General Election 2025

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Former BG and PAP new face Goh Pei Ming hopes to bring community and military experiences together​

The concept of public service is familiar to Mr Goh Pei Ming as both a military man and a grassroots volunteer.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Goh Yan Han
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE – As he took cover in a shed with rockets flying overhead, Mr Goh Pei Ming felt each second was an eternity.

He would spend those seconds in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he was deployed by the Singapore Armed Forces in late 2010, thinking deeply about whether he had lived a meaningful and useful life.

The PAP new face said his seven-month stint – he knew it to be a litmus test of his capability and commitment – taught him not to take his loved ones for granted.

Mr Goh had just come back from his honeymoon with his wife – a primary school classmate with whom he reconnected in his junior college years – when he was asked to uproot himself to go to Afghanistan.

“Multiple times a day, I would get rocket attacks. The insurgents, the terrorists, would shoot rockets into the base, and they could land anywhere… We can expect to take casualties, and there (were) casualties,” said Mr Goh. He was one of two Singaporean officers attached to a US division overseeing deployments, intelligence updates and risk assessments in the area.

The 43-year-old, who has been confirmed to be among the ruling party’s fresh team for the upcoming election, said the experience also taught him that Singapore cannot take defence and security for granted.

He noted that Afghanistan in the 1960s and 1970s was a progressive and well-developing society, but it is not so today.

“It’s a reminder how it’s important for us to get our governance, our politics right, if not, actually, we can go down a very similar path,” he said.

These are lessons the former brigadier-general, who has three children, carries with him on his latest endeavour – joining politics under the PAP banner.

The concept of public service is familiar to him, as both a military man and a grassroots volunteer. He has spent 17 years volunteering in Kampong Chai Chee, where he grew up.

“Pretty much that’s my entire adult life – one is profession, one’s a passion. I love doing both, and both reinforce my belief in serving,” he said.

He began volunteering at age 24, when then MP Lee Yi Shyan knocked on the door of his childhood Housing Board home in Bedok North on a house visit, and asked him to give it a try.

The idea of service has been ingrained in him from young.

His mother, a housewife who left school after Primary 6, constantly drilled in him that education was important, and that after getting a good education, he should give back to society.

His late grandfather, a Teochew clan leader, would also take him along to events.

He also pointed to his extra-curricular activity in Dunman High School and Victoria Junior College – the scouts.

“I think the combination of (all) that led me to be open to a career of service, of serving the country and people,” he said.

Mr Goh Pei Ming holding up his scout uniforms with badges from his secondary school and junior college days.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
He later took the SAF Scholarship to study civil engineering at Cornell University in New York with this same motivation to serve, and stayed with the organisation beyond his six-year bond.

Mr Goh felt his time in the army allowed him to help young men in their late teens grow up to be more mature and responsible citizens.

He also brought the community touch to his time in the military.

As a young platoon commander in the infantry, he saw that many soldiers were from less privileged backgrounds and some did not complete their N levels.

“I thought it was important for some of them to continue on, especially if they were keen to do so. So I gave tuition to some of them at night,” he said.

He also checked in on those who seemed to be struggling, recalling one soldier who had become withdrawn.

“As his big brother in the military, we are often concerned, because the things we do carry risks, and sometimes when individuals get distracted, that’s when bad things can happen,” he said.

When he found out that a soldier had fallen out with his mother, he gave him advice, which helped fix the situation when the soldier returned home on the weekend.

“Some of these opportunities for me to make changes or touch people’s lives beyond just military training were meaningful,” he said.

He eventually rose to become chief of staff – joint staff – in layman terms, “the No. 2 to the chief of defence force” – and coordinated efforts between the army, navy and air force.


Stepping away from the army came with a “sense of loss and perhaps a little bit of the identity that I’m shedding away”, said Mr Goh.

He was aware that he was “leaving a perfectly good career”, at a point in his life when “there was still a fairly good career path”, to embark on a far less certain political journey.

Other considerations in his decision to join politics included sacrificing time with family – his three children aged between four and 10, his parents and his wife, who had quit her job twice in the past to accompany him on postings, and would now have to carry more of the load at home.

But Mr Goh thinks that entering politics will allow him to contribute at a different level, hopefully a higher one that reaches a wider audience.

It is not yet clear whether he will be fielded in East Coast GRC, where he has been spotted with MPs in recent weeks. He was earlier also spotted in Punggol GRC.

But Mr Goh said it would be very meaningful and impactful to return to the east, the same community he has served for so long.

“The familiarity would also allow me to hit the ground running almost immediately,” he said.

His grassroots work in East Coast includes helping to set up a community crisis operations centre in Kampong Chai Chee, in case of major incidents in the community, such as a big fire, major water pipe leak or power outage.

He has been chairman of the Kampong Chai Chee Community Club management committee since 2021, and vice-chairman of the area’s Citizens’ Consultative Committee from 2019.


Mr Goh has also helped get students from Temasek Polytechnic, where he was a board member from 2020 to 2023, to volunteer in the community.

“My professional space, my community service space, and my personal life space – I’m trying to bring the (circles in the) Venn diagram closer and create as much overlap and collaboration as possible,” said Mr Goh. “But regardless of where I’m fielded, I’ll do my best. The experiences that I’ve had from many years of community work will follow me wherever I go… That understanding of how to build a community will come with me,” he added.

He hopes to blend the public service and community service experience together, as he works to represent three groups – seniors, caregivers and young families.

With his children and two sets of parents to care for, he feels he can understand the concerns of those in these groups. These include financial pressures, as well as the pressure to find and spend quality time together.

On a national level, he hopes to contribute on issues such as defence, security and geopolitics.

“But actually, having served in community service for so long, I think I’ll also have some perspectives in terms of social and family issues, community and youth issues,” said Mr Goh.

Joining the PAP was a clear choice for him when it came to contributing in this way in politics.

He said: “There’s only one party that I would trust to be able to take the country forward. The track record over the last 60 years, that’s one (reason).

“But not just that, but also the continuous emphasis on not just commitment and capability, but also a high level of trust and transparency.”

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GE2025: 18,389 overseas voters successfully registered, will be notified via e-mail​

Of the registered overseas voters, 9,759 will vote by post, while the remaining 8,630 will vote in person at overseas polling stations.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

Chin Hui Shan
Apr 19, 2025

SINGAPORE – A total of 18,389 Singaporeans living abroad have successfully registered as overseas voters and will be notified via e-mail on the polling process after Nomination Day on April 23.

They are among the 2,758,846 registered voters for the upcoming polls, said the Elections Department (ELD) on April 18.

Of the registered overseas voters, 9,759 will vote by post, while the remaining 8,630 will vote in person at overseas polling stations.

These are in Beijing, Canberra, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Tokyo and Washington.

For the 2025 General Election, the Tanjong Pagar electoral division has the highest number of registered overseas voters at 1,703, followed by East Coast’s 1,484 voters. Holland-Bukit Timah has 1,424 registered overseas voters.

Singaporeans who have successfully applied to be overseas voters will receive an official e-mail from the ELD. Applicants may also log in to the ELD’s Voter Services to check their application outcome.

The ELD will notify overseas voters via e-mail on the polling process after Nomination Day should their electoral division be contested.

Registered overseas voters who are back home on Polling Day – which is May 3 – may vote at their allotted polling stations in Singapore if they have not already voted, said the ELD.

The details on allotted polling stations in Singapore are on the poll card, which will be sent to voters’ registered Singapore NRIC address or local contact address.

These details will also be available after Nomination Day on the voter’s ePoll card, which is accessible on the Singpass app and the ELD’s Voter Services using Singpass.

At the polling station in Singapore, registered overseas voters will have to declare that they have not already voted in the same election before they can be issued a ballot paper for voting.

“Every voter is allowed to vote only once during an election, either from overseas or at the polling station in Singapore that has been allotted to him,” said the ELD.

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Leadership renewal an ongoing exercise for the WP, say party leaders​

Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh and chair Sylvia Lim have a word with each other during a press conference at their Geylang headquarters on April 18.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Kok Yufeng
Apr 19, 2025

SINGAPORE – Letting younger party leaders take the helm has always been the WP’s focus, as any political party that does not renew itself will become irrelevant to voters and ossify naturally, said WP chair Sylvia Lim.

Ms Lim, 60, was responding to a question about leadership succession at the opposition party during a press conference on April 18 to introduce a second batch of new candidates for the upcoming election.

Earlier in the day, Defence Minister and PAP stalwart Ng Eng Hen, 66, had announced that he would retire from politics to make way for new blood.

Noting that she has held the post of party chair for 22 years, Ms Lim said: “Organisationally, I don’t think it’s ideal because you should have renewal from time to time.”

However, she pointed out that she and party chief Pritam Singh did not need to attend the launch of the WP’s 2025 election manifesto, which was fronted by incumbent Aljunied GRC MP Gerald Giam and incumbent Sengkang GRC MPs Jamus Lim and He Ting Ru.

She said the party’s MPs have learnt a lot from their time in Parliament, and are now able to take charge of some of these major projects.

“I would say that when the time comes for me, personally, to step down as chairperson, I won’t be sorry,” she added.


Responding to the same question about party renewal, Mr Singh said he has always had an eye on the future of the WP since he became secretary-general in 2018.

However, while bringing new people into the party is an “ever ongoing exercise” for the WP, Mr Singh said it is a harder task for the opposition.

“If I can use the analogy of a mountain, there’s a rock face, and then there is a gentle ascent to the summit. No prizes for guessing where the Workers’ Party candidate starts. He starts at the base of the rock face... and it’s a tough climb,” he added.

Asked whether Singaporeans can expect more from the WP as the main opposition party here, and whether it has any intention of forming a shadow Cabinet or producing shadow Budgets, Mr Singh said public demand for “a different sort of approach” can be expected if more WP MPs are elected.

“But ultimately, whatever approach it is, it wouldn’t be performative,” he said.

Shadow Cabinets are a feature of the Westminster system of government, in which senior members of the official opposition party act as counterparts to incumbent Cabinet ministers, scrutinising specific policy areas.

Mr Singh said an important criterion for whether he sees the WP as being in a position to contest a third of the seats in Parliament, is having a team of candidates with different skill sets, abilities and backgrounds, who can provide perspectives that resonate with the majority of Singaporeans.

“Obviously we’re not there yet, but we keep trying, and we keep looking out for good people to join us,” he added.

The Leader of the Opposition has previously said that the WP’s medium-term goal is to win a third of the seats in Parliament.

Of the eight fresh faces that have been unveiled by the WP so far, five of them spoke in Mandarin during their introductions to the media.

Asked if this was something the party looked out for, and whether this was a response to criticism it received for its absence at the live Mandarin debate during the 2020 election, Mr Singh said he was proud that the party’s new faces are “effectively bicultural”.

In 2020, Mr Singh had apologised to voters for not having a candidate proficient enough to debate in Mandarin, and said at the time that the WP would work hard to attract bicultural Singaporeans.

Biculturalism refers to the co-existence of two different cultures within an individual.

Noting that legal counsel Siti Alia Abdul Rahim Mattar and Sengkang GRC candidate Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik both spoke in Malay during their introductions, Mr Singh said “language is important for all our communities”.

He added: “As a multiracial society, it is so important for our culture... It’s by extension important for the Workers’ Party as well.”

 

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About 20 PAP MPs likely to retire before GE2025, six confirmed so far​

(Clockwise from top left) Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Senior Minister of State for Transport and Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor, Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP Chong Kee Hiong and Chua Chu Kang GRC MP Don Wee announced their retirement over the last week.PHOTOS: BRIAN TEO, LIANHE ZAOBAO, CHONG KEE HIONG/FACEBOOK, DON WEE/FACEBOOK
Goh Yan Han and Ng Wei Kai
Apr 19, 2025

SINGAPORE – About 20 PAP MPs are likely to retire before the upcoming election, with six confirmed so far.

They are Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and two-term MP Chong Kee Hiong, both Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MPs, and Senior Minister of State for Transport and Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor, who was MP for Hong Kah North.

First-term MP Don Wee, who represents the Brickland ward in Chua Chu Kang GRC, will also not seek re-election.

Ang Mo Kio GRC MPs Ng Ling Ling and Gan Thiam Poh will also be retiring from politics.

The six announced their retirement over the week, when new candidates replacing them were formally introduced at press conferences.

The PAP announced on April 17 that it will field a record 32 new candidates.

There are 79 incumbent PAP MPs and 32 new candidates.

Six PAP candidates who contested the last election and lost are set to be fielded again, based on the slates announced by the ruling party so far.

Confirmed names include former Hougang candidate Lee Hong Chuang, who is part of the Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC team, and former Aljunied GRC candidate Alex Yeo, who will contest Potong Pasir. Ms Chan Hui Yuh and Dr Lam Pin Min will return to Aljunied and Sengkang GRCs, respectively.

Labour chief Ng Chee Meng, who contested Sengkang GRC previously, will be fielded in the new single-seat ward of Jalan Kayu, while former Aljunied candidate Victor Lye will run in Ang Mo Kio GRC, as announced on April 19.

This adds up to a total of 117 potential candidates. The 15th Parliament of Singapore will have 97 seats, meaning that 20 sitting MPs will have to make way.

The number is the same as at the last election, and higher than the 15 who stepped down in 2015.

This year’s 20 retirements could include a record number of first-term MPs, some perhaps unexpected two-term MPs, and some political office-holders.

While only six MPs have said publicly they will retire, some others have signalled or hinted strongly at it.

Backbencher PAP MPs typically stay for about three terms.

One of the first to hint at his retirement is Sembawang GRC four-term MP Lim Wee Kiak, who in a Facebook post earlier in April asked residents to support his possible replacement.

He said: “It is my honour to serve our residents along with members of Canberra zone 6 residents’ network, and going forward I hope the members will extend support to second adviser, Mr Ng Shi Xuan.”

Those who have had their replacements officially announced include Dr Tan Wu Meng, who represented the Clementi ward in Jurong GRC, as well as Ms Foo Mee Har, who covers the Ayer Rajah-Gek Poh ward in West Coast GRC.

Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How, who oversees the Whampoa area in Jalan Besar GRC, and Potong Pasir MP Sitoh Yih Pin were also vague about their next moves.

Their announced replacements are: Mr David Hoe for Dr Tan, whose ward will be part of Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC; Ms Cassandra Lee and Dr Hamid Razak for Ms Foo – whose ward has seen a growth in population – in the redrawn West Coast-Jurong West GRC; Mr Shawn Loh in Jalan Besar GRC; and Mr Alex Yeo for Potong Pasir.

The four incumbent MPs have had varying degrees of ambiguity in their comments post-pressers.

In a Facebook post, Dr Tan said: “Where I will be going next? As I have shared with folk who ask: In life, I go where I am needed most. And I hope to be able to share more with all of you very soon.”


In contrast, Mr Heng said in his Facebook post that it had been “the absolute honour and privilege of my life serving” Whampoa residents since 2001.

“I thank you for your partnership from the bottom of my heart. The time has come for me to hand the reins to a younger generation,” he added.


When asked about his future plans, Mr Sitoh said he hopes to spend more time with his family and three-year-old granddaughter.

Other possible retirements do not seem as clear-cut.

The Nee Soon GRC line-up has not been introduced, but anchor minister K. Shanmugam has been seen with four new candidates – Ms Goh Hanyan, Mr Jackson Lam, Ms Lee Hui Ying and Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi.

It is possible that Mr Shanmugam may anchor a team of political rookies to contest the upcoming general election.

Of his current GRC teammates, Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim has been moved to Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, while two-term MP Louis Ng and first-term MPs Carrie Tan and Derrick Goh may retire or be redeployed.

On April 13, Mr Ng had posted his Parliament “report card” on Facebook, rounding up his contributions in the House over the last decade. He entered politics in 2015.

“It has been an incredible privilege to serve as an MP, speaking up and giving everyone, especially the marginalised, a voice in Parliament. It is a responsibility I have never taken lightly,” he said.

“Thank you for giving me this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. I will continue to fight hard to make Singapore a better place for all,” he added.


Mr Ng’s post has contributed to speculation of his possible retirement.

Ms Tan and Mr Goh are among the first-term MPs that may step away from politics this round. Possibly joining them is Marine Parade GRC MP Fahmi Aliman, whose replacement appears to be Prof Faishal. AMK’s Ms Ng has been confirmed to be replaced by labour chief Ng Chee Meng.

Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan said: “This is an oddity this time with retirements being hinted at or not mentioned for slates that have been introduced.

“It seems like the things are still fluid, and they point to possible last-minute changes.”

Independent political observer Felix Tan said this could be by design – so that the PAP can maintain the element of surprise.

“One can never be too sure if ‘retiring’ now would be the best, or should they wait until Nomination Day to do so,” he said.

PAP MPs stepping down after one term goes against the grain – barring scandal, said Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, a senior international affairs analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore, adding that it will be “interesting to watch this trend”.

This is as PAP MP backbenchers typically serve three terms before stepping away from politics.

Dr Ng’s retirement, as well as Mr Heng Chee How’s possible stepping away, will also trigger a revamp of the Defence Ministry’s leadership after the election, he noted.

He said: “The PAP will likely move a sitting minister or promote a current senior minister of state into the role, as it is a weighty and important one that will require an experienced, safe and steady pair of hands.”

The front-runners for this role are Education Minister Chan Chun Sing and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, he said. Both are established political office-holders, and Mr Chan has a military background, he noted.

 

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GE2025: Candidates announced in two-thirds of constituencies so far, 5 days before Nomination Day​

Parties may be hold off on finalising candidates in constituencies where they expect to go head-to-head, observers said.PHOTO: ST FILE
Ng Wei Kai and Goh Yan Han
Apr 19, 2025

SINGAPORE – Political parties have announced their slates across about two-thirds of Singapore’s 33 constituencies, with five days to go before Nomination Day on April 23.

The PAP began formally introducing its candidates on April 12, starting with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s team in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.

In all, the ruling party has announced its slate for 18 constituencies – mostly in western and central Singapore. It has also unveiled its line-ups to contest the Workers’ Party-held Aljunied and Sengkang GRCs and Hougang SMC.


In comparison, the WP has introduced only its Sengkang GRC slate, comprising incumbent MPs He Ting Ru, Jamus Lim and Louis Chua, and new face Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik.

The Progress Singapore Party has announced its candidates for Kebun Baru and Marymount SMCs, but not Chua Chu Kang and West Coast-Jurong West GRCs where it has said it will run.


Meanwhile, the Singapore Democratic Party has announced its candidates for Marsiling-Yew Tee and Sembawang GRCs, and Sembawang West and Bukit Panjang SMCs.


Other opposition parties such as Red Dot United, Singapore United Party (SUP) and the coalition People’s Alliance for Reform have put forth candidates in some constituencies, while others like the People’s Power Party (PPP) have staked their claims without confirming their full slates.


Institute of Policy Studies Social Lab research fellow Teo Kay Key noted that based on the current rate at which the PAP has been revealing its slates by constituencies, all line-ups could be out by Nomination Day.

“That said, we might still leave some room for redeployments up until the candidate lists are posted up on the board at the nomination centres,” she said.

While there is some clarity in constituencies in western and central Singapore, the PAP and WP may be holding off on finalising candidates in constituencies where they expect to go head-to-head – in the east and north-east, political observers said.

Both may be waiting on last-minute changes, including movements of political heavyweights on either side, before firming up plans.

Institute of Policy Studies senior research fellow Gillian Koh said: “At this point, the constituencies of interest include East Coast GRC where the PAP and WP will most certainly face off.

“Another one to watch at this point is Punggol GRC where it is not immediately clear who the PAP’s heavyweight anchor candidate will be.”

The incumbents there are Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary and Minister of State Sun Xueling – and first-term MP Yeo Wan Ling. PAP GRCs are traditionally anchored by a full minister, although this is not always the case.

Dr Koh also noted Tampines GRC as an anomaly, as the PAP has already introduced its candidates there despite the possibility of a WP contest.

The PAP may have decided to reveal its slate early, to assure the Malay/Muslim ground in the group representation constituency.

“It was important to state (Minister Masagos Zulkifli’s return) earlier than not as I would imagine the Malay/Muslim ground would be anxious to know if there could be a change in who the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs is,” Dr Koh said.

Also, Tampines may still have a multi-cornered fight, she noted.

“The WP is probably assessing the cost of playing for Tampines especially if other opposition parties continue to express interest in it,” said Dr Koh.

It is unlikely to squander precious resources taking on other opposition parties there, she said.

Both the PPP and National Solidarity Party (NSP) have expressed interest in contesting there, but have not confirmed their slates.

Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan said both the PAP and WP want to field a suitable set of candidates – which often means knowing who the other side is sending, especially their big names.

“For the PAP, it is their anchors, while for the WP, it is their anchors plus any ‘star’ new face,” Associate Professor Tan added.

In GE2020, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat made a surprise move on Nomination Day to East Coast GRC, despite public expectation that he would return to Tampines GRC.

This year, some potential surprise moves could involve DPM Heng remaining in East Coast amid speculation that he may retire, and the WP moving its star catch – senior counsel Harpreet Singh – from Marine Parade, where he has walked the ground, to East Coast, said Dr Koh.

She also suggested that it would not be “too outlandish” for the WP to move senior party leaders like chairwoman Sylvia Lim or Mr Gerald Giam over to helm the team in the new Punggol GRC.

“Overall, in the east and central areas, the WP is probably contemplating how best to optimise the use of Ms Lim, Mr Giam and Mr Harpreet Singh – which constituencies they should anchor,” she said.

“The PAP, with far more senior political leaders to go around, need not show its hand early.”

Prof Tan said the relative slowness in confirming the line-ups may affect how voters perceive the slates.

One point that the parties should consider is that the more time a voter has to know a party’s slate in his constituency, the better it is, he added.

Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, a senior international affairs analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore, agreed, pointing out that it is in the interest of both PAP and opposition candidates for voters to be familiar with them.

Dr Teo said the final line-up in a constituency may not matter as much to voters who look more at a political party’s brand or whether it can provide appealing policy proposals, compared with those who have some rapport with their current MP or focus more on the candidates they will vote for.

Meanwhile, in constituencies where the PAP will face the PSP, the ruling party appears to have taken a different strategy and introduced its candidates to the public.

In contrast, the PSP has not formally announced the candidates it will field to contest Chua Chu Kang and West Coast-Jurong West GRCs.

The PAP eked out its narrowest win in West Coast GRC at the 2020 General Election. The constituency has had its boundaries significantly redrawn since then into the new West Coast-Jurong West GRC.

National Development Minister Desmond Lee will lead the five-member team contesting the new GRC, the PAP announced on April 15.

This move could be a sign that the PAP is more confident in this area, and in other constituencies in which it has already shown its hand, said Dr Felix Tan, an independent political observer.

Outside of the parties with a parliamentary presence, it is “not only a crowded opposition scene, but more importantly, a fragmented one”, said SMU’s Prof Tan.

There are several three-cornered fights on the cards, including in Ang Mo Kio GRC where both the PPP and SUP have made clear their intent, as well as in Sembawang GRC where the SDP and NSP have failed in talks.

Prof Tan believes that most of the apparent three-cornered fights would dissolve, with some being left as late as Nomination Day itself.

“In the past, when the opposition scene was not fragmented, horse-trading was not too challenging. But we now have too many political parties and voters often can’t differentiate between the smaller ones,” he said.

“As such, in the quest for symbolic relevance and the concern with not losing their election deposits, the smaller opposition parties are now confined to constituencies where the WP and PSP are not contesting,” said Prof Tan.

In general, the PAP has also announced its new candidates without making clear which of its MPs will step away – aside from a few exceptions like Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, who said on April 18 that he will not stand for election this year.

This is even so where a new face has been confirmed to take over a sitting MP’s ward, as is the case for new face David Hoe in Dr Tan Wu Meng’s Clementi ward in Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.

Incumbent MPs such as Dr Tan and Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How have yet to confirm their next move, willing to say publicly only that they are stepping down from the constituency or that it is “up to the Prime Minister”.

Dr Felix Tan said this could be to give the PAP flexibility to put them into play in case of any last-minute changes.

Dr Teo suggested that not confirming retirements could be a move to keep the focus on the confirmed slates that have been announced.

 

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SPP launches manifesto, proposes distributing government surpluses as CDC vouchers​

Singapore People's Party launched its manifesto during a walkabout at the Toa Payoh Lorong 8 Market & Hawker Centre on April 19.ST PHOTO: HESTER TAN

Samuel Devaraj
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE – The Singapore People’s Party (SPP) has launched its manifesto ahead of the general election on May 3.

The 16-page manifesto titled It Is Time was launched on April 19, as the party gears up to field five candidates to contest Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Potong Pasir SMC.

The manifesto’s nine themes are wide-ranging and include proposals to promote economic stability and fairness, as well as plans for sustainable public transport.

To tackle inflation and the rising cost of living, the party proposes distributing government Budget surpluses annually as CDC vouchers, with more aid for lower-income Singaporeans.

It also proposes halting any goods and services tax (GST) increase until the cumulative Budget deficit exceeds 3 per cent of government revenue for three consecutive years.

At a media interview on its manifesto held next to the Toa Payoh Lorong 8 Market & Hawker Centre on April 19, SPP secretary-general Steve Chia, 54, said: “We don’t want to have a balance of Budget every year that goes into the reserves, and we don’t know how deep is this reserve.

“So, a balanced Budget. If there’s a shortfall and continuous deficit for a few years, then we talk about raising (GST). We don’t put the cart before the horse.”

SPP also suggests having progressive taxation – for income tax to be increased for the top 2 per cent of earners, and the reintroduction of estate duty for ultra-high-net-worth individuals.

To counter job insecurity and unemployment, SPP proposes a review of the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (Ceca), which it says will “address labour inflow concerns”.

Mr Chia said: “This Ceca policy allows foreign talent to come in, in huge quantities, to fight for jobs with our PMETs (professionals, managers, executives and technicians).”

He added that “a lot of people, a lot of residents” have raised concerns about this.

SPP is also advocating for the gradual reduction of Special and Employment Pass quotas and dependency ratios in “automatable sectors”.

Its public transport proposals include investing “heavily” in MRT maintenance to ensure reliability and no major disruptions.

Mr Chia referenced the party’s “competitor”, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat, who on April 18 was confirmed as the anchor minister for the PAP team in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC for the election following Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen’s retirement from politics.

Mr Chia said he was shocked when he read in the news recently that a platform screen door had collapsed at Braddell MRT station, adding that a thorough maintenance schedule should be implemented.

When asked how the party plans to fund its proposals, Mr Chia said: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way. If the issue is serious enough, money will be arranged and sought for. (When the economy grows), that is where the funding will come from.”

He noted that in 2004, while he was a Non-Constituency MP, he had highlighted that Singapore’s pioneer generation needs to be cared for. He suggested that PAP later launched the Pioneer Generation Package after losing a significant percentage of the vote in the 2011 General Election.

The Pioneer Generation Package was rolled out in 2014.

Mr Chia added that SPP’s proposals are not meant to be implemented today but to be taken to Parliament for discussion, and that the Budget allocation would take place amid economic growth.

In 2020, SPP released a 24-page manifesto and contested the same two constituencies.

That year, the SPP team, comprising Mr Chia, Mr Melvyn Chiu, Mr Williiamson Lee and Mr Osman Sulaiman, garnered 32.77 per cent of the vote in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

In Potong Pasir, then SPP chairman Jose Raymond won 39.33 per cent of the vote.

In the upcoming election, the party confirmed that Mr Chia, Mr Chiu, 46, who is the current chairman, and Mr Lee, 46, will once again be among its slate of potential candidates.

They are joined by operations executive Muhammad Norhakim, 31, and Mr Lim Rui Xian, 37, an operations manager who was previously a volunteer with the National Solidarity Party.

While Mr Chia confirmed he will be running in Bishan-Toa Payoh, he did not confirm where the rest of the candidates would stand.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Former S’pore Manufacturing Federation sec-gen among PSP’s Chua Chu Kang GRC slate​

PSP chairman Tan Cheng Bock (centre) introducing (from left) Mr S. Nallakaruppan, Ms Wendy Low, Mr Harish Pillay, Mr A'bas Kasmani and Mr Lawrence Pek.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Osmond Chia and Tay Hong Yi
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE – The opposition PSP on April 19 unveiled its line-up of candidates for Chua Chu Kang GRC, which includes the former secretary-general of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, Mr Lawrence Pek.

The four-member PSP team also includes three candidates with political experience.

Technology lawyer Wendy Low, 48, and PSP second vice-chairman and business consultant A’bas Kasmani, 71, contested Tanjong Pagar GRC in the 2020 General Election.

Investment specialist S. Nallakaruppan, 60, who was a PSP candidate in Nee Soon GRC in GE2020, rounds out the party’s slate for Chua Chu Kang GRC.

Mr Pek, 55, is a political new face who, as former leader of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, stands out among the PSP’s newcomers as having one of the most notable backgrounds. He was the secretary-general of the federation between 2020 and 2023. The federation champions the growth and global competitiveness of Singapore’s manufacturing sector.

The PSP also said it will be fielding its former central executive committee member Harish Pillay in Bukit Gombak SMC. Mr Pillay, 65, contested Tanjong Pagar GRC in GE2020. He is a tech veteran whose past roles include growing software company Red Hat in Singapore from a one-man set-up to having more than 450 staff over two decades.

Introducing the team during a walkabout at Teck Whye Square, party chairman Tan Cheng Bock, 84, said: “We are bringing in talent, and when they get into Parliament, their views will definitely resonate among many Singaporeans.”


He added that the candidates were chosen not just for their achievements but also for their ability to take the heat of political debate, as well as their sincerity in connecting with residents.

When Singapore goes to the polls on May 3, the PSP team will face off against the incumbent PAP MPs for Chua Chu Kang GRC.

The PAP had on April 14 unveiled its candidates for the constituency.

Led by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, the PAP team includes incumbent MP and lawyer Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, who represented the Keat Hong ward in the GRC, and two first-time candidates: veteran former civil servant Jeffrey Siow and neuroscientist Choo Pei Ling.

Under the changes to electoral boundaries announced on March 11, Chua Chu Kang GRC will take in the new Tengah estate, which had previously been part of Hong Kah North SMC.


The Bukit Gombak ward has also been carved out of the GRC, becoming a single-member constituency that incumbent PAP MP Low Yen Ling will contest.

This is the second time that PSP is contesting Chua Chu Kang GRC.

DPM Gan’s PAP team in 2020 won Chua Chu Kang GRC with a vote share of 58.64 per cent, roughly an 18 percentage point drop from the 2015 election.

In 2020, the PSP team comprised Mr Francis Yuen, Mr Choo Shaun Ming, Mr Abdul Rahman Mohamad and Mr Tan Meng Wah.

Chua Chu Kang GRC proved to be where the PSP had one of its best showings that year after West Coast GRC, where it obtained a vote share of 48.32 per cent, and Marymount SMC, with 44.96 per cent.

Asked why the line-up for the constituency had changed, Dr Tan said the expertise needed for campaigning is transferable and the PSP has been consistently on the ground in the area.

Ms Wendy Low added: “With the latest (changes in electoral boundaries), we also see that with population growth and with policy changes, there could be significant boundary shifts.

“And so it does make sense for us to strategically consolidate... by focusing on one core area and walking the ground thoroughly in those residential areas, it gives us a lot more options when we want to consider our next GE battle.”

Ms Low also said that if elected, the PSP plans to champion greater inter-generational bonding within the constituency. This is important given that Tengah estate, which has a larger proportion of young families, has now been folded into Chua Chu Kang GRC for the upcoming polls, she added.

Plans to enable such bonding could include building a community space where senior care centres are located alongside childcare centres, with amenities catering to people across a range of ages, like booths with cheap rents to spur entrepreneurship among seniors or students.

Another idea she mooted was to have roving Meet-the-People Sessions in which volunteers and MPs would meet residents who are less mobile, wherever they are.

Mr Pek said one key cause the PSP will champion is a “sustainable minimum wage” to help workers keep pace with the rising cost of living and support those at risk of being displaced by automation.

Mr Nallakaruppan and Mr A’bas spoke on the need to ensure that Singapore’s strong education system translates into good job outcomes for young Singaporeans. They also said Singaporeans should be considered first as long as they meet the skill requirements of jobs here.

Meanwhile, Mr Pillay, who now advises on generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI governance at an edutech company, said he was among those who called for the software that underpins the TraceTogether system used for contact tracing in the Covid-19 pandemic to be made open to scrutiny to improve trust, a suggestion the Government ultimately took up.

Mr Pillay also proposed an open software platform that town councils can use for estate management, regardless of party affiliation. This will help ensure that taxpayers’ money is not wasted during a transition following an election, if such services and tools are withdrawn.

“When I get into Parliament and when we get our town council going, one of the things I really want to achieve – and this is what we have been working on within PSP all this while – is to ensure that the town council’s administrative products and services are available from day one,” he said.

Long-time Teck Whye resident Wong Woo Hin, 74, was among at least 20 people who eagerly gathered around the media scrum to catch a glimpse of Dr Tan and the PSP candidates.

The retired chemical technician said he respected Dr Tan for his experience as a long-time MP and now party leader, as well as his skill as a judge of character. He also said candidates such as Mr Pek show that the PSP is able to attract a depth and diversity of talent, which makes it a credible opposition party.

“We need more diverse voices, intelligent people from a wider range of backgrounds to help make Parliament more upfront, transparent and fair,” he added.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Labour chief Ng Chee Meng to contest Jalan Kayu; PAP incumbents to defend Kebun Baru, Yio Chu Kang seats​

(From left) Mr Yip Hon Weng, Mr Henry Kwek and Mr Ng Chee Meng during the line-up announcement on April 19, 2025. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Gabrielle Chan and Sue-Ann Tan
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE – Labour chief Ng Chee Meng will contest the new Jalan Kayu single seat under the PAP banner when Singaporeans go to the polls on May 3.

Incumbent MP Henry Kwek will stay to contest the Kebun Baru single seat, as will Mr Yip Hon Weng in his Yio Chu Kang single seat.

The line-up was announced by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on April 19.

Speaking at the event, Mr Ng said his conversations with Jalan Kayu residents have given him a much better sense of what matters to the people in the constituency.

They are concerned about their children’s future and aged parents, among other things, and also hope for a better life, he said.

“Residents in Jalan Kayu want someone who listens to them, and is prepared to take real action to help them build a better home.”

Mr Ng added that in the course of his work with the National Trades Union Congress, he has helped workers in difficult times like during the Covid-19 pandemic. Other initiatives included helping delivery workers who are injured on the job and securing better pay for lower-wage workers.


“These efforts were not just about policy, but really about people, real lives, real challenges. Some have asked me, why return to politics after the last election? My answer is a simple one: because I never stopped caring.”

SM Lee said that after Mr Ng was voted out in the last election, he continued to have “grit and the sense of responsibility” to continue serving in NTUC as secretary-general, and continued to receive the support of the labour movement.

He added that Mr Ng also led the movement to play a key role during the pandemic.

SM Lee said: “NTUC and the labour movement worked closely with the Government to save jobs, to push for skills upgrading, to administer the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme, which helped many gig workers and self-employed people, and to set up company training committees to support businesses in transforming their businesses.

“And this made a big difference to our workers’ lives and helped us to bounce back stronger after Covid-19.”

He added that Mr Ng “has shown his mettle” and will serve Jalan Kayu residents with equal commitment and dedication.


Mr Ng was spotted at a Fernvale carnival in March, and has been going door to door to meet residents in the area.

He has also said he is familiar with the Seletar, Jalan Kayu and Fernvale areas, as he “grew up” there when he flew with the Singapore Youth Flying Club during junior college and later with the air force.

A former fighter pilot and chief of defence force, he was voted out after the ruling party lost the new Sengkang GRC to the WP in the 2020 General Election. But he retained his role as labour chief.

He was also previously minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. In 2016, he was appointed education minister for schools and second minister for transport, just a year after he joined politics and won as part of a five-member PAP team in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC in 2015.

Mr Ng said: “If I were to be elected, I want to be of use to the residents... I will do my best to improve the lives of residents, whether it is better facilities for children, better transport connectivity or more accessible sports facilities.”

Jalan Kayu SMC, which is newly carved out of Ang Mo Kio GRC, is poised for a multi-cornered fight. Opposition parties Red Dot United and People’s Power Party have expressed interest in contesting there. Recently, there were also reports about the WP being spotted in the area.

(From left) Mr Yip Hon Weng, Mr Henry Kwek, Mr Ng Chee Meng, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, newcomers Jasmin Lau and Victor Lye, Mr Darryl David and Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin on April 19.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
In Kebun Baru, Mr Kwek will be up against Mr Tony Tan, who was confirmed as the Progress Singapore Party’s candidate for the single seat on April 17. Mr Tan, who is the husband of the party’s first vice-chairperson Hazel Poa, is a former Singapore Armed Forces scholarship holder and has a background in engineering.

If elected, Mr Kwek said, the team wants to help people with managing the cost of living.

He cited initiatives such as supermarket vouchers for those who are more vulnerable and student bursaries.

“And we’ll work to keep our... hawker prices fair, and I’ll keep pushing for housing to be even more affordable and accessible for families, singles and seniors,” he said.

Mr Kwek made his political debut in 2015 as part of the PAP team contesting Nee Soon GRC, and in 2020, he was fielded as the PAP candidate for the newly carved out Kebun Baru single seat.

He won against PSP candidate Kumaran Pillai with 62.92 per cent of the vote.

Mr Yip will be contesting the Yio Chu Kang single seat for a second time. He was first fielded in 2020, after the area was carved out of Ang Mo Kio GRC that year.

He won against the PSP with 60.82 per cent of the vote.

He said on April 19 that he has filed more than 500 parliamentary questions on topics such as the cost of living and senior care.

“The question is not who makes promises, but who walks the journey with you, who builds trust, who stays the course... If I’m trusted with your mandate again, I will continue to serve with clarity, courage and compassion.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: SDP launches campaign slogan ‘Thrive, Not Just Survive’​

Singapore Democratic Party secretary-general Chee Soon Juan (centre) flanked by Sembawang GRC candidates Damanhuri Abas (left) and Alfred Tan at the SDP slogan launch on April 19.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Lee Li Ying
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE – The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has launched its campaign slogan – Thrive, Not Just Survive – ahead of the upcoming general election.

The slogan was announced by the party’s secretary-general Chee Soon Juan on April 19 at Block 257 Bangkit Road, part of Bukit Panjang SMC, which the opposition party is set to contest.

Among the proposals in its campaign message is a reduction of the goods and services tax (GST) to 5 per cent and scrapping it for everyday essentials.

The party also wants to introduce a minimum wage Act and provide support “to reduce mental health problems due to overpopulation and high cost of living”.

Dr Chee, who is set to contest the newly carved out Sembawang West SMC, was accompanied by party members Alfred Tan and Damanhuri Abas, who are among SDP’s candidates for Sembawang GRC.

The other three candidates are SDP’s deputy head of policy James Gomez, party vice-chairman Bryan Lim, and party treasurer Surayah Akbar.

Dr Chee said the party came up with the slogan after hearing feedback from Singaporeans that they are just surviving while trying to keep pace with the rising cost of living.

“But this is not what Singapore is supposed to be.

“After 60 years of one-party rule and nation building, we’ve come to a stage... where we are just treading water,” he said.

“After 60 years (of independence), Singaporeans are entitled to ask – have we arrived where we can begin to enjoy the fruits of our labour and quality of life?”

He added that the country should be able to slow down and show compassion to those who are struggling.

The party, which has called for GST reduction and minimum wage in previous elections, was asked in a media interview if it had refined its proposal this time.

In response, Dr Chee said it wants to emphasise to Singaporeans that there are “essential policies” that the PAP is “stubbornly refusing to do”.

He added that social media lets the party reach out to younger voters who may be more amenable to SDP’s ideas.

The party has so far confirmed that it will be fielding candidates in four constituencies.

Party chairman Paul Tambyah will run again in Bukit Panjang SMC, where he secured 46.27 per cent of the vote in the 2020 General Election.

The opposition party has also unveiled its four-member slate for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, comprising party stalwart Jufri Salim, alternative news site founder Ariffin Sha, theatre director Alec Tok and full-time caregiver Gigene Wong. The team will be up against a PAP slate led by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

The party is unlikely to field a team in the four-member Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, which it has contested in the past three elections, as it intends to consolidate its resources.


Dr Chee also took aim at the slate of new faces introduced by the ruling People’s Action Party, saying that the “majority of them come from the ranks of civil service and military service”.

“How does it bring value to what is needed in the next Parliament, where we can have people contributing innovative ideas on how we can take Singapore forward, rather than just the same groupthink?” he said.

When asked how SDP intends to inject fresh perspectives, given that many of its candidates are election veterans, Dr Chee said the party has had conversations with some of its younger members who may step forward in future elections.

Mr Ariffin Sha, the founder of alternative news site Wake Up Singapore, who at 27 is the party’s youngest candidate, will take the lead on youth issues such as mental health and job security in this election, Dr Chee added.

In 2020, the party’s slogan was Four Yes, One No – referring to its proposals such as the suspension of GST, retrenchment benefits, provision of income for retirees, putting people first, and pushback against what it said was the PAP’s plan to increase Singapore’s population to 10 million.

The PAP refuted claims that the Government had mooted having a population of 10 million in Singapore.

In 2015, the SDP campaign slogan was Your Voice In Parliament.

The party will release its manifesto on April 20.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Nee Soon GRC likely to see 4 new PAP faces including former NMP Syed Harun Alhabsyi​

Speaking on the sidelines of Nee Soon GRC residents’ visit to Rainforest Wild Asia on April 19, Mr K. Shanmugam said the four new faces from the PAP have been seen in the group representation constituency.ST PHOTO: DEEPANRAJ GANESAN

Deepanraj Ganesan
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE – Anchor minister for Nee Soon GRC K. Shanmugam said the constituency is likely to see four new faces in the general election, with the slate of candidates to be introduced at a press conference on April 21.

The four are former Nominated MP Syed Harun Alhabsyi, 40; Mr Jackson Lam, 40, head of a pest control and cleaning company; Ms Lee Hui Ying, 36, who works for Temasek Foundation; and Ms Goh Hanyan, 39, a former director at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Nee Soon GRC residents’ visit to Rainforest Wild Asia on April 19, Mr Shanmugam, who is Home Affairs and Law Minister, said the four new faces have been seen in the group representation constituency.

He said Dr Syed Harun, a psychiatrist, has been visiting mosques in the constituency.

“You also have Jackson, who was my former branch secretary, and then chair of the PAP branch, walking the ground.

“So, yes, a number of new faces. Whether they are candidates, and candidates in Nee Soon, they are likely to be,” said Mr Shanmugam, who was accompanied on the visit by the four, as well as by current MPs in the area Louis Ng, Carrie Tan and Derrick Goh.

Mr Ng, who in 2001 founded the animal welfare group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, or Acres, was elected to Parliament in 2015. He is known to be one of the most vocal MPs in Parliament.


Ms Tan, 38, the founder of charity Daughters Of Tomorrow, and Mr Goh, 57, who was promoted to the post of DBS Bank’s group chief operating officer in February, were newcomers in the 2020 General Election.

Asked if Mr Ng, Ms Tan and Mr Goh will be contesting the election, Mr Shanmugam said this will be announced in good time.

With the introduction of four new faces, Mr Shanmugam will be the only remaining member of the incumbent team in Nee Soon if Mr Ng, Ms Tan and Mr Goh step down.

Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim had announced on April 11 that he will leave Nee Soon GRC to join the PAP team in the newly renamed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC in the upcoming polls.

In the 2020 General Election, the PAP team that comprised Mr Shanmugam, Associate Professor Faishal, Mr Ng, Mr Goh and Ms Tan retained Nee Soon GRC with 61.9 per cent of the vote, against the PSP.

Opposition party Red Dot United has announced it will contest Nee Soon GRC in the general election.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Judge candidates not just as individuals but the party they stand for, says SM Lee​

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the PAP is putting forward a good team of people that, individually, are good men and women.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Sue-Ann Tan
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE - When Singaporeans go to the polls on May 3, they should judge candidates not just as individuals but also the party they stand for, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Speaking at a press briefing on April 19 to unveil the PAP slate for Ang Mo Kio GRC, as well as three nearby single seats, SM Lee also took questions on the Workers’ Party manifesto and his political future.

The opposition parties, he said, have also been introducing new candidates, and it is important for Singaporeans to assess them not just on their own merits, but also the party they represent.

He said: “Singaporeans will have to judge them and decide what they will be able to do for Singapore. And judge them, not just as individuals, but also as the party they stand for.

“And also consider carefully that when you vote for an MP, you are not just voting for the person. You are voting for the party which stands behind her or him, and what the party needs by way of support and mandate in order to be able to serve Singapore.”

The PAP, SM Lee said, is putting forward a good team of people that, individually, are good men and women.

“But at the same time, we’re putting forward a slate whose purpose is to form the government in order to provide the best possible leadership for Singapore, and I hope that will have Singaporeans’ support,” he added.

The PAP is expected to unveil 32 new candidates for the polls – the largest batch of fresh faces in decades.

SM Lee said, when asked to comment on Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s team so far: “I think these are good people, diverse, committed, passionate, bringing many different backgrounds and experiences, personal histories and passions, and I have no doubt that they will do a good job for Singapore.”

He added that PM Wong has brought in candidates who might have the potential to be “more than backbenchers”.

And with Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen’s retirement, a new person will have to be appointed to fill his role, he added.

SM Lee said: “Singaporeans have got used to ministers being of a certain level, carrying a certain weight when they speak, they make sense... And Singaporeans expect that quality of our ministers.

“But to get that quality of our ministers, you must have that quality of MPs and that strength of the team in order to have people from whom the PM can appoint suitable ministers.”

With the candidates who have been brought into the team, SM Lee added that the hope is that in the long term, it will ensure Singapore continues to have a high-quality government.

“That depends on them getting elected, and winning the trust of Singaporeans, and then showing what they are able to do. But that’s something which we have to work on,” he said.

He also spoke about the MPs who are stepping down, and said it is “always difficult”, especially for those who have not served quite so many terms.

He said: “Renewal is a necessary, absolutely essential process, and when you renew the team, you bring new people in. But, inevitably, and it has to be so, that as new people come in, some of the old people have to move on.

“And that’s the way it happens to all of us... One day, all of us will have to go”.

SM Lee also responded to questions about candidates who have lost previous elections and are being fielded elsewhere, such as Mr Victor Lye, who contested Aljunied GRC in the past.

When asked whether voters might see candidates who have lost being deployed to safer areas as a consolation prize, he said: “These are decisions which the party makes. We field them in one place, they gain experience. Sometimes, we put them there again.

“Sometimes we move them to another place. It depends on our overall political calculation. These are not consolation prizes.”

He added that when the party fields someone, it has to be convinced that the candidate will do his or her best and is right for that place.

And for those who might not get elected eventually, they can also be fielded elsewhere, if the party believes they can make a different contribution in the new place and bring something valuable.

SM Lee said: “I fully expect Mr Lye and Mr Ng Chee Meng to be full members of the team, and to bring to my team not only their experience working their ground, but also their experience having fought, not succeeded, and having the grit to come back and fight again.

“And I think that’s something valuable, which we treasure in our activists.”

SM Lee was also asked about the WP manifesto, and its assertion that many of the WP’s proposals were adopted by the Government, which ultimately benefited Singaporeans. He said: “Nobody has a monopoly on good ideas. The Government doesn’t have a monopoly on good ideas. Neither does the opposition.

“There are ideas which we all talk about. Some of them, the opposition doesn’t like, some of them, they do. Some of them, after we have done it, they claim credit for. And to be fair to them, along the way, they have pushed for it.”

He added that he is not surprised there are some ideas from the opposition that the Government has implemented.

SM Lee said: “I think it’s not possible for anybody to be wrong all the time. But I would say, taken as a whole, the PAP manifesto, programme and record is what Singaporeans can trust and go on...

“It makes promises that we will fulfil, and it will work for Singapore. I think that’s the most important thing.”

This is also SM Lee’s first election since he stepped down as prime minister in 2024. When asked about his role as senior minister, compared with being prime minister, he said: “My role in the general election is to help the PM to win the election well, however I can do that – from advice, from presence, from support, from winning votes on the ground – I will do that.

“It’s not as heavy a responsibility as being the PM by far. But whatever I can do to lighten the PM’s load, I will do.”

He also said he is happy PM Wong has settled in well.

SM Lee said: “He took over a year ago, he has settled in well, and he’s built his standing, and he’s consolidated his team, and Singaporeans have taken to him well.

“So, I go into this election with some sense of satisfaction. The journey is not quite complete for me, but a major milestone has successfully passed, and it’s a milestone, not just for me, but for Singapore.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: PAP, WP gear up in East Coast GRC ahead of Polling Day​

In the 2020 election, PAP won East Coast GRC by a narrow margin, with 53.39 per cent of the vote, while the WP garnered 46.61 per cent.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Goh Yan Han and Joyce Lim
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE - With just two weekends left before Polling Day on May 3, both the PAP and WP have been intensifying efforts to reach out to residents in hotly contested East Coast GRC.

Potential candidates from both parties were spotted introducing themselves to residents at different markets and coffee shops in Bedok on the morning of April 19. But the slates for both sides are still unclear, even though some hints have been dropped.

On the PAP front, the only confirmation so far is that Dr Maliki Osman’s spot on the slate – he looks after the Siglap ward – will be taken over by new face Hazlina Abdul Halim.

It also appears certain that Mr Edwin Tong, who is Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, will move from Marine Parade GRC to East Coast GRC. Questions remain on whether Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat will stay on or retire.

The WP’s line-up for the constituency is also unconfirmed. Although it has started officially introducing new faces, it has confirmed its full slate in only Sengkang GRC, where it is the incumbent.

On the morning of April 19, Mr Tong visited several coffee shops in the Lucky Valley area in Siglap with Dr Maliki, who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, and Madam Hazlina.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Maliki Osman (centre left) and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong (centre right) interacting with residents at a coffeeshop at Block 69 Bedok South Road on April 19.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
When speaking to residents, Dr Maliki introduced Mr Tong, whose Joo Chiat ward in Marine Parade GRC was absorbed into East Coast GRC, as leader of the constituency’s team. But he later clarified to reporters that “ministers are leaders of the GRC as a team”, and added that DPM Heng is also a minister.


“I think we should look at it from a larger perspective that all of us are here to serve. And (them) being new to the GRC and having been here for a long time, I want to introduce them to my residents as potentially coming to serve them in place of me,” he said.

Mr Tong said the team will wait until Prime Minister Lawrence Wong decides on the slate before it makes a formal announcement. “Then, we’ll present it as a cohesive whole,” he said.

“It’s a question of identifying the right candidates for the right demographic, the right needs of the local constituency, and we think that’s important,” he added. “Because it’s not a question of what is tactically the best choice, but what is demographically the right connection between a potential candidate and the ground and the community that they’re serving.”

He reiterated that he would like to continue representing the residents in his Joo Chiat ward.

“To be able to do that, I will have to stand in East Coast and not at Marine Parade,” Mr Tong said.

He was later joined by PAP new face and former brigadier-general Goh Pei Ming, who had earlier on April 19 been speaking to residents at another Bedok food centre, along with DPM Heng and backbencher Jessica Tan.

Mr Goh told the media that he is not a new face to East Coast, having grown up in the area and been involved in grassroots work in Kampong Chai Chee for 17 years.

He had first been spotted on the ground with Punggol GRC MPs a few weeks ago, after his resignation from the Singapore Armed Forces. Asked about his presence at the East Coast walkabout on April 19, Mr Goh said he is getting to better understand the considerations in East Coast, while still “keeping a good pulse on what is happening in Punggol”.

Long-time Siglap resident Zulkifli Yannie, 59, said it was his first time meeting Madam Hazlina and Mr Tong. He said Dr Maliki had made improvements to the neighbourhood, including sheltered walkways and an ongoing carpark upgrade.

“Whatever he can do, he tries to do. The rest of them, we wait and see,” he added.

On the WP front, Mr Kenneth Foo, 47, the Singapore Cancer Society deputy director who was part of WP’s team for East Coast in the 2020 General Election, was spotted with lawyer Ang Boon Yaw, 42.

They visited the food centre at Block 16 Bedok South and a nearby coffee shop, where they took their time speaking with residents and exchanging views.

WP potential candidate Kenneth Foo (centre) speaking to residents at Block 16 food centre in East Coast GRC.ST PHOTO: JOYCE LIM
It is not the first time the two potential candidates have been seen walking the ground in East Coast GRC. Their appearance together has fuelled speculation that they may be fielded there.

In the 2020 election, PAP won East Coast GRC by a narrow margin, with 53.39 per cent of the vote, while WP garnered 46.61 per cent.

Its five-member team then comprised Ms Nicole Seah, Mr Terence Tan, Mr Abdul Shariff Aboo Kassim, Mr Foo and Mr Dylan Tan. Ms Seah and Mr Terence Tan are no longer with the party.

On April 19, Mr Ang declined to comment when approached.

Some residents whom they spoke to told The Straits Times that they were told WP would be fielding candidates in East Coast GRC, and were encouraged to share their concerns via the party’s social media channels.

However, no names were mentioned, said a resident who declined to be named. She added: “It is good to see more parties contesting so voters have more choices.”


Also seen in East Coast on April 19 was Mr Chia Yun Kai, 32, another potential candidate.

The restaurant owner had posted online about a month earlier that he had formed his own party – Most Valuable Party – with intentions to contest East Coast.

He spoke to DPM Heng, Mr Tong and Dr Maliki at their respective walkabouts and took selfies with them.

Mr Chia, who was alone, later told reporters that he had told them of his intent to contest the constituency. He said he was in the process of finding two more candidates – including one minority candidate – to fill his five-member slate.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: SDP unlikely to contest Holland-Bukit Timah in bid to consolidate resources, says Chee Soon Juan​

SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan (centre) with Sembawang GRC candidates Alfred Tan (left) and Damanhuri Abas at the SDP slogan launch on April 19.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Andrew Wong
Apr 19, 2025

SINGAPORE - The opposition Singapore Democratic Party is unlikely to field a team in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, despite having contested there the past three elections.

SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan said: “We are still seeing what we can do, but it looks unlikely at this stage... because we want to be able to afford to consolidate our resources.”

He was speaking to the media at the launch of SDP’s campaign slogan, “Thrive, Not Just Survive”, on April 19.

SDP has so far confirmed that it will be fielding candidates in four constituencies – the five-member Sembawang GRC and the four-member Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, as well as the Bukit Panjang and Sembawang West single seats.

“There’s no point in us just trying to just put up one or two posters, and then they see us, but then they don’t see us,” said Dr Chee, who is set to contest the newly carved out Sembawang West SMC.

He added that SDP will instead focus on the quality of candidates, not quantity.


In Sembawang GRC, SDP will be fielding its deputy head of policy James Gomez, party vice-chairman Bryan Lim, party treasurer Surayah Akbar and party members Alfred Tan and Damanhuri Abas.

The opposition party has also unveiled its four-member slate for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, comprising party stalwart Jufri Salim, alternative news site founder Ariffin Sha, theatre director Alec Tok and full-time caregiver Gigene Wong.

SDP’s slogan launch was held at Block 257 Bangkit Road, which is part of Bukit Panjang SMC.

SDP party chairman Paul Tambyah is set to contest there again, facing off against Mr Liang Eng Hwa, the area’s incumbent PAP MP.

Both men were seen walking the ground in Bukit Panjang on the morning of April 19.

Prof Tambyah was distributing rations given to the party by volunteers to residents in the vicinity of Bangkit Road, while Mr Liang attended a family carnival in Fajar Hills.

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

“He (Prof Tambyah) wants us to think that he’s the underdog, but I don’t think that’s the case. He stands a good chance, like me, of winning the SMC. The outcome could go either way, and I’ll do my best,” Mr Liang was quoted as saying then.

Asked for his response on this, Prof Tambyah, a senior consultant in infectious diseases at the National University Hospital, noted that Mr Liang has a “tremendous” amount of resources from the PAP and the People’s Association (PA).

“We (SDP) did really well in 2020, and we are hoping we can do better. Like I said, it’s an uphill battle because we have got an even more formidable opponent there,” Prof Tambyah added.

The pair had squared off in 2020, a tight race that Mr Liang won with 53.74 per cent of the vote.

Prof Tambyah added that he will be sticking with a largely similar strategy for the upcoming polls, by providing voters with a choice to have an SDP MP in Parliament who will be able to speak up for them on matters in the areas of healthcare, housing and education.

Meanwhile, Mr Liang declined to speak on anything related to the general election, explaining that he was there to enjoy the Fajar Hills family carnival, which was partly organised by the PA.

Residents were treated to the usual carnival fanfare, including popcorn and drinks, and games such as inflatable bowling. The highlight of the carnival was horse rides that were provided by employees of the Bukit Timah Saddle Club.

 

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GE2025: WP unveils three new candidates, including Senior Counsel Harpreet Singh​

Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh and chairman Sylvia Lim (seated in centre) introducing new candidates (from left) Jasper Kuan, Sufyan Mikhail Putra Mohd Kamil and Harpreet Singh at the party's headquarters on April 19.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Nadine Chua, Aqil Hamzah and Ang Qing
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE - The WP introduced three more candidates it plans to field at the polls, including two lawyers and a digital strategist in the financial services and payment sector.

The press briefing, the third in as many days, was held on April 19 at the opposition party’s headquarters in Geylang, ahead of the election, which will take place on May 3.

The WP did not indicate which constituencies the candidates will be fielded in. They are:

• Mr Harpreet Singh Nehal, 59, managing partner at law firm Audent Chambers and senior counsel.
• Mr Sufyan Mikhail Putra Mohd Kamil, 33, former associate director at Abdul Rahman Law Corporation, who stepped down to contest the general election.
• Mr Jasper Kuan Hon Whye, 46, Asia-Pacific product lead for disputes solutions at Visa Worldwide.

The three candidates took questions from reporters in a panel that included WP secretary-general Pritam Singh and WP chairwoman Sylvia Lim.

Nomination Day is on April 23, and the WP is expected to introduce more candidates in the following days.

Over the last three days, the WP has introduced 11 candidates, bringing the tally of WP members taking part in the election to 19 so far, after including incumbent MPs from Aljunied GRC, Sengkang GRC and the Hougang single seat.


The Straits Times expects the WP to contest about 31 out of 97 parliamentary seats this election.

1. Harpreet Singh Nehal, 59​

Mr Harpreet Singh Nehal at the WP press conference on April 19, 2025.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
The senior counsel has had a storied legal career, and has been touted as one of the WP’s “star catches”.

His journey with the opposition party began some time in 2021, when he helped them with Meet-the-People Sessions, before he took on a more active role since August 2023.

Asked if there was any stigma linked to being fielded as an opposition candidate, Mr Harpreet Singh said it was a “badge of honour”.

Speaking about why he decided to enter politics, he said: “Our country is at a turning point, and we need every Singaporean to step forward and speak up about the issues that matter.

“The future doesn’t write itself. We shape it, you and I.”

Affordability, education and fairer politics are three policy areas he is keen to focus on, he said, which are also areas the WP has included in its manifesto.

Mr Harpreet Singh said that to ensure fairer politics, the arts community, civil society and critics need to be treated with respect, not suspicion.

He cited a string of incidents, such as the National Arts Council withdrawing funding for award-winning book The Art Of Charlie Chan Hock Chye because it “potentially undermined the authority or legitimacy” of the Government.

He said: “Let’s not leave our citizens with the distinct impression that some of our brightest minds in this country are denied tenure because they dared to speak truth to power.”

Describing the current system as “stagnation”, he said the WP is committed to keeping all the good parts about Singapore, while bringing about changes that will help the country better meet future challenges.

Asked how he hoped to engage residents, Mr Harpreet Singh, who has been walking the ground about three times a week, said he would give all of his time to residents because he had the privilege to do so, unlike other new candidates.

He said: “So, if you elect me and my team, wherever we go... you will have me practically in your face all the time. And the advantage is, you have the calibre of people in my team without having to pay us ministerial salaries.”

2. Sufyan Mikhail Putra Mohd Kamil, 33​

Mr Sufyan Mikhail Putra Mohd Kamil at the WP press conference on April 19.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
A former associate director at Abdul Rahman Law Corporation, which provides syariah-compliant legal services, Mr Sufyan left the firm due to its non-partisan policy so that he could contest the general election.

Ms Lim said he is applying to start his own law firm, with WP chief Pritam Singh making a veiled reference to Mr Sufyan’s circumstances when fielding questions from the media.

“If you ask me, does a person need to step down from a law firm? That’s a little problematic to me,” he said, adding that those running for the opposition camp should step down only if the job requirements are incredibly unique, or being affiliated with said firm would cause issues.

A volunteer with the party since 2024, Mr Sufyan has been helping out at incumbent Aljunied GRC MP Faisal Manap’s Meet-the-People Sessions as a case writer, and is part of the party’s policy team.

He said he joined the opposition party because he believes in its core mission to be a “credible and rational alternative for Singaporeans”.

He added: “I am stepping up in these elections because I believe that our collective endeavour to build a caring, just and more equitable society is truly greater than the sum of our parts.”

In the course of his work, he has had to deal with property disputes, and he has spoken to residents at Meet-the-People Sessions. He will draw on his experience, he said, and address issues like relieving cost pressures and housing policies.

He added that as a minority candidate, he would like to be a voice for those from minority communities.

3. Jasper Kuan Hon Whye, 46​

Mr Jasper Kuan at the Workers’ Party press conference on April 19, 2025.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
A former Catholic High School teacher, Mr Kuan is the Asia-Pacific product lead for disputes solutions at payments firm Visa Worldwide.

He has led many projects familiar to Singaporeans in the course of his career in finance, including multi-currency mobile wallet YouTrip’s tie-up with EZ-Link, and was part of the team working on the adoption of bank cards for public transport.

Mr Kuan, who has lived in Hougang for a decade, said he has always been exposed to the WP, and was inspired to join after reading sociologist Teo You Yenn’s book, This Is What Inequality Looks Like.

A section in the book titled “I want my children better than me” left an impression on him, he said.

Mr Kuan, who has three young children, said: “My family is my foundation, my inspiration and my motivation. While the idea of being better changes over time, Singaporean parents will always want the best for their children.”

He added that he will speak up on educational issues, which are close to his heart, both as a former teacher and a parent.

A key concern, for instance, is the over-reliance on tuition, he said. “I want to push for an education system that is more forward-looking, less stressful and more inclusive.”

Mr Kuan also spoke about the struggles of raising children in Singapore’s expensive environment, and pledged to champion the need for practical and fair policies that support families and protect breadwinners.

He said: “It is vital, hugely vital, that the Government continues to improve our lives and create opportunities for Singaporeans.”

 

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GE2025: WP expects more multi-cornered fights this election, says Pritam Singh​

WP chief Pritam Singh at the Workers’ Party press conference on April 19.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Ang Qing, Aqil Hamzah and Nadine Chua
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE - The Republic can expect more three-cornered fights in the coming election as the WP has no interest in making way for other parties, said WP chief Pritam Singh.

Asked about other opposition parties indicating interest in constituencies where the WP has been seen walking the ground, he said the WP does not attend talks organised to avoid multi-cornered battles. “It’s an open system, and you can certainly expect there to be more three-cornered fights from here on,” he said.

He was speaking at a press conference at the WP’s Geylang headquarters on April 19 to unveil the party’s third batch of new candidates for the upcoming election.

Apart from Sengkang GRC, Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC, the WP has yet to make known where else it intends to run, although potential candidates have been spotted around PAP-held constituencies such as Tampines and East Coast.

Asked how confident the WP was in retaining Sengkang, its newest constituency and only the second GRC secured by the opposition, Mr Singh highlighted the narrow margin of its 2020 victory over the PAP.

In a major upset then, the WP team secured 52.12 per cent of the vote there, besting a team led by former minister Ng Chee Meng, who on April 19 confirmed that he will contest in Jalan Kayu SMC this round.

“It will be a very difficult fight,” said Mr Singh.

“So my message to the residents in Sengkang: The more balanced political system that will be good for Singapore and Singaporeans starts with you and your vote.”

The rematch will pit the WP’s Sengkang team of Ms He Ting Ru, Mr Louis Chua, Associate Professor Jamus Lim and new face Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik against the PAP’s refreshed line-up, led by Dr Lam Pin Min, the only candidate retained from the ruling party’s previous slate.

Like Mr Muhaimin, the bulk of the WP’s 11 candidates introduced over the past three days are in their 30s.

Mr Singh, 48, said the youth of these candidates reflects not just a generational shift, but also the party’s growth and desire to stay in touch with Singaporeans.

Bringing up a chat with former party chief Low Thia Khiang, Mr Singh recalled that the former Aljunied GRC MP said his decision to step down was because he did not have the pulse of the younger generation.

Said Mr Singh: “It is important for us to always look to bring in people who can carry the dreams, aspirations, and hopes and fears of their generation, and to present these in Parliament, because it’s the highest law-making body in our land.”

It has become more common to have people asked to stand as candidates for opposition parties, said party chairwoman Sylvia Lim, adding that she was the first lecturer in Temasek Polytechnic to contest under the WP banner when she stepped into politics during the 2006 General Election.

The 60-year-old said: “We of course look forward to the day when employers will have no issues at all.

“Some are very supportive, others perhaps not too sure about what the implications are, but I think the landscape is evolving and we should continue in that way.”

Asked about the decision to comment on foreign policy by proposing the formal recognition of the state of Palestine in its latest manifesto, Mr Singh said this move does not mark a departure from the norm, citing the party’s comment on the South China Sea in its previous manifesto.

Mr Singh noted that the Government has said in principle that it is prepared to accept the establishment of the state of Palestine, so it is not unusual for the WP to share its own view.

“It doesn’t change the fact that we take a very circumspect view on getting involved in foreign policy, but that doesn’t mean we can’t speak about it,” he said.

After the WP’s manifesto was launched on April 17, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in response to media queries: “Singapore has consistently supported the right of the Palestinian people to a homeland based on a negotiated two-state solution.

“As Minister for Foreign Affairs told Parliament in July 2024, we will recognise the Palestinian state at an appropriate time.

“This position is also in line with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, which seek to enable Palestinians and Israelis to live side by side in peace and security.”

Mr Singh also said that for the time being, the WP is focusing its efforts on its traditional stomping grounds in the north-east and east of Singapore.

“Right now, a lot of our advocacy and our political work still extends around the north-east and places we have contested before in the prior elections,” he said.

“So if you’re assuming there will be a journey to the west at some point, at the moment our focus is still very much on the areas where we have walked for many, many years.”

 

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GE2025: PSP’s Lawrence Pek to tap corporate experience to speak up for Chua Chu Kang residents​

Mr Lawrence Pek is a political newcomer who was introduced as part of the PSP’s line-up for Chua Chu Kang GRC on April 19. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Tay Hong Yi and Osmond Chia
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE – Having spent almost three years advocating for manufacturing enterprises of all sizes in Singapore, PSP new face Lawrence Pek now wants to apply his skills to engaging with the Government to draw attention to what Chua Chu Kang GRC residents need.

This includes being their voice for municipal issues – such as pushing for more transport links to Tengah, one of the constituency’s newest estates – and national concerns about the cost of living and jobs.

Mr Pek, 55, is a political newcomer who was introduced by party chairman Tan Cheng Bock as part of the PSP’s line-up for Chua Chu Kang GRC on April 19.

Stockbroker S. Nallakaruppan, 60, tech lawyer Wendy Low, 48, and training consultant A’bas Kasmani, 71, make up the rest of the four-member slate for the group representation constituency.

The three of them have contested general elections in the past.

Mr Pek is the only first-time candidate to be announced by the PSP in this election thus far.

He was secretary-general of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) from 2020 to 2023, and has more than two decades of work experience in the technology sector in Dubai, China and India.


Speaking to The Straits Times after the PSP’s Chua Chu Kang GRC slate was revealed on April 19, Mr Pek said his previous role in the federation was mainly to represent members, understand the issues they face, and then communicate them to the Government.

“I bring that skill set, that knowledge, I understand what it takes to be able to do that,” he said. “You have to be patient in listening, and also very patient in describing the situation back to the Government. And you would always try to do your best for those you represent, and try to give them the outcome, if possible, that they want.”


He also believes his past work experience has shaped his views on Singapore’s policies, and how they can be improved.

In 2008, Mr Pek set up a manufacturing facility in Shenzhen, China, where he learnt about the minimum wage law for all staff members, regardless of their roles and performance.

“So it was explained to me... It protects the local workforce against very difficult and demanding, and sometimes unscrupulous, employers,” he said.

“It (also) protects its local workforce against a very high rate of inflation,” he said of the measures that the Chinese authorities use to protect the workforce in that country.

He said his experience in China shaped his views on policies, and was one reason why he felt personally connected to the PSP’s push for a minimum wage law to protect local employees.

Mr Pek said that as leader of the SMF, he rubbed shoulders with civil servants, directors and key executives from various organisations in Singapore. The manufacturing industry contributes some 20 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product.

During his time at the federation, he said, he worked with Mr Jeffrey Siow, who was then managing director of Enterprise Singapore.

Mr Siow left the public service on April 2 to join politics. He has since been introduced as a candidate in the PAP’s Chua Chu Kang GRC team, whom the PSP slate will be up against in the hustings.

The rest of the PAP team for Chua Chu Kang is made up of Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, backbencher Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, and another new face in neuroscientist Choo Pei Ling.

Asked about his views on the competition, Mr Pek said he found Mr Siow talented and likeable from their past dealings, and noted his quick rise through the ranks in the civil service.

PSP new face Lawrence Pek, who is in the line-up for Chua Chu Kang GRC, in Teck Whye on April 19.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
He added that residents have told him that senior civil servants who enter politics seem like they are cut from the same cloth in how they think.

Mr Pek said the civil service is structured, efficient and effective. Still, he added: “If I were to bring up one key area, which I think that they know themselves as well, is that sometimes it can become an extremely large echo chamber.”

He said he has witnessed this over the course of his work with the SMF, but declined to cite specific instances over confidentiality concerns.

Mr Pek said that in his view, the PSP, being a smaller party, has an edge over the PAP in that it can be nimble and adapt quickly.

It is impossible to ask a large organisation like the PAP to adapt to rapid geopolitical, economic and social changes, he said. “They always say that they will have the processes, the structure, and talents will always want to join them as such.

“However, I think that, especially over the last two terms, it is very clear that the momentum is shifting among the voters of Singapore... (such) that the voters are now starting to vote for alternative voices.”

This, Mr Pek said, reflects a more mature electorate that seeks more transparency and accountability, citing as an example the role played by opposition parties in seeking answers to the scuppered acquisition of Income Insurance by German firm Allianz.

For instance, before the deal was called off, PSP had raised questions on the acquisition and its impact on insurance policyholders.


Mr Pek, who is married with a daughter, 23, and a son, 26, said his political ambitions grew after an August 2023 meeting with PSP chairman Tan Cheng Bock and secretary-general Leong Mun Wai, when he felt a “sense of common purpose” after listening to the party’s plans.

He added that he brought his daughter with him to meet Dr Tan, who played the ukulele for her during their meeting in Dr Tan’s home.

“After which, I had a long, difficult and intimate discussion with her. She said that she’d be proud if I do this,” said Mr Pek, referring to his going into politics.

He has been seen volunteering with the PSP team in the Hong Kah area, including Tengah estate, for over a year.

This estate, comprising many new Build-To-Order flats, had initially been part of Hong Kah North SMC until changes to electoral boundaries were announced on March 11. Tengah is now part of Chua Chu Kang GRC.

Mr Pek said the PSP team has adapted its outreach strategy for the area. This includes ramping up its presence in common areas, such as at Plantation Plaza mall, and combing blocks where more people have already moved in.

He added that he would also push for more transport links, saying that Tengah residents have expressed their frustration over waiting for buses that end up being too packed to board.

He also expressed gratitude towards residents there who have welcomed him to join community chat and interest groups, such as those for pet lovers.

Noting that many of Tengah’s residents are young parents, he said: “The first-time voters in this general election may end up defining the election.”

 

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Beatboxing, calligraphy and biking: What do GE2025 potential candidates do in their free time?​

(From left) WP new face Harpreet Singh Nehal, PAP new faces Jasmin Lau and Elmie Nekmat.PHOTOS: ST FILE, LAWRENCE WONG/ FACEBOOK, SNAP_MTB/ INSTAGRAM

Sherlyn Sim
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE – From beatboxing to playing the saxophone and reviewing food, potential candidates in the upcoming election have been sharing about their wide range of talents and hobbies.

Here are some interesting pastimes of some political newbies:

1. Beatboxing​

WP new face Andre Low can drop a beat or two.

The 33-year-old staff product manager at a global fintech company picked up beatboxing when he was in an a cappella group in junior college.

The group already had a tenor, bass, soprano and alto, so he had to learn how to beatbox.

Mr Low said: “It’s a little party trick I like to pull out once in a while because I don’t look like someone who might do that.”

2. Mountain biking​

Associate Professor Elmie Nekmat enjoys mountain biking.PHOTO: SNAP_MTB/ INSTAGRAM
Associate Professor Elmie Nekmat, who will contest as part of the PAP’s slate for the four-member Sengkang GRC in the upcoming general election, is an avid cyclist.


Prof Elmie, 43, who teaches communications and new media at the National University of Singapore, participated in mountain bike community event Singapore Open Enduro Race in January.

The race featured five stages, with trails across Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Chestnut Nature Park.

Prof Elmie often shares his cycling routes on Instagram, including rides through Mandai, Palawan Beach and Dairy Farm Nature Park.

3. Singing​

WP new face Jimmy Tan is no stranger to the stage.

The 53-year-old co-founder of an industrial equipment supplying firm won the first season of Golden Age Talentime on Mediacorp’s Channel 8 in 2023. He emerged victorious with his rendition of Chinese oldie The Past Can Only Be Remembered.

When asked by the media, Mr Tan also said he has been asked to perform at WP celebration events – and will sing with residents if elected.

4. Cooking​

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim shared her Lontong Goreng recipe on Instagram.PHOTO: MILAHANILZAH/ INSTAGRAM, LIM YAOHUI
PAP new face Hazlina Abdul Halim, who will contest East Coast GRC, often showcases her culinary skills on social media.

The former chief executive of Make-A-Wish Singapore was named by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Maliki Osman as his successor in the GRC.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the 40-year-old shared her photos and recipes of her home-made dishes, including lontong goreng, kacang pool, kuih keria and shaksuka, on Instagram.

5. Playing the saxophone​

WP new face Harpreet Singh Nehal, 59, who has been most visible in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, is an avid saxophonist.

“I think it’d be a wonderful day if members of the PAP and my colleagues and I can just jam and sing together,” said the senior counsel.

“They bring the guitar, I’ll bring the saxophone. And maybe it’ll be the start of a new chapter in our politics where we can chill and hang out and move this country forward without letting our politics divide us.”

6. Calligraphy​

Orthopaedic surgeon Hamid Razak, part of PAP’s slate for West Coast-Jurong West GRC, finds calm and focus in calligraphy.

During Chinese New Year in 2025, the 39-year-old shared a piece featuring the Chinese character for “spring” on Instagram.

“Every stroke requires patience and focus. These qualities that shape not just good art, but good character too,” he wrote on the social media platform.

In 2024, he attended the National Youth Calligraphy Exhibition held at the Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore’s premises in Waterloo Street, where he watched live demonstrations by students.

7. Book club​

Progress Singapore Party (PSP) new face Stella Stan Lee runs a book club which meets monthly.

According to her website, the group explores a broad range of literature and engages in discussions on ideas that are relevant to society.

Ms Lee also shared on her LinkedIn page that she writes her own stories and develops concepts for television shows.

8. K-drama​

Former SAF chief of staff – joint staff Goh Pei Ming’s passion for the army extends to his television picks, with one of his favourite series being South Korean military romance drama Descendants Of The Sun.

The PAP new face told ST that he also enjoys rom-coms, such as King The Land (2024) and Crash Landing On You (2019).

“I enjoy romance genres as it allows me to keep up with the latest conversation topics and bring a little bit more vibrancy and interest to the dinner, especially with my wife,” he said.

It is not yet clear whether Mr Goh, 43, will be fielded in East Coast GRC, where he has been spotted with MPs in recent weeks. He was earlier also spotted in Punggol GRC.

9. Netball​

Ms Jasmin Lau has even represented Singapore as part of the national netball team.PHOTO: LAWRENCE WONG/ FACEBOOK
Former senior civil servant Jasmin Lau, who will join PAP’s Ang Mo Kio GRC team helmed by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has spoken about her love for netball.

The 42-year-old has even represented Singapore as part of the national netball team.

Drawing from her experiences in the sporting arena, Ms Lau said she had to learn new skills from playing netball in primary school to basketball in her 30s. But she could build on the strong foundations she had from netball, like how to play as a team, which helped her to pick up the new sport.

She said: “So moving from public service into politics feels a little bit like my transition from netball into basketball. For 19 years or so, I worked on healthcare, manpower and finance policies.

“These experiences are now the strong foundations that I bring into the new court of politics, and I believe that as I hone my skills, I will be able to serve Singaporeans effectively. Yes, there are new skills to pick up, new rules of the sport to learn, but I believe that I can learn them well.”

10. Food blog​

Mr Kenneth Tiong used to run a food blog to keep track of culinary delights around the world.PHOTO: KENNETH TIONG EATS/ FACEBOOK
WP’s Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat, who will be contesting Aljunied GRC, describes himself as a big foodie.

The 36-year-old director of tech start-up Sensemake.ai used to run a food blog to keep track of culinary delights around the world.

Among his favourite dishes is wonton noodles – he recommends Ah Wing’s Wanton Mee at Empress Road Market and Food Centre as a must-try.

11. Running​

PAP new face and new dad David Hoe, who will contest the Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC in the upcoming general election, stays active by going for regular runs.

Mr Hoe, 37, who serves as the director of philanthropy at The Majurity Trust, has shared snippets of his runs on Instagram.

In a video posted on April 19, he filmed himself jogging to Serangoon Gardens market to buy breakfast for his family.

12. Cycling​

When Dr Faisal Abdul Aziz is not working as a dentist, he is busy cycling.PHOTO: DRFAISAL_ABDUL_AZIZ/ INSTAGRAM
When Dr Faisal Abdul Aziz is not working as a dentist, he is busy cycling.

The PAP new face, who will contest opposition-held Aljunied GRC, signed up for a night cycling tour around Bangkok during a trip to Thailand in March.

Appointed as one of PAP’s two new branch chairpersons in February, the 37-year-old shared on Instagram that he hopes to spend his downtime cycling in beautiful places.

13. Collecting porcelain dolls​

Ms Surayah Akbar bought her first doll at retail store Cash Converters with her mother.PHOTO: SURAYAH AKBAR/ FACEBOOK
Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) treasurer Surayah Akbar has been collecting porcelain dolls since she was in her 20s.

The 42-year-old is part of SDP’s five-member slate for Sembawang GRC.

In a 2016 interview with Yahoo News, the music publisher shared her fascination with the meticulous craftsmanship of porcelain dolls – particularly the detailed painting of their eyelashes and lips.

She recalled buying her first doll at retail store Cash Converters with her mother. By 2016, she had spent almost $3,000 on her 30 dolls.

 

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GE2025: Red Dot United proposes cash transfer to all Singaporeans in election manifesto​

RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon at a press conference during the launch of their manifesto on April 19.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI

Lim Min Zhang
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE - The opposition Red Dot United (RDU) has proposed that an unconditional cash transfer be given to all Singaporeans to increase their financial security, amid rising costs and economic uncertainty.

All Housing Board flats should also be eligible for redevelopment so that older ones can retain their value, instead of experiencing lease decay.

These are key proposals from RDU’s 24-page manifesto unveiled on April 19, along with greater support for small local businesses.

In a statement, RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon said: “We are facing a global trade crisis, and Singapore cannot escape getting trampled on when the giants fight.”

He added: “A clear plan of action is exactly what citizens need right now as we face even greater uncertainty, both locally and globally.”

RDU is the latest party to release its election manifesto ahead of the May 3 polls, after the PAP, WP, PSP, People’s Power Party and Singapore People’s Party.

RDU is expected to contest Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Nee Soon GRC, Jurong Central SMC and Jalan Kayu SMC, as stated in its manifesto.

Asked if he can confirm that these will be the five constituencies that RDU will contest, Mr Philemon said that was the plan, “up till now, until this moment”.

The manifesto said the 5Cs of the past – cash, car, credit card, condominium and country club memberships – symbolised success and upward mobility, but have become unattainable for many.

“In their place, a new set of 5Cs seems to have emerged: cash handouts, CDC vouchers, CPF top-ups, conservancy rebates and Chas card rebates.”

“Singaporeans cannot dream or build a future on handouts,” read the manifesto, adding that many citizens struggle with rising costs, stagnant wages and an ever-growing class divide.

RDU’s 24-page manifesto during its launch on April 19.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
RDU said it would champion a “Citizens Dividend”, an unconditional cash transfer that serves as a financial safety net for all Singaporeans, given to the most vulnerable first. It is meant to address how economic uncertainty, rising costs and increasing job competition from abroad are threatening financial security.

Asked for details about the Citizens Dividend, Mr Philemon – who helmed the press conference at his party’s headquarters in Ubi along with central executive council member Pang Heng Chuan – referred to a shadow Budget that RDU released in February.

That document said the universal cash transfer programme will begin with a pilot, targeting the bottom 20 per cent of adult Singaporeans with a $200 monthly payout. This will cost $1.44 billion annually. When fully implemented, it will provide $200 per month to some 2.66 million adult Singaporeans, with an estimated annual budget of $6.38 billion.

As for how the initiative will be funded, Mr Philemon said: “As a credible and responsible opposition party, we’re not asking for the reserves to be touched.”

He suggested that the annual Budget surplus would be sufficient. Singapore recorded a higher-than-expected surplus of $6.4 billion in the 2024 fiscal year.

On public housing, RDU said Singaporeans are paying “top dollar” for flats that will eventually depreciate to zero value, and proposed that every housing estate should be eligible for the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme.

“The lack of long-term security, coupled with rising prices, has made home ownership a growing financial burden rather than a source of stability.”

It also said that small enterprises should be helped by moderating rents and making grants more accessible, “so that local entrepreneurs can thrive in an economy that has increasingly prioritised large corporations and foreign investments”.

As small enterprises are one of the largest employers in Singapore, RDU said its plans to support them will, in turn, provide a stable and sustainable environment for their employees.

Other plans detailed in the manifesto included ensuring MediFund serves as a primary safety net for all Singaporeans, revising laws such as the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act to “serve public interest rather than political control”, and passing a Freedom of Information Act to allow citizens to ask for information from the Government.

Mr Philemon said the manifesto was ultimately not about policy, but about rethinking the kind of society that Singaporeans want: “A new social contract that ensures that opportunity is not a privilege for a select few, but a promise to all.”

RDU has introduced potential candidates for Nee Soon GRC, the newly formed Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, and Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: WP candidate Andre Low plans to take ‘hands-on’ approach to Parliament if elected​

Mr Andre Low is part of WP’s media team and has been walking the ground in Tampines.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Aqil Hamzah and Wong Pei Ting
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE - Growing up around his father, who was a design and technology teacher, meant that Mr Andre Low was taught to be “hands-on” from a young age.

The pair bonded through doing things such as fixing light bulbs and splicing wires to extend power cords.

When the 33-year-old and his wife moved into their resale flat in Punggol three years ago, Mr Low did most of the home renovations himself, including the installation of ceiling fans and some of the plumbing.

That mentality has carried over to Mr Low’s activities in the opposition WP, too, with the self-taught coder being responsible for refreshing the party’s website into its present form.

The party unveiled Mr Low on April 18 as a candidate, although it did not disclose where he will contest.

Mr Low hopes to take this same hands-on approach into Parliament if he is elected, he told The Straits Times on April 18 at the void deck of a Housing Board block in Rivervale, where he once served as an aide to incumbent Sengkang MP Louis Chua.

It is Mr Low’s hope that Singapore would become a more open society.

“Ironically, back in the 90s and 80s, which we think about as a time when debate was much more circumscribed, it felt like there was more room to talk about issues. Singapore society has really been curtailed, and chopped off at the edges,” said the disputes lawyer turned staff product manager at a global financial technology firm.

Mr Low’s journey into politics was accidental.


His parents are opposition supporters, and his political leanings are aligned with theirs.

Yet his intention when he started volunteering with WP in 2020, before the general election that year, was just “to be an additional pair of hands” and help in whatever way he could.

Initially, he distributed fliers to the public and knocked on doors during walkabouts, until he mentioned his legal background to two party members and became Mr Chua’s secretarial assistant.

Mr Low, who is married with a baby on the way, not only helped out at Mr Chua’s Meet-the-People Sessions as a case writer, but found himself assigned another role – to oversee operations and logistics in Mr Chua’s Rivervale division.

Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, he had to work out a digital system so that remote Meet-the-People Sessions could be held.

“It really was not what I signed up for, in a way, but (it was) a pleasant surprise,” he said.

Mr Low, who is part of WP’s media team and has been walking the ground in Tampines, said party leaders approached him roughly two years ago about potentially being fielded as a candidate in the upcoming election, which he took time to ponder.

With his first child due in August, he said it was a choice he still grappled with as recently as two months ago.

“There’s still that nagging doubt at the back of your head, like, did we make the right decision?” he said.

He added that he agreed to be a candidate because of the work that previous generations of WP members had done.

Mr Low said past opposition figures such as Mr Low Thia Khiang, Mr Chiam See Tong and the late J.B. Jeyaretnam stepped forward when it was unthinkable to do so.

“Nowadays, it really is much easier to make that decision.”

As a millennial, Mr Low said he sees himself advocating policies that matter to younger Singaporeans, such as housing.

“We have some politicians who are in their late 30s, but people around my age, or who have recently gone through that (buying their first home), are a relatively rare breed. I can bring that perspective to Parliament, speaking for young millennials and some of the older Gen Zs.”

As many young Singaporeans are heading to the polls on May 3 for the first time, Mr Low said he hopes to bridge the gap between the two generational groups and understand the issues that resonate with them.

Describing Gen Zs as being passionate about issues close to their heart, he brought up how the young climate activists he knows have an existential perspective on climate change.

He said it is easy to dismiss the younger generation as overthinking or overblowing matters that they care about.

“But behind their youthful fervour, there is a real issue that they are championing, and it would be remiss of us not to give them that time of day,” Mr Low added.

Another cause that he would like to champion is more open-ended education in Singapore’s schools.

With this, he believes young people will develop a mindset of exploration.

Mr Low said young people should be encouraged to take chances while still in school, citing how his circumstances allowed him to take risks with his career instead of being defined by his course of study.


He went from law to technology, then to consulting and back to tech.

Even though Mr Low has been going around Tampines with the WP team, the party has been coy about where its candidates will be fielded.

That said, Mr Low has been spotted in Tampines on several WP social media posts. The party has been engaging residents there in earnest since the start of 2024, he said.

On WP’s presence in Tampines, Mr Low said it felt as if Tampines residents want the opposition party to be there.

Knocking on people’s doors, he added, has inevitably led to questions about whether WP would run in the constituency. Some residents have even said “you must come” and “don’t disappoint us this time”, he said.

WP has been walking the ground there since at least 2016, sparking speculation that it could contest Tampines GRC in the 2020 election.

Eventually, the party fielded its candidates elsewhere, with the National Solidarity Party facing off against the ruling PAP, which prevailed with 66.41 per cent of the vote.

Assuming WP decides to contest there, Mr Low thinks it will make a “very interesting fight”.

“It is no secret we have been walking the ground, and the ground is quite sweet. So I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

News analysis​

Road to GE: Renewal top of mind as parties head into Singapore election​

Linette Lai

For the PAP and WP, the general election will not just be about seats won in the here and now, but also the foundations on which its next chapter of growth will be built.ST PHOTOS: ARIFFIN JAMAR, NG SOR LUAN
Apr 20, 2025

SINGAPORE - In Chinese tradition, the end of 60 years marks the completion of a full life cycle and symbolises the dawn of a new beginning.

Rather fitting, then, that as Singapore celebrates its 60th year of independence in 2025, the leaders of its two largest political parties have renewal on their minds.

For the PAP and Workers’ Party – the only two parties to have had elected MPs in Parliament for more than a decade now – the May 3 general election will not just be about seats won in the here and now.

Each party’s performance at the ballot box will shape the foundations on which its next chapter of growth will be built.

One such pivotal year for the PAP was 2011. Mr Lee Hsien Loong, then aged 59, was prime minister. He brought many of the PAP’s key fourth-generation leaders – including Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat – into politics that year.

The only exception was Health Minister Ong Ye Kung. Mr Ong also contested the 2011 General Election, but as part of the PAP team that lost Aljunied GRC to the WP. Four years later, he was fielded in Sembawang GRC, where he won and is the anchor minister today.

Fast-forward 14 years from that watershed 2011 election: Mr Wong, 52, is prime minister and secretary-general of the PAP.

Like his predecessor, renewal is on his mind too. In 2025’s election, his party will field 32 new faces, including several high-flying civil servants who quit their jobs to join politics. It is the PAP’s biggest refresh in recent years.

Some of these fresh faces will likely form the backbone of the party’s fifth-generation leadership. All are expected to bring something different to the table.

“When the new candidates come in, they will inject fresh energy, new ideas and diverse perspectives to strengthen our team,” PM Wong said at the launch of the party manifesto on April 17.

He added that the PAP has renewed its team to be prepared for the future, so it can offer Singaporeans “a capable and strong team at the helm, not just for the next five years, but also for the next 10 to 20 years”.

But that strong team must first earn their seats. And as Mr Ong and former Cabinet minister Ng Chee Meng – who anchored the team that lost Sengkang GRC to the WP in 2020 – can testify, there are no guarantees.

Each such loss weakens the PAP’s leadership slate. Losing candidates – even if they win a seat in the following election in a “safer” constituency – miss out on years of political experience. And as electoral contests become sharper, no constituency can be said to be truly safe.

The WP’s next-generation leaders will have their mettle similarly tested in the hustings. Its leader, Mr Pritam Singh, has had an eye on its future since he took over in 2018.

“You want to bring in people, and not just bring in people... bring in people who are better than me,” the Leader of the Opposition told reporters on April 18, during a press conference to announce four of the party’s new faces.

At the WP’s annual members’ forum in January 2025, he also set out the consequences of failure. “If we are not successful in bringing in new people, the Workers’ Party will have a big problem in the years to come. It will run a real risk of becoming irrelevant to Singaporeans,” he said.

His predecessor, Mr Low Thia Khiang, put it more bluntly in 2018, when he handed over the reins to Mr Singh: “Without new blood, the party will die a natural death.”

Parts of the WP’s next-generation leadership team are already in place. Fronting the launch of its manifesto on April 17 were three newer MPs – Mr Gerald Giam, Ms He Ting Ru and Associate Professor Jamus Lim. Party chairwoman Sylvia Lim said they have learnt from their parliamentary experience, and are now able to helm such major projects.

But its medium-term goal is for opposition MPs to occupy one-third of the seats in Parliament.

In 2020, it won nine seats in two group representation constituencies – Aljunied and Sengkang – and the single seat of Hougang. The winning of a second GRC, in particular, was regarded by WP members as a triumph that must make its fears of an opposition wipeout less likely. Yet, all things considered, the numbers show it still has some way to go.

The WP has said it will not field enough candidates in 2025 to carry out its medium-term plans. How quickly it can achieve its political goals will be dictated by its performance at the polls, and whether or not its key candidates do well.

Where does that leave the other opposition parties?

Many are still jostling for a seat at the table. Injecting new blood may not be a priority at this point, when parties are striving for an electoral breakthrough. Even so, they need to keep the long game in mind.

The Progress Singapore Party has made its presence felt on the political scene ever since its first electoral outing in 2020. But half of its recently elected central executive committee members are aged 60 and over. Only three of the 12 are under 50.

In the same vein, the Singapore Democratic Party has been led by the same man – Dr Chee Soon Juan – for some 30 years.

Age brings experience, and there is value in having seasoned hands at the helm.

But for smaller opposition parties to have staying power, voters will also need to know there are steady hands to receive the torch when the time comes.

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