 to 2019, looking at healthcare finance and overseeing the development and regulation of medical and long-term care insurance in Singapore.

She returned to the ministry in November 2021 after a stint at the Economic Development Board (EDB).

Ms Lau oversees manpower, financing and regulatory measures in the healthcare system.

Mr Foo and Ms Lau are among the first of several resignations expected from the public service ahead of the general election, which is widely expected by mid-year after the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee’s report on March 11.

The PAP has traditionally tapped public service leaders when sourcing for candidates. Those who are chosen to stand often resign in the lead-up to the election, as they are not allowed to participate in political activities while in office.

In the past, public servants have quit their roles close to the start of the hustings.

In the 2020 General Election, East Coast GRC MP Tan Kiat How, who was then chief executive of the Infocomm Media Development Authority, stepped down from his post on June 20. His resignation was publicly announced five days earlier.

The writ of election was issued on June 23, with July 10 set as Polling Day.

Mr Tan, who is now Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information as well as National Development, was one of the last resignations from the public service that year.

Mr Desmond Tan, who used to be chief executive of the People’s Association, left the public service slightly less than a month before Polling Day.

 

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From East Coast Park to Jurong Lake Gardens: NParks opens more than 350 plots for gardening​

Allotment Gardening Scheme lots are available in sites such as East Coast Park, Jurong Central Park, and Punggol Park.PHOTO: NPARKS

Angelica Ang
Mar 18, 2025

SINGAPORE – More than 350 plots across 15 gardens and parks in Singapore are now open for application from people who aspire to grow edible plants.

The National Parks Board (NParks) said on March 18 that applications can be submitted from 10am on March 19 till 11.59pm on April 1.

The move is an expansion of the Allotment Gardening Scheme, which was launched in 2016 to allow individuals to rent a space to grow edible plants in the parks and gardens.

This time around, lots are available in sites such as East Coast Park and Jurong Central Park, with the most number at Jurong Lake Gardens, Punggol Park and Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West.

Each plot costs $62.13 a year, and contains a raised planter bed – 2.5m x 1m in size – with soil and a mini storage area for tools, and can be held for three years.

Applications via AXS channels, such as e-Stations, m-Stations and kiosks, will be subjected to computerised balloting.

To date, more than 2,400 allotment gardening plots have taken root in 28 parks and gardens across Singapore, NParks said.

Since 2021, it has also worked with agencies, town councils and grassroot organisations to make the initiative even more accessible, with plots nearer to people’s homes.

The next application cycle will fall in the fourth quarter of 2025.

 

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Over $200,000 raised for full-ride scholarship for Palestinian students​

(From left) PM Lawrence Wong with former NMP Anthea Ong and former Cabinet minister Yaacob Ibrahim, who are co-chairs of the Palestinian Scholarship Initiative's administration committee, at a briefing and iftar (breaking fast) on March 18.PHOTO: LAWRENCE WONG/FACEBOOK

Anjali Raguraman
Mar 19, 2025

SINGAPORE - A ground-up effort to sponsor Palestinian students to complete further studies in Singapore has raised half of its $400,000 goal so far.

Called the Palestinian Scholarship Initiative, the full-ride scholarship will sponsor two Palestinian students to pursue tertiary education at universities here, covering tuition, lodging, and living expenses. The first students are expected to commence their studies in the 2025 academic year.

Fundraising that began in October 2024 has garnered over 900 individual donations, averaging over $200 as at March 11.

Donations have ranged from $3 to $20,000, said the organisers - a group of Singaporeans - in a media release.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong joined partners of the Palestinian Scholarship Initiative at a briefing and iftar (breaking fast) at Pu3 restaurant on March 18. It included students from participating universities, charity platform Ray of Hope, Arab Network of Singapore and volunteers.

“This initiative will provide opportunities for Palestinian students to pursue university education in Singapore, empowering them to uplift their families and communities,” said PM Wong in a Facebook post.

The scholarship’s administration committee is co-chaired by former Nominated MP and social entrepreneur Anthea Ong, and former Cabinet minister Yaacob Ibrahim.

It also includes co-founder of Medical Aid for Palestinians, Dr Ang Swee Chai; founder of education initiative Opening Universities for Refugees, Dr Gul Inanc; and British-Palestinian surgeon and Honorary Associate Professor at University College London, Dr Khaled Dawas.

“Palestinian Scholarship Initiative believes that supporting young Palestinians to study in Singapore not only provides them with access to world-class education at our universities, but also enriches our society by fostering diversity, empathy and global understanding,” said the organisers.

Added Ms Ong: “The Palestinian scholars’ unique perspectives can inspire innovation and collaboration, benefitting both our universities and the broader Singapore community.”

There has been keen interest from young Palestinians since the call went out, with over 150 applications, said theorganisers.

The majority are under 25 years old, and more than half are from Gaza, which has seen its universities razed in the conflict.

According to a report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which cited Gaza’s education ministry, 51 university buildings have been destroyed in Gaza as of January 2025, and another 57 damaged.

The young Palestinians have applied to the National University of Singapore, which has seen the most interest so far with 15 applicants; Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore Institute of Technology and Singapore Institute of Management.

They have applied for courses such as pharmaceutical science, business management, AI and innovation, software engineering, and computer science.

“By learning in Singapore, I hope to gain exposure to cutting-edge design practices, collaborate with diverse talents, and deepen my understanding of sustainable development strategies,” wrote one scholarship applicant, a 32-year-old woman from the West Bank who applied for an entrepreneurship and innovation programme.

“This experience will enable me to apply global insights to local contexts, particularly in Palestine, and contribute to global conversations on design and sustainability.”


Applications are ongoing, said the organisers, adding that the scholarship will be assessed and awarded only to students who are successful in their application to the participating universities based on current admissions requirements.

All local university applications will close by March 19, 2025.

The scholarship builds on Singapore’s commitment to providing more scholarships for Palestinian students. In December 2024 while in Egypt, Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Education Maliki Osman had said Singapore will increase the number of scholarships from three to 10.

In his Facebook post, PM Wong noted that “Singapore has been steadfast in supporting the urgent needs of Gaza”, including providing humanitarian aid.

He said ground-up efforts like the Palestinian Scholarship Initiative complement the Government’s efforts to help the Palestinian Authority build capacity. This is in fields like administration and reconstruction, through the Enhanced Technical Assistance Package (Etap).

Under Singapore’s Etap - first introduced in 2013 with $5 million, and subsequently doubled in 2016 to $10 million - Palestinian Authority officials are provided sponsorship to participate in study visits to Singapore and capacity-building courses under the Singapore Cooperation Programme.

It also offers scholarships for the officials to pursue postgraduate studies at Singapore universities.

Singapore has since trained more than 750 officials in areas like diplomacy, water management, economic development and urban planning.

The Republic has also repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment towards helping the Palestinian people achieve eventual statehood.

As a nation, Singapore has contributed more than $19 million to Gaza since the Israel-Hamas conflict began in October 2023. In February, the Republic of Singapore Air Force delivered Singapore’s seventh tranche of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

 

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Opposition Progress Singapore Party set for hotly contested leadership election ahead of GE2025​

(From left) Progress Singapore Party NCMP Leong Mun Wai, party chairman Tan Cheng Bock and NCMP Hazel Poa greeting residents during their party’s walkabout in Clementi Central on Feb 23.PHOTO: ST FILE

Ng Wei Kai
Mar 19, 2025

SINGAPORE – The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) will vote in its top leadership body on March 20, with 24 candidates set to vie for 12 elected seats on the central executive committee (CEC).

The current committee was elected in 2023, and comprises secretary-general Hazel Poa, former party chief Leong Mun Wai, chairman Tan Cheng Bock and 11 others.

The Straits Times has learnt that most of them, other than assistant secretary-general Ang Yong Guan, will seek re-election, alongside a mix of long-time volunteers and new faces.

Dr Ang said earlier in 2025 that he would not stand in the CEC or general election following a three-year suspension of his medical licence.

The new CEC will later decide the party’s secretary-general – its leader.

Observers said the only two serious candidates for the post are its Non-Constituency MPs – Ms Poa and Mr Leong.

As the party gears up for the 2025 General Election, it would be surprising if its cadres chose anyone else for the top job, Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan said.

He added: “With the original leaders from five years ago less prominent, Mr Leong and Ms Poa are most visible.”

The party’s roughly 100 cadres – its inner circle – will vote for 12 members of the new CEC on March 20. The CEC will then co-opt two more cadres to form a 14-member body, and later decide who will take up party leadership positions within it.

Mr Leong had stepped down as secretary-general in February 2024, to take responsibility for a correction direction he received under Singapore’s fake news law for a social media post.

He is expected by some in the party to make a bid to retake the post from Ms Poa after the party’s top decision-making body has been voted in.

When approached by ST, Mr Leong did not comment on the CEC election, saying only that the results would be released after its conclusion.

Ms Poa did not respond when asked for comment.

If Mr Leong takes back the reins, it will be the fifth time the party has changed its leader since its founding in 2019.

Ms Poa is the PSP’s fourth secretary-general, and was the party vice-chairman prior to that.

Mr Leong, who currently does not hold any post on the CEC, first became secretary-general in April 2023.

Mr Francis Yuen vacated the position the month before, after spending two years in the seat.

The PSP’s founder and current chairman, Dr Tan, was its first secretary-general.

Together with Dr Tan, Mr Leong and Ms Poa were on the PSP’s West Coast GRC slate that lost to a PAP team led by former transport minister S. Iswaran in the 2020 General Election.

It was the narrowest loss that year – which allowed the party to send Mr Leong and Ms Poa into Parliament as NCMPs.

The PSP is expected to contest several constituencies in the upcoming general election, including the newly redrawn West Coast-Jurong West GRC, and the neighbouring Chua Chu Kang GRC.

Its slates in these wards have not been confirmed.

Political observer Gillian Koh said the PSP – a newcomer in GE2020 – managed to maintain its profile through the work of its two NCMPs in Parliament.

However, the party has had several switches at the secretary-general level, noted Dr Koh, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies. This could be due to its youth, she said.

SMU’s Associate Professor Tan said the new CEC will be the team that will lead the party into its second general election, adding that its performance there will determine the party’s trajectory for the coming decade.

Prof Tan noted that the PSP now has to chart its own way in an increasingly crowded and fragmented opposition political space.

He said: “The main challenge is whether it can maintain its place as the second leading opposition party after the Workers’ Party.

“Minimally, it will need to secure two NCMP seats in GE2025. Even better, if it can win outright elected seats.”

Prof Tan added that it may well be Dr Tan’s last electoral outing, so the party will have to demonstrate that it now has a separate and distinctive identity.

Dr Tan will turn 85 in April.

Prof Tan said: “Now that we are on the cusp of a GE, the party is desirous to show it is not the alter ego of Dr Tan.

“Will it be able to step out of Dr Tan’s shadow and show that it has political relevance beyond him?”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Tough fight likely in West Coast-Jurong West GRC; PAP ready to serve if given mandate: Desmond Lee​

National Development Minister Desmond Lee entered politics in 2011, but said the last five years have been the most intense as a politician.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Esther Loi
Mar 19, 2025

SINGAPORE – West Coast-Jurong West GRC will likely see a keen contest in the coming polls but if residents give them a mandate, National Development Minister Desmond Lee and the PAP team stand ready to serve, he said.

Speaking on The Straits Times’ current affairs podcast The Usual Place, Mr Lee was responding to a question on whether he expected a tough fight in the west.

Mr Lee said: “It was a hot contest in 2020, and I have no reason to doubt that it will continue to be so.”

The discussion on March 18 touched on topics such as housing and politics, including the contest for the newly created West Coast-Jurong West GRC, where Mr Lee is expected to be fielded when polls are called.

In the 2020 General Election, he was part of the People’s Action Party’s West Coast GRC team that narrowly fought off a challenge from the opposition Progress Singapore Party.

With electoral boundaries redrawn, the new West Coast-Jurong West GRC will include parts of Jurong GRC – a PAP stronghold. Parts of Telok Blangah and Dover, which are part of the existing West Coast GRC, will be ceded.

Mr Lee was re-elected in 2020 as part of a PAP slate that also included former transport minister S. Iswaran, who oversaw the West Coast ward.

Iswaran resigned in January 2024 and was later found guilty of corruption.

Mr Lee said: “We stepped up, we made sure that West Coast was well supported. I looked after both districts, both Boon Lay... and now also looking after West Coast.

“It’s an important team effort, whether it’s at the grassroots, whether it’s MP duties, whether it’s in the ministry, you really need to work with a good team.”

Asked if he was ready to be an anchor minister, Mr Lee said: “Whether I’m ready or not, it ultimately depends on my boss. But I stand ready to serve when called upon.”

Mr Lee entered politics in 2011, but said the last five years have been the most intense as a politician.

As a minister, he has had to deal with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the supply of public housing, and as a West Coast GRC MP, he also had to deal with Iswaran’s departure.


What has he learnt about himself through the past five years?

For starters, he has become better at multitasking, but Mr Lee added that he has also learnt the importance of working with diverse teams, whether they are public servants in his agencies and ministries, or volunteers in Boon Lay and West Coast.

He said: “One thing that I’ve learnt is that working as a team is so critical to ensuring that you come up with good ideas, that you engage widely, and that you can implement policies on the ground that are sensible, that are fair and that are well received.”

​

 

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Look at ‘hard data’ before getting carried away by million-dollar transactions: Desmond Lee​

Esther Loi
Mar 19, 2025

SINGAPORE – Housing Board flats will continue to remain affordable for all Singaporeans, with a strong pipeline of new flats in place and more units hitting the resale market in the coming years, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee has said.

These are among the efforts that the Government has taken to stabilise the public housing market over the last five years, after the pandemic disrupted the supply of flats and caused home prices to rise, said Mr Lee.


“(For) the resale market, through both cooling measures as well as significant supply, the market will stabilise. I would say that (when it comes to) housing issues, we haven’t addressed everything, but we’ve addressed many issues that are of more pressing concern to Singaporeans,” he said.

Mr Lee was speaking on The Straits Times’ current affairs podcast The Usual Place with podcast host Natasha Ann Zachariah and ST journalist Isabelle Liew on March 18, where he addressed worries about housing affordability, a key concern among voters as Singapore gears up for a general election.

He said housing issues will always be “top of mind” for Singaporeans, but pointed to the progress that has been made since the start of this parliamentary term in 2020.

The pandemic had caused severe disruptions to the supply of Build-To-Order flats, he said.

HDB had planned to complete 20,000 flats in 2020 – all of which would have met their minimum occupation period (MOP) and could have been sold on the resale market by 2025 – but the pandemic disruptions meant less than half of those flats were completed.

This contributed to a tighter supply of flats in the market.

But efforts to ramp up construction have borne fruit – all 92 BTO projects that were delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic were completed in January 2025.

He added that the number of flats that will meet their MOP will go up over the next few years – from 8,000 flats in 2025, to 13,500 in 2026 and 19,500 units in 2028.

As for the supply of new flats, Mr Lee said HDB will launch more than 50,000 units from 2025 to 2027.

With these efforts to boost flat supply, and as cooling measures work their way through the market, the minister said he expects greater stability in housing prices going forward.

HDB had tightened loan limits for home buyers purchasing flats from August 2024, in the fourth round of property cooling measures since December 2021.

Mr Lee was also asked about resale flats that have transacted for over a million dollars, and how these transactions drive perceptions about unaffordability. In 2024, flats that sold for over a million dollars accounted for 3.6 per cent of resale transactions.

He said these flats, which because of their relative newness, better locations and attributes, have sold for over a million dollars and “captured the imagination”.

But he urged Singaporeans to look at “the hard data”, which showed that eight in 10 homebuyers who collected their keys in 2024 were able to service their HDB monthly mortgage entirely from CPF with little to no cash outlay.

“I think that is an indicator of how people have been able to find both BTO and resale flats that are affordable to them,” he said.

He also cited the recently rolled out Prime, Plus and Standard flat classification model as another effort over the medium- to long-term to keep new BTO flats launched in more attractive locations affordable to Singaporeans of different income levels.

Prime and Plus flats, which are located closer to amenities such as MRT stations and town centres, will come with more subsidies but stricter resale conditions, such as a 10-year MOP and a subsidy clawback.

Standard flats, on the other hand, will not have a subsidy recovery clause when they are sold, and will come with a five-year MOP.

“The model ensures that Singapore remains egalitarian and has a good social mix in different parts (of the island), and ensures that our subsidy scheme remains fair in terms of allocation between those who are buying flats in more premium locations versus those in more standard locations,” said Mr Lee.

But the minister also pointed out that the authorities had to balance desires for asset appreciation with concerns from Singaporeans who want housing to remain affordable.

It does so through injecting more supply through BTO flats, and managing resale prices through levers such as cooling measures, he said.

During the discussion, Mr Lee also brought up plans for the new Mount Pleasant BTO project that will be launched in October 2025.

The area for the new housing project includes the Old Police Academy, a site for which many retired police officers and national servicemen had strong emotions and memories, he said.

He added that planners had worked with heritage professionals to decide which buildings of the academy to conserve and engaged retired officers extensively in the redevelopment process.

He said the authorities will be sensitive to layers of history, heritage and memory as they continue to build new housing at different sites around the island.

“So you’ll see new, beautiful housing (in Mount Pleasant). It will be affordable because it will be Prime or Plus, and yet, carry layers of heritage, so that people who used to train there will find something that can resonate with them when they come back to the estate,” said Mr Lee.

 

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Spotlight on Marine Parade-Braddell Heights: PAP could face WP, NSP in 3-cornered fight at GE2025​

With battle lines redrawn and significant changes to many constituencies, which will be the ones under the spotlight in GE2025? The Straits Times dives into the issues and concerns on the ground in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.​

Outdoor boards displaying upcoming projects for Marine Parade GRC next to a poster of Marine Parade MP Tan See Leng.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Joyce Lim and Shermaine Ang
Mar 20, 2025

SINGAPORE - As the general election draws near, substantial changes have been made to Marine Parade GRC – starting with its name.

The boundaries of the renamed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC will shift significantly as well.

It will absorb all of MacPherson SMC, take in polling districts from Mountbatten and Potong Pasir SMCs, and cede the entire Joo Chiat ward and Chai Chee Housing Board estates to neighbouring East Coast GRC.

But one thing is set to stay the same – the five-member group representation constituency will be hotly contested again.

In the 2020 election, the PAP retained Marine Parade with 57.74 per cent of the vote against the Workers’ Party. This was down from 64.07 per cent in 2015.

The PAP team has since had to deal with the departure of former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, who led its slate in 2020. Mr Tan resigned in 2023 after his extramarital affair with fellow MP Cheng Li Hui came to light.

With the redrawing of boundaries, another key member of the team – Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong – is set to move out.

Mr Tong, who has served as MP for Joo Chiat since 2015, pledged in an interview with The Straits Times to continue supporting residents in the ward after it is moved to East Coast GRC.

This sets the stage for Manpower Minister Tan See Leng to lead the People’s Action Party team into a possible multi-cornered fight with the WP and National Solidarity Party (NSP).

How the battle will shape up​

Both opposition parties 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.

Who the WP will field in Marine Parade remains unclear, though several candidates who contested in 2020 could make a return – IT professional Nathaniel Koh and lawyer Fadli Fawzi have been 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.

His possible candidacy has received much attention online, given his position as a senior counsel. He was appointed in 2007.

Workers’ Party new face Harpreet Singh Nehal walking the ground in MacPherson in March. The senior counsel is widely regarded as the opposition party’s “star catch” for this election.PHOTO: HARPREETSINGHNEHAL/FACEBOOK
There is a question mark over where Mr Singh will eventually be fielded. Political observers have noted that he could easily be redeployed to another GRC like East Coast.

Another new face is communications executive Jackson Au, who is part of the WP’s media team.

The NSP, meanwhile, staked a claim to the GRC after the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee released its report.

The opposition party has not given any indication of whom it intends to field in the constituency, which it last contested in 2011.

At present, Marine Parade GRC has five wards: Marine Parade, Joo Chiat, Geylang Serai, Braddell Heights and Kembangan-Chai Chee.

The incumbent MPs are Dr Tan See Leng (Marine Parade), Mr Tong (Joo Chiat), Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng (Braddell Heights), and Mayor of South East District Mohd Fahmi Aliman (Geylang Serai).

The MPs have had to cover Mr Tan Chuan-Jin’s ward after his resignation.

Dr Tan said that following Mr Tan’s departure, grassroots engagement has continued in Kembangan-Chai Chee ward without disruption.

“Not a single initiative has been stopped or let go – for example, our dental programme, food rescue activities, HDB Home Improvement Programme,” he told ST in an interview.

“In fact, we have gradually introduced more initiatives to meet the needs of residents there,” Dr Tan added.

The PAP has also sent new face Choo Pei Ling to help plug the gap. Dr Choo, an assistant professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology’s Health and Social Sciences cluster, is second adviser to the grassroots organisations in Kembangan-Chai Chee.

One key question ahead of the polls is what impact Mr Tan’s resignation could have. Another is what bearing the shifting of boundaries will have on the electoral outcome.

Some political observers noted that since 2015, a growing number of voters in Joo Chiat have thrown their weight behind Mr Tong. His ward becoming part of East Coast could thus be seen as a boon for that GRC.

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng greeting residents at an event in Marine Terrace in April 2024. Behind him is Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and PAP new face Choo Pei Ling (next to ESM Goh).PHOTO: ST FILE
They generally felt that the inclusion of MacPherson – where MP Tin Pei Ling secured 71.74 per cent of the vote in 2020 – could bolster the PAP in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights.

Former PAP MP Inderjit Singh reckons that overall, “the balance will be with PAP in Marine Parade”. He added that the overall result will also depend on whom the WP fields in the GRC.

However, political analyst Tan Ern Ser, adjunct principal research fellow and academic adviser at the Institute of Policy Studies Social Lab, cautioned against relying on past results to predict the outcome of the coming election.

“Singapore is entering a new era. It has a new team now fully at the helm,” he said, citing economic and demographic challenges that could shape voter sentiment.

Key issues include a rapidly ageing population, a total fertility rate below 1, persistent inflation and external economic pressures, he added.

“It’d be difficult to extrapolate from past victories or defeats,” he said.


In a Facebook post on March 14, Mr Harpreet Singh from WP said the party is not daunted by MacPherson being redrawn into Marine Parade-Braddell Heights. “If anything, this only strengthens our resolve,” he added.

The WP did not respond to queries from ST for this article.

As for the prospect of a multi-cornered fight, Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan felt this “probably will not materialise”.

“It remains to be seen if NSP will eventually proceed with its plans to contest there. It may well be posturing at this stage as the parties jostle to contest in their preferred seats,” he said.

The associate professor added that any opposition party wading into a PAP-WP contest will have to seriously consider the likelihood of losing its deposit.

He said he does not see a three-way contest benefiting the PAP in any significant way in the GRC, as most opposition voters will pool their votes behind the WP, which they regard as having the best chance of unseating the ruling party.

“It is this vote pooling that will reduce the possibility of votes for the opposition splitting more than one way,” Prof Tan said.

The GRC has slightly more public housing – 58.4 per cent – than private homes, based on ST’s analysis using Department of Statistics data dated June 2024.

The Marine Parade and Braddell Heights wards stand out for their eldercare initiatives, as more than 20 per cent of their residents are aged 65 and above, higher than the national average of 17 per cent.

Responding to residents’ concerns​

The improved accessibility and eldercare services within the constituency have earned plaudits from some residents, who told ST that they feel well supported there.

Currently, residents in Marine Parade ward benefit from initiatives such as a programme that offers free meals and social activities to seniors, and new infrastructure like sheltered linkways connecting homes to amenities.

GRC-wide initiatives include a free shuttle bus service, with 29,000 registered users, transporting residents to essential amenities such as hawker centres and healthcare facilities.

For long-time Marine Parade resident Kong Kam Nyok, 76, even though Dr Tan See Leng was a first-term MP who took over from Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, the leadership changes have not dampened her faith in her MPs’ ability to care for the GRC’s ageing population.

Having lived in the area since 1975, she has seen it evolve across five decades.

Madam Kong, who lives in Block 57 Marine Terrace, near an MRT station along the Thomson-East Coast Line that opened in 2024, said she appreciates senior-friendly initiatives such as Goodlife Makan at Block 52, where seniors can enjoy free meals and social activities.

“The MPs have taken care of the ward,” she said.

Newer residents, like a mother-and-daughter pair who moved to Marine Parade in 2024, have also been drawn to the ward’s elder-friendly amenities.

Despite taking nearly a year to find a four-room flat at $650,000, they felt that the move was worthwhile.

“We wanted to grow old here because of the many activities and amenities for the elderly,” said the 46-year-old daughter, who declined to be named as she did not want relatives and friends to know her family had moved to Marine Parade.

She added that her mother, 76, likes the many exercise corners for seniors in the estate.

Madam Kwong Mei, 72, a resident of Marine Terrace, pointed to how a newly constructed sheltered linkway made her daily commute much easier.

“The sheltered linkway makes a big difference. Before, my children would worry about me slipping and falling on the wet slippery floor during rainy days,” she said.

“Now, I can walk safely all the way from my flat to Marine Terrace MRT station. From there, I will take the train to Marine Parade Central for my regular check-ups at the polyclinic.”

The covered linkway between Block 50 and 12 Marine Terrace pictured on March 8.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
While many residents appreciate the improvements in the estate, some have raised concerns about other issues affecting their living environment.

Several residents pointed out that crows have become a growing nuisance in the area.

Ms Teo, who wished to be identified only by her surname, voiced worries about cockroach infestations in the common areas, which she suspected were linked to ongoing construction work.

Beyond estate-level concerns, some residents are also troubled by broader national issues such as housing affordability and the rising cost of living.

Madam Veerama Palaniyandi Sivalinga, who has lived in a rental flat in Marine Terrace for more than 40 years, said high food prices remain a concern for many.

The 74-year-old, who sells home-baked cookies for a living, acknowledged the Government’s efforts to provide support.

“We need to live within our means. The Government has given a lot of vouchers to help us,” she said.

For some younger families, the future of housing affordability is a pressing worry.

Mr Henry Tan, 41, an IT sales professional with a five-year-old son, questioned whether his child would be able to afford a home in the years to come.

“With some flats hitting $1 million, I wonder if my son will be able to afford a home,” he said.

Meanwhile, over at Joo Chiat Complex, Dr Tan has been actively involved in addressing estate-related concerns.

He recalled how he had to help solve a perennial lift issue faced by residents of Joo Chiat Complex in his first term as an MP.

Built in 1984 in Geylang Serai, Joo Chiat Complex is home to Malay textile and craft shops and has Housing Board flats in Blocks 3 and 4.

Previously, residents faced long waits for lifts, especially during peak shopping seasons like the holy month of Ramadan. Tensions ran high between residents and shoppers competing for lift access.

The issue arose because the same lifts served both residents and shoppers, who used them to access the multi-storey carpark.

To address this, a card access system was rolled out in May 2021, which restricted access to the lifts from the multi-storey carpark to residents with an access card. Non-residents must now take other lifts designated for public use.

Additionally, access doors to the carpark on levels two to four of Blocks 3 and 4 remain locked, allowing only residents with access cards to enter.

A card access system was rolled out in Joo Chiat Complex to restrict access to its multi-storey car park.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
A resident, Madam Soh, who runs a retail shop in Joo Chiat Complex and declined to give her full name, said: “Residents would insist they had priority because they lived here, while shoppers were unhappy when residents cut the queue. Shouting matches were common.”

Highlighting the importance of this project, Dr Tan said: “HDB also took further steps to improve convenience to our residents by relocating parking spaces to allow residents to park closer to the lifts and installing directional signs for patrons and tenants.”

He added that HDB will also build a dedicated low-rise lift for the multi-storey carpark to further improve accessibility. Work is estimated to start in June and be completed by the second quarter of 2027.

Other initiatives rolled out in the constituency include WeCare programmes to help residents in need and the Caregiver Support Network that looks after the needs of caregivers in the constituency.

In 2024, a new PCF Sparkletots centre was opened in Joo Chiat ward, and a new integrated community hub located in Upper East Coast Road is set to be completed in 2029.

In Braddell Heights, residents will soon see the opening of the long-awaited Serangoon Polyclinic by the end of 2025. This will be Singapore’s largest polyclinic by floor area. The facility will also house an expanded dialysis centre, which is expected to shorten waits for patients.

Mr Seah, the Braddell Heights MP, said there is a dialysis centre at Block 201 Serangoon Central, but it is rather small, and therefore, there are residents on the waiting list. At present, these residents have to travel farther away to be treated.

“At the new Serangoon Polyclinic, there will be a much bigger dialysis centre, so that will lighten the burden and make it a lot more convenient for residents needing dialysis treatment going forward,” he said.

Mr Seah added: “My area is a compact one, densely populated and with many elderly, way above national demographics. So, for the elderly who need to go to a polyclinic to see a doctor or for treatment, convenience is paramount – from both the time and cost point of view.”

Dr Tan emphasised that his team has invested considerable effort in engaging residents and improving the community, regardless of the recent boundary changes.

He gave the assurance that residents in areas moving out of the GRC would continue to receive support from the incumbent MPs. Similarly, those joining the GRC would benefit from the groundwork already laid.

Voters’ familiarity with candidates plays a key role in shaping electoral outcomes, he noted.

With the battle lines redrawn and key players raising their game on the ground, Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC is set to be a fierce battleground where every vote will count.

“I think that it’s good for Marine Parade residents... that you’ve got so many interested parties who want to come and serve them. So the Marine Parade residents have a good range of options,” said Dr Tan.

“In every general election, it will never be an easy fight. It is not a walk in the park, but the key thing is, at the end of the day, the only real beneficiaries have to be the residents and the citizens.”

 

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Over 570,000 S’porean seniors to get $400 to $1,000 in Earn and Save bonus in March​

The bonus will be credited automatically to the CPF accounts of eligible recipients, said the Manpower Ministry.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Sarah Koh
Mar 20, 2025

SINGAPORE - More than 570,000 Singaporeans will receive $400 to $1,000 in March as part of the Earn and Save Bonus.

This will be the first payment of the annual bonus that was initially announced at the National Day Rally in 2023 as part of the $9 billion Majulah Package.

In a statement on March 20, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said the bonus will provide an additional boost in retirement savings for working seniors.

Singaporeans born in 1973 or earlier will receive the bonus if they meet these requirements:

• Working and have an average monthly income of $500 to $6,000 in the previous year of assessment
• Live in a property with an annual value of $31,000 and below
• Own not more than one property

A higher bonus amount will be given to those with lower monthly incomes.

Those earning $500 to $2,500 in average monthly income will receive $1,000, while those earning above $2,500 to $3,500 will get $700.

Seniors who earn above $3,500 to $6,000 will receive $400.

The three-part Majulah Package is targeted at Singaporeans in their 50s and early 60s, a group that has been referred to as “young seniors”.

The group also covers those younger than the Merdeka Generation who were born between 1950 and 1959, and the Pioneer Generation who were born in 1949 or earlier.

About 1.6 million eligible Singaporeans received the MediSave Bonus in December 2024, and about 800,000 from the same age group received a one-time Retirement Savings Bonus in their CPF accounts.

The Earn and Save Bonus will be credited automatically to the CPF accounts of eligible recipients, said MOM. They will be notified via SMS in April after the bonus has been credited.

Recipients without a Singpass-registered mobile number will be notified through a letter sent to their addresses.

In its statement, MOM also reminded the public to guard against scams.

The ministry said that the SMS notification sent from “gov.sg” will give citizens information about their benefits. They will not be asked to reply to the SMS, click on any links or provide any details to the sender.

Messages about the bonus payment will not be sent through WhatsApp or other mobile messaging platforms.

Citizens can check their eligibility for the bonus on the govbenefits website, by logging in to Singpass.

​

 

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Politics: Referee kayu​

Ng Chee Meng, secretary general of the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC), must be the luckiest Singaporean. Ng was a one-term member of Parliament (MP) with the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) before his Sengkang team famously lost to the Workers’ Party (WP) in the 2020 general election (GE). Despite Ng failing to win an electoral mandate, NTUC controversially kept him on as secretary-general, a role that since 1980 had been filled by cabinet ministers. Ng’s lucky to have kept this well-remunerated job, a privilege that losing or retiring PAP candidates—but rarely opposition ones—often enjoy within the establishment. (Ng and his two brothers are all military men and part of the governing elite.)

Ng was lucky again that the PAP omitted him from its Sengkang slate for the upcoming GE, where he’d likely face the same formidable WP team featuring Louis Chua, He Ting Ru and Jamus Lim. And the release of last week’s report by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC), which features significant gerrymandering, makes him three times lucky. The EBRC has resuscitated the Jalan Kayu single member constituency after it’s been dormant for almost 40 years. It’s been carved out of the adjacent Ang Mo Kio group representation constituency, a stronghold led by Lee Hsien Loong, senior minister. And this week, Ng went on a walkabout there with Lee. He later wrote on Facebook that he’s familiar with the neighbourhood, given that he’s been living in Seletar Hills for 20 odd years, and he also “grew up” there because of his youth flying activities.

How lucky to have a new political district created on your doorstep. If the PAP does indeed field him there, the hometown boy would seem like a shoo-in. That said, rumours are swirling that opposition heavyweights, including Chee Soon Juan of the Singapore Democratic Party, may contest there, in what could be a multi-cornered fight. If Ng somehow contrives to lose again, will he still keep his NTUC post? If that happens, better buy 4D liao.

 

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Opposition Progress Singapore Party elects new leadership, six new faces in top decision-making body​

The newly elected members of the Progress Singapore Party’s central executive committee: (front row, from left) Ms Wendy Low, Mr Leong Mun Wai, Dr Tan Cheng Bock, Ms Hazel Poa and Mr A’bas Kasmani; (back row, from left) Mr S. Nallakaruppan, Mr Jonathan Tee, Mr Joseph Wong, Mr Phang Yew Huat, Mr Soh Zheng Long, Mr Anthony Neo and Mr Samuel Lim.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Ng Wei Kai
Mar 21, 2025

SINGAPORE – The opposition Progress Singapore Party (PSP) voted six new names into its highest decision-making body on March 20, in a substantial refresh of its leadership slate.

The election was hotly contested, with 24 candidates vying for 12 elected seats on the central executive committee (CEC).

Returning to the CEC are Non-Constituency MPs Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa, as well as party chairman Tan Cheng Bock, Mr A’bas Kasmani, Ms Wendy Low and Mr Phang Yew Huat.

Six new names were elected. They are: Mr Samuel Lim, 29; Mr Anthony Neo, 57; Mr S. Nallakaruppan, 60; Mr Soh Zheng Long, 36; Mr Jonathan Tee, 50; and Mr Joseph Wong, 68.

Eight members of the previous CEC were not re-elected, including several who were candidates in the last election. They include Dr Ang Yong Guan, Mr Harish Pillay, Mr Jeffrey Khoo, Mr Nadarajah Loganathan and Mr Lim Cher Hong.

Of these, all except Dr Ang had sought re-election.

The new CEC was voted in by the 90 cadres present, comprising the party’s inner circle. It will later co-opt two more cadres to form a 14-member body, and then decide who will take up party leadership positions within it. This includes the party’s leader, its secretary-general.

The new CEC will serve for two years until March 2027.

Mr Leong, who was spotted leaving the party headquarters at Bukit Timah Shopping Centre after the CEC election, told reporters that the party would announce the leadership positions, including its new secretary-general, at a later date. He added that the PSP remained “always ready” for the general election.

Observers have said that the only two serious candidates for the post are its NCMPs, Ms Poa and Mr Leong. Ms Poa was secretary-general until this election.

If Mr Leong takes back the reins, it will be the fifth time the party has changed its leader since its founding in 2019.

He had stepped down as secretary-general in February 2024, to take responsibility for a correction direction he received under Singapore’s fake news law for a social media post.

He is expected by some in the party to make a bid to retake the post from Ms Poa.

Ms Poa is the PSP’s fourth secretary-general, and was the party vice-chairman prior to that.

Mr Leong, who currently does not hold any post on the CEC, first became secretary-general in April 2023. Mr Francis Yuen vacated the position the month before, after spending two years in the seat.

The PSP’s founder and current chairman, Dr Tan, was its first secretary-general.

Together with Dr Tan, Mr Leong and Ms Poa were on the PSP’s West Coast GRC slate that lost to a PAP team led by former transport minister S. Iswaran in the 2020 General Election.

It was the narrowest loss that year – which allowed the party to send Mr Leong and Ms Poa into Parliament as NCMPs.

The PSP is expected to contest several constituencies in the upcoming general election, including the newly redrawn West Coast-Jurong West GRC, and the neighbouring Chua Chu Kang GRC.

Its slates in these wards have not been confirmed.

 

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Getting to know Hong Kah North residents on the agenda ahead of election: Grace Fu​

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu (left) chatting with ST assistant news editor Audrey Tan and ST correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah on March 20.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Chin Hui Shan
Mar 21, 2025

SINGAPORE – Over the next few weeks, Ms Grace Fu – who is the MP for Yuhua SMC which is having parts of it absorbed into Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC – plans to familiarise herself with the Hong Kah North area and the issues its residents face.

Like Yuhua, parts of Hong Kah North SMC have been merged into the new group representation constituency under the changes to electoral boundaries announced on March 11.

The new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC will also include Bukit Batok SMC and parts of the existing Jurong GRC, namely Bukit Batok East and Clementi.

Speaking on The Straits Times’ current affairs podcast The Usual Place on March 20, Ms Fu said she is familiar with four of the five wards that make up the new GRC – Bukit Batok, Bukit Batok East, Clementi and Yuhua – since they are served by the same town council.

The existing Jurong-Clementi Town Council serves Bukit Batok SMC and Yuhua SMC, as well as Jurong GRC.

“We have regular meetings because we have the same set of employees who help us manage the municipal issues. So we are fairly familiar with one another,” she said.

“Hong Kah North, on the other hand, is an area that I’m less familiar with.


“Over the next few weeks, I have to catch up, I have to be updated, I have to get myself familiar with the landscape, the topography – where are the hawker centres, where are the coffee shops – and what are the issues that the residents are having,” added Ms Fu, who has been representing Yuhua since 2006.

On the boundary changes, Ms Fu had earlier said that this was expected for Yuhua, as it is a mature estate with a declining number of voters.

Yuhua SMC had the lowest voter count of 20,252 among the single-member constituencies. Under the boundary changes, parts of Yuhua have been absorbed into Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, while the remainder will become part of the new Jurong Central SMC.

During the podcast interview, Ms Fu again noted that while the number of voters in places like Yuhua has been declining as children of the original residents have moved out, new towns nearby, such as Tengah and Bukit Batok West, are growing very quickly.

“Right now, the ratio of MPs to residents there is just so high. Although we have very hard-working MPs there, it’s just not even. So we need to even that out. I need to take on more load,” she said.

“As a GRC, we want to serve the residents better. We want to look at how we can draw resources from each of the divisions so that we can support this growing population better – absorbing them in terms of schools, pre-school centres, community centres, transportation nodes, for example,” she said.

“These are all areas where we can find synergies within the GRC to serve the residents of every division.”

She said that with parts of Yuhua now being part of the new Jurong Central SMC, residents have approached her to ask the reason for the change.

“I have to explain to them the cause of this change and, at the same time, assure them that we will have a proper handover, and that I will brief the incumbent properly about the existing programmes, so we hope that there is some continuity,” she added.

Ms Fu, who is also Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, fielded a range of questions during the 45-minute podcast, including on the recent changes in electoral boundaries, the upcoming general election and her ministry’s spending plan for the year ahead.

Asked whether she thinks climate change and environmental issues will be on voters’ minds, Ms Fu said such topics have become election issues in other countries.

But in these cases, climate disasters have disrupted lives, with floods damaging homes or preventing students from going to school, she noted.

Singapore, however, has been taking steps to protect its people from climate change impacts.

“I count my blessings being in Singapore... from the work that has been done by generations of ministers before me, we have actually laid a very good foundation,” she said, citing how the Republic has been expanding its drainage capacity and building dams to prevent flooding.

Flood-prone areas, which are low-lying areas with a history of flooding, have been reduced from about 3,200ha in the 1970s to less than 30ha today, according to the website of national water agency PUB.

“So I think we are in a good position to remove some of these issues from the elections, because people are not being bothered by the outcomes,” Ms Fu added.

While she does not expect these issues to be part of the major electoral topics in the upcoming general election, Ms Fu said she is not ruling it out.

Singapore is in a good position to build infrastructure to help mitigate the effects of climate change. But she noted: “We can never be sure, because if you have a successive period of intense rain... it may become an issue.”

Asked about her experience as a woman in politics, and if she has observed any changes over time, Ms Fu – who joined politics in 2006 – said gender is now less of an issue and there has been greater acceptance from residents.

When she first joined politics, she noted that she was often asked about her sentiments on being a female politician. But this attention to her gender has waned over the years.

Still, she noted that the appearance of female politicians tends to come under stronger scrutiny than that of their male counterparts.

“The spotlight on women in politics remains different. I think the men seldom get (any) sort of feedback on how they dress, how they look on camera,” she said.

“(But for women), how you dress (and) how you carry yourself matter more.”

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