General Election 2025

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GE2025: Shanmugam to lead fresh PAP team to contest Nee Soon GRC​

Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam with (from left) Ms Lee Hui Ying, Ms Goh Hanyan, Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi and Mr Jackson Lam at the PAP’s Chong Pang branch on April 21.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Deepanraj Ganesan and Osmond Chia
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam will helm a refreshed PAP team consisting of four political newcomers to contest Nee Soon GRC in the upcoming general election.

The four new faces in the five-member team 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 (MDDI).

Introducing the line-up in a press briefing on April 21 at the PAP’s Chong Pang branch, Mr Shanmugam, who has been the incumbent MP overseeing the Chong Pang ward within the group representation constituency for 37 years, said the new team brings a range of experience to bear, and also has potential office-holders.

Mr Shanmugam said: “This is a, I would say, very balanced, but very young, youthful slate – except for me – because there is a mix of skills and talents: two potential office-holders who can perform in helping govern the country as a whole, and who also have good service experience; two candidates with a lot of grassroots experience.”

Asked about the significant turnover in the slate – with two one-term MPs no longer part of the team – Mr Shanmugam said that all four newcomers may be young, but they are quite experienced in their own way.

For instance, Ms Lee and Mr Lam have more than 30 years of experience combined in handling municipal matters, he noted.

“There is confidence that when we say we have looked at them... looked at the potential, looked at their credentials, looked at what the track record is, we think that people will understand and give them that chance,” the minister added.


Mr Lam is a director of a cleaning service and pest control company, and stepped down as PAP branch chairman in Hougang in February. He grew up in Yishun, and served the community as branch secretary for Chong Pang for seven years, from 2017 to 2023.

The father of twin boys said he is an Yishun resident who has worked with neighbourhood clans, religious organisations, merchants and other communities since he started volunteering in Chong Pang in 2013.

Anchor minister for Nee Soon GRC K. Shanmugam (centre) with (from left) Ms Lee Hui Ying, Ms Goh Hanyan, former Nominated MP Syed Harun Alhabsyi, and Mr Jackson Lam at the PAP Chong Pang branch on April 21.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Mr Shanmugam said Mr Lam has deep networks in Yishun, which would help him to tackle issues raised by residents.

Dr Syed Harun is a consultant psychiatrist at The Starfish Clinic of Psychiatry & Mental Wellness, the president of the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday Memorial Scholarship Fund and a council member of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.

Dr Syed Harun said he earnestly hopes to serve the residents, his community and his country as that is part of his identity and who he is.

“It has been the way I have lived my life as a student, as a doctor, as a psychiatrist, as a community volunteer in service of others,” he said. “Through being elected, my hope is to serve the needs of my residents in Nee Soon, to bring forward the hopes and aspirations of my community.”

Mr Shanmugam said Dr Syed Harun’s work in handling Malay/Muslim community issues will make him a valuable addition to the team.

Ms Goh was most recently a director in the Smart Nation Strategy Office and the national artificial intelligence group for policy and strategy at MDDI.

She said she spent many years working on economic issues and negotiating with companies to create jobs for Singaporeans amid concerns over the rising cost of living and job insecurity.

Ms Goh said: “I hope to bring to bear my experience as the country navigates these shifts and to address these concerns that are very real and valid.”

Mr Shanmugam said he has “high hopes” for Ms Goh who, along with Dr Syed Harun, has the potential to be an office-holder, he added.


Ms Lee grew up in Nee Soon and has been a volunteer in the area for more than 15 years.

She is currently the communications director at Temasek Foundation and has also worked in similar roles in the private, public and philanthropic sectors, including at MDDI and the Transport and Health ministries.

At the 2020 General Election, the PAP team in Nee Soon GRC consisted of Mr Shanmugam, Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Mr Louis Ng, Mr Derrick Goh and Ms Carrie Tan. They retained Nee Soon GRC with 61.9 per cent of the vote, against the Progress Singapore Party.

Associate Professor Faishal is standing for re-election in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC. Mr Shanmugam said the status of the other incumbent Nee Soon GRC MPs will be addressed at a later date.

Mr Shanmugam’s PAP team will go up against opposition party Red Dot United’s team, led by party secretary-general Ravi Philemon, who is the managing partner of a media business.

For the upcoming general election, Nee Soon GRC will have 151,634 electors, about 4,600 more than before.

 

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GE2025: Maliki Osman retiring from politics after 24 years​

Dr Maliki Osman said that after serving five terms since 2001, it is a good time for him to make way for a new candidate and retire from politics.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Zhaki Abdullah
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE - Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Maliki Osman announced his retirement from politics on April 21, ahead of the 2025 General Election.

In posts on his social media accounts, Dr Maliki noted that the PAP brings in new candidates during each general election as part of renewal efforts, in order to bring younger, more diverse voices into Parliament.

He added that with him having served five terms since 2001, he and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong agreed it is a good time for him to make way for a new candidate and retire from politics.

“My immediate priority is to ensure a smooth transition and rally support for the East Coast GRC team in the coming GE. I am confident they will serve residents well,” said Dr Maliki, who is one of the incumbent MPs for the five-member constituency.

The 59-year-old had earlier introduced Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim, former chief executive of Make-A-Wish Singapore, as his successor in East Coast GRC.

“Serving residents in Sembawang GRC, East Coast GRC, and as mayor of South East CDC has been a deeply enriching and humbling journey,” he said.

In his posts, Dr Maliki thanked Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong for having trusted him as a political office-holder since 2004, describing it as a privilege to have worked alongside the former prime minister as well as PM Wong and others in Cabinet in “navigating challenges and shaping Singapore’s continued success”.


He also thanked grassroots leaders, community leaders and staff at the ministries. Dr Maliki said it has been especially meaningful to work with other Malay/Muslim MPs and community leaders to “uplift lives through various social programmes”.

He added: “Thank you, dear residents, for welcoming me into your homes and lives, and allowing me to serve you over the past 24 years. I will always treasure our shared memories.”

Dr Maliki Osman (centre) speaking to an elderly resident during a walkabout at Bedok South Avenue 3 on March 30.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Dr Maliki – who has a PhD in social work from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – was an assistant professor at the National University of Singapore’s social work and psychology department when he joined politics in 2001 at the age of 36.

He was part of a six-member team, led by then Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan, that won Sembawang GRC during the general election that year.

He served as parliamentary secretary for the Ministry of Health between 2004 and 2005, and for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports from 2004 to 2006.

In 2005, Dr Maliki was appointed parliamentary secretary for the Ministry of National Development, before being promoted to senior parliamentary secretary for the same ministry in 2010.

During the 2011 election, he was part of a five-member PAP team that won East Coast GRC. He was also appointed senior parliamentary secretary for defence as well as South East District mayor that year.

In 2011, Dr Maliki also began heading a work group overseeing the redevelopment of Geylang Serai, including the development of community hub Wisma Geylang Serai, which was officially opened in 2019.

During the 2011 General Election, Dr Maliki Osman was part of a five-member PAP team that won East Coast GRC.PHOTO: ST FILE
In 2013, he was promoted to minister of state for defence and national development.

At the Ministry of National Development, Dr Maliki chaired the community improvement projects committee as well as the private estates upgrading programme, in addition to overseeing food security, including food safety and the development of Singapore’s agriculture sector.

He became senior minister of state for defence and foreign affairs in 2015.

In December 2024, Dr Maliki represented Singapore at a ministerial conference in Egypt on the Gaza crisis, highlighting the need for more to be done to address the humanitarian situation in the enclave.

He also met Palestinian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Mustafa on the sidelines of the conference and reaffirmed the Republic’s continued commitment to supporting the Palestinian Authority’s capacity-building efforts.

This included increasing the number of annual scholarships offered under the Enhanced Technical Assistance Package, from three postgraduate scholarships to a total of 10 scholarships for Palestinians to study in Singapore.

In January, Dr Maliki travelled to Jordan to give $1.3 million in humanitarian support for Gaza.

Dr Maliki Osman taking a photo with a group of students from Sekolah Menengah Pertama and Sekolah Menengah Atasan Islam Terpadu Al Furqon in Palembang, Indonesia, in 2016.PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN
Following the 2020 General Election, Dr Maliki was appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office as well as Second Minister for Education and Foreign Affairs.

Dr Maliki is married and has two children. He can speak Mandarin and Hokkien, and has addressed crowds in both tongues at rallies during previous elections.

His musical abilities are varied too – he is skilled at both the guitar and the guzheng. He played the guitar with indie band Surreal in 2006 as part of an anti-drug concert, and on the Chinese stringed instrument at a National Day reception in Batam in 2023, in a duet with his wife, who played the piano.

 

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GE2025: SM Teo Chee Hean will not stand in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, remains ‘available to contribute’​

Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean holding a baby at Safra Punggol in a September 2019 photo. With him is Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo (far left).PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
Chin Soo Fang
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean will not be standing for re-election in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, a development that opens up the possibility of him being deployed to other constituencies.

Announcing this on April 21 at a press conference, he said: “I will continue to support PM Lawrence Wong and his 4G team, and remain available to contribute to the team wherever and in whatever way PM Lawrence Wong feels I can best serve.”

The PAP team in Pasir Ris-Changi will be led by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah, who will move out of Tanjong Pagar GRC. Joining her are Senior Minister of State Desmond Tan, Mr Sharael Taha and newcomer Valerie Lee.

With Nomination Day round the corner, the PAP has announced its slates for 26 of the 33 constituencies islandwide. The exceptions include East Coast GRC, Punggol GRC and Tanjong Pagar GRC.

The PAP line-up for Sembawang GRC has not been officially announced, but Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on April 21 uploaded a video to his Facebook page of his team, comprising himself, incumbent MPs Vikram Nair and Mariam Jaafar, as well as new faces Gabriel Lam and Ng Shi Xuan.

Five out of seven political analysts The Straits Times spoke to believe SM Teo could be fielded in another constituency, especially Punggol.

The new four-member GRC was carved out of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, which SM Teo has anchored since 2001. The WP has been walking the ground in Punggol over the past year and is likely to field a team there to challenge the PAP.


Asked if he would be moving to Punggol GRC, SM Teo replied: “I ask you for a little bit of patience, wait two days and everything will be clear.”


A former navy chief holding the rank of rear-admiral, SM Teo made his political debut in December 1992, when he was part of a team that contested and won a by-election in Marine Parade GRC.

He quickly established himself as a PAP stalwart, earning re-election six times as an MP for Pasir Ris GRC and subsequently Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) senior research fellow Gillian Koh said the PAP may want to field a full minister and seasoned political hand in the constituency.

“Punggol GRC, which is said to be of interest to the WP, does not have an anchor minister who is an incumbent there for the PAP,” she noted.

The incumbent MPs in Punggol are Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary, Minister of State Sun Xueling and Ms Yeo Wan Ling.

SM Teo’s reluctance to say more at this point keeps the door open for him to be moved to Punggol GRC, which is drawn from Punggol West SMC and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC – an area he has helmed for many years, Dr Koh added.

Former PAP MP Inderjit Singh agreed, saying the PAP will not take the new GRC for granted.

“So they will want to send a heavyweight minister to win the GRC. Also, WP is likely to contest Punggol, so perhaps SM Teo could move there,” he added.

SM Teo has helmed various ministries throughout his career, including Home Affairs, Defence and Education.

He served as deputy prime minister from 2009 to 2019, and has been Coordinating Minister for National Security since 2011. He was appointed senior minister in 2019.

IPS Social Lab research fellow Teo Kay Key noted that SM Teo did not state that he would retire, unlike others who have done so, such as Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Senior Minister of State Amy Khor.

“It is likely that his next move may not be confirmed yet, which is why he asked the media to wait until Nomination Day to find out,” Dr Teo said. “Given the proximity, there is more chance that he would be in Punggol GRC, unless the PAP decides to forgo geographical proximity and place him somewhere else.”

Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, a senior international affairs analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore, said Ms Indranee replacing SM Teo in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC can be viewed as part of the ruling party’s continued rejuvenation efforts to strengthen its internal core for long-term viability.

SMU law don Eugene Tan said Ms Indranee’s move will see her become an anchor minister in a GRC. If she is elected, she may also helm her first ministry, he added.

Two analysts reckon that SM Teo will not be contesting the 2025 General Election.

Associate Professor Bilveer Singh from NUS’ department of political science said the Senior Minister is likely to stay as a mentor instead. He noted that SM Teo, 70, is one of the few third-generation (3G) leaders who are still around, and has a wide age gap with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, 52.

IPS Social Lab adjunct principal research fellow and academic adviser Tan Ern Ser said that if the election is about renewal, there is no reason for the 3G leaders to still be around, other than Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong playing a mentoring role.

Asked by a reporter about the PAP’s approach to announcing new faces and slates for this election, Ms Indranee said the party felt that it would be better to announce the slates “constituency by constituency”, to help people get to know the new candidates and teams for the group representation constituencies and single-member constituencies.

“During 2020, we announced all new candidates at the same time, and when we announced too many at the same time, it was difficult for people to absorb all the new faces,” she said.

On why the PAP has yet to unveil its line-up in some constituencies, Ms Indranee replied that some constituencies will have to go first, while others have to be announced towards the end.

“So whatever it is, all voters will know by Nomination Day, and all voters will have the opportunity during the nine days (of campaigning) to assess the candidates and to see who they think would be best to represent them and their constituencies,” she said.

SM Teo said that as he steps down as an MP in Pasir Ris-Punggol, “I do so with full confidence that we have a strong team here to continue to serve you for many years”.

Thanking residents and volunteers, he said: “It has been my privilege and an honour to have served the residents of Pasir Ris and to have gotten to know so many of you, your children and also your grandchildren.”

 

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GE2025: Ong Ye Kung unveils PAP’s Sembawang GRC slate in video, including two new faces​

(Clockwise from top left) The video featured anchor minister Ong Ye Kung, new candidates Ng Shi Xuan and Gabriel Lam, as well as incumbent MPs Mariam Jaafar and Vikram Nair.PHOTOS: AZMI ATHNI, GIN TAY, ST FILE

Shabana Begum
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE - Health Minister Ong Ye Kung took to social media on April 21 to unveil the PAP team for Sembawang GRC, including two new faces.

A video uploaded on his Facebook page, captioned “5 individuals, 1 team. A Sembawang for Everyone”, features the anchor minister with incumbent MPs Vikram Nair and Mariam Jaafar, along with two new candidates, Mr Gabriel Lam and Mr Ng Shi Xuan.

But Mr Ong did not say explicitly that this would be the team contesting the constituency.

In late March, Mr Lam, chief operating officer of moving company Shalom International Movers, and Mr Ng, director of battery company Powermark Battery and Hardware, were introduced by Mr Ong as likely candidates for the GRC at the launch of a community initiative to help seniors in Bukit Canberra.

Incumbent Sembawang GRC MP Lim Wee Kiak is not in the video. On April 13, Mr Ong paid tribute to Dr Lim at a constituency event, but stopped short of saying the four-term MP would be retiring.

In a Facebook post earlier in April, Dr Lim had called on residents to support his potential replacement.

He wrote: “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.”

Mr Ng, 35, served as vice-chairman of the MacPherson Youth Network, and has been a grassroots volunteer in MacPherson for 10 years.

He was previously a public servant and was last at trade agency Enterprise Singapore, helping Singapore companies grow their businesses overseas.

“You don’t know me, but I fight hard for the community,” Mr Ng said in the video, which shows him playing football and interacting with residents.

In the one-minute clip, Mr Lam, 42, said: “I push hard to uplift the lives of others.”

Mr Lam’s family moved to Sembawang in 1988, when the group representation constituency was formed, and he attended primary school in the area.

In late March, Mr Ong introduced the new candidates as a “dynamic duo” who are bosses of small and medium-sized enterprises that operate in competitive industries.

Both men were later spotted with the incumbent Sembawang GRC MPs at community events, including the constituency’s health carnival on April 20, and on April 6, when Mr Ong announced new developments in the GRC and recapped his team’s track record over the past five years.

Closing the video, Mr Ong said: “It takes time to truly know someone, through their actions, not words. Let’s do this together, shall we?”


Incumbent Sembawang GRC MP Poh Li San, who oversees the Sembawang West ward and is expected to contest the newly carved out Sembawang West SMC, is also not featured in the video. If she is fielded, she will go up against Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan at the polls.

A three-way fight is shaping up in Sembawang GRC, with the SDP and the National Solidarity Party (NSP) throwing their hats into the ring.

During the 2020 General Election, the PAP won Sembawang GRC against the NSP with 67.29 per cent of the vote.

 

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GE2025: Securing good jobs for S’poreans a key priority for PSP new face Sumarleki Amjah​

Mr Sumarleki Amjah is part of the PSP team led by party chairman Tan Cheng Bock contesting the newly formed West Coast-Jurong West GRC.ST PHOTO: HESTER TAN

Chin Hui Shan
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE - Helping Singaporeans get good jobs and ensuring their job security are top of the agenda for PSP new face Sumarleki Amjah, 53, who is part of the opposition party’s A-team contesting West Coast-Jurong West GRC.

He highlighted three possible ways of achieving these aims: Proper calibration of the numbers of foreign talent in the workforce, upskilling citizens with the skills to thrive in a technologically advanced economy, and offering retrenchment benefits to those who have been let go.

“Good jobs are the essence of a good life, especially in Singapore,” said Mr Sumarleki, who works at a multinational food and beverage firm as its head of packaged food and business development overseeing South-east Asia and the Middle East.

He was speaking to The Straits Times at Taman Jurong Shopping Centre on April 20, just hours after he was introduced as a PSP candidate contesting the GRC.

With rising costs of living and wages that have “barely increased”, Mr Sumarleki said middle-income earners – a group he hopes to champion if elected – do not receive enough support.

“These are the people who need help the most,” he said, pointing to how the salaries of many middle-income earners are not keeping pace with the rise in cost of living. He noted that the most underprivileged residents are already receiving “reasonable subsistence support” from the Government.

“The middle class forms the core of any nation. If we don’t have a strong middle class, the nation will not prosper,” he said. “We want to work together with the Government to improve the system and the policies, so that the sandwiched middle class can be uplifted.”


For example, to ensure job security for Singaporeans, citizens should be prioritised for roles, he said. Foreign talent in the workforce must also be managed carefully to prevent locals from being unnecessarily displaced from their jobs.

He added that the Government should also provide economic direction for the country to identify growth industries so that Singaporeans can secure those good jobs.

“We lack an overarching economic direction for the future,” Mr Sumarleki said. “We have passed the industrialisation stage, and we are going through the digitalisation phase, and have to be ready for the artificial intelligence era. We have to future-proof the job prospects of our citizens first and foremost.”

He said he also wants to ensure that retrenched workers can get enough support to tide them over the transition period.

“If we don’t have legislation on retrenchment benefits, it is going to be difficult for our workers, our fellow Singaporeans, when they get displaced, to tide through that period from not having a job to getting a new job,” he said.

Without transitional support, retrenched workers may run into financial difficulties and “spiral downwards”, he added.


Mr Sumarleki graduated from NTU with a business degree in 1995 and has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Manchester in England.

After graduation, he worked in different multinational companies, and now hopes to tap that experience to come up with solutions and policies to find good jobs for Singaporeans and tackle job security issues, he said.

Mr Sumarleki is part of the team led by PSP chairman Tan Cheng Bock, along with party chief Leong Mun Wai, 65, vice-chair Hazel Poa, 54, and fellow new face Sani Ismail, 49.


Mr Sumarleki’s foray into party politics began more than 10 years ago, after a non-governmental organisation he wanted to set up failed to take off.

In 2013, he and his friends had planned to set up an organisation to call for equal opportunities for jobs among Singaporeans, after some of them were retrenched.

But it did not come to fruition, and he decided to join the WP as a volunteer in 2014, he said.

Individuals can contribute to society in their own ways, but joining politics is the best way to bring about change and help people, he said.

Mr Sumarleki, who is a single parent of a 21-year-old son, said politics took a back seat at that time, as he had to care for his son and was also travelling often for work.

Mr Leong approached him in April 2024, and Mr Sumarleki thought it was time for him to get involved in politics to give back to society. He joined the party the following month.

Mr Sumarleki also hopes to speak for the Malay community and ensure their views are taken into account in policymaking.

He hopes to address three main issues in the Malay community: to have more fair and equal job opportunities, build a network for business and educational excellence among the Malay community, and create funds for start-ups and micro-financing for small businesses.

Outside of work and politics, he is a long-time silat practitioner and even set up the Macan Association – which has eight silat clubs under its umbrella – in 1998. Mr Sumarleki, who started learning silat at the age of 10, serves as president of the association.

He added that the silat community is also an avenue for him to be in touch with people in the community.

On why he decided to join politics, he said: “The best way for us is to offer ourselves, put up ourselves as candidates for alternative parties, so that we can raise the unfiltered issues and concerns of our citizens in Parliament, and hopefully the Government will listen.

“I believe that a life well lived is a life of sacrifice.”

 

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GE2025: Political broadcasts set for April 25 and May 1; ELD issues other campaigning guidelines​

Only political parties that field at least six candidates under a recognised party symbol are eligible for the political broadcasts.PHOTO: ST FILE

Vanessa Paige Chelvan
Apr 21, 2025

SINGAPORE –Two party political broadcasts (PPBs) for the upcoming general election will be aired on April 25 and May 1, the Elections Department (ELD) said.

Only political parties that field at least six candidates under a recognised party symbol are eligible for the PPBs, ELD said in a release on April 21 detailing campaign guidelines for the period starting on Nomination Day on April 23 to the end of polling on May 3.

Independents and political parties fielding fewer than six candidates are not eligible for the PPBs.

The broadcasts will give political parties free broadcast airtime to deliver their campaign messages during the campaign period on six free-to-air TV channels and 13 radio stations. Political parties can choose to deliver their campaign messages in English, Mandarin, Malay and/or Tamil.

The PPBs must comply with all applicable codes of practice for TV and radio, including “ensuring that the content of the (broadcasts) presents references to race and religion accurately and in a dignified manner”, ELD said.

The content of the political broadcasts should also not “be slanted by exclusion of facts or by misleading emphasis, and should not be defamatory or criminal in nature”, ELD added.

In addition to the dates of the two PPBs, the ELD released more campaigning guidelines that will apply from Nomination Day to the close of Polling Day:

Walkabouts and house visits​

Candidates can conduct walkabouts and house visits without a permit from the police if:

• The candidate, election agent or a person authorised by the candidate to conduct election activity is present during the walkabout or house visit;
• The activities are held within the campaign period and between 7am and 10.30pm;
• The walkabouts and house visits do not result in the obstruction of any public road or public place, public disorder, damage to property, or noise that causes disruption to residents or activities in the vicinity.

The display of any visible representation that contains violent, lewd or obscene materials, or the erection or use of any stage, is not allowed.

Public display of traditional election advertising​

Banners, flags and posters that are publicly displayed during the campaign period must comply with the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 and Parliamentary Elections (Election Advertising) Regulations 2024.

These forms of non-online election advertising must also comply with other laws of the land and not be seditious in nature and cannot contain “materials that may cause alarm and distress”, ELD said.

Candidates may campaign by putting up banners, flags and posters as long as they comply with display regulations stated in the Returning Officer’s permit. These rules include controls on the quantity and size of these forms of non-online election advertising, as well as the location, manner and period of display.

The Returning Officer has authorised Aetos Security Management to enforce display rules during the election.

Political parties will have three hours to remove any unauthorised or non-compliant materials once notified. If they fail to do so, Aetos may be directed to step in, and candidates must bear the removal costs and declare them as part of their election expenses.

Online campaigning​

Candidates can campaign online through social media, websites, podcasts and e-mails, according to the rules for Online Election Advertising (OEA) in the Parliamentary Elections Act and Parliamentary Elections (Election Advertising) Regulations.

Only political parties, candidates and election agents can publish paid online election ads. Others can publish these advertisements only if they receive written authorisation from a candidate or election agent.

Singapore citizens may post unpaid ads on their own, except from the start of Cooling-off Day on May 2 until the end of polling on Polling Day, on May 3.

A new law under the Elections (Integrity of Online Advertising) Act, which will be in place for the first time this general election, bans digitally generated or manipulated content that misrepresents a prospective candidate’s speech or actions.

This includes content created using generative artificial intelligence or other techniques such as Photoshop, dubbing or adding new audio over existing footage, and splicing, cutting and joining clips to change their meaning.

From the end of nomination proceedings on Nomination Day, successfully nominated candidates will be protected from false depictions under the Elections (Integrity of Online Advertising) (Amendment) Act.

“This rule is intended to uphold the truthfulness of candidate representation and protect electoral integrity,” ELD said.

Meanwhile, all online advertisements, whether paid or unpaid, have to display the names of all the people who played an active role in publishing them, said ELD. This includes those responsible for publishing, approving, and directing the publishing of the ad.

Paid advertisements have to include a message or statement to indicate that they have been sponsored or paid for, as well as the names of people who paid for them.

Singapore citizens who are not candidates or election agents do not have to abide by these “published-by” rules if they post unpaid OEA in their individual capacity and not at the direction of others, ELD added.

Use of films in campaigning​

The use of films in campaigning is subject to the Films Act 1981, which bans the importation, making, reproduction, distribution or exhibition of party political films.

“The prohibition applies to all persons and is meant to keep politics objective and rational,” ELD said.

But there are some exceptions to the rule. Films that are “factual and objective” and that “do not present a distorted picture of facts” are allowed, ELD said.

Publication of election surveys and exit polls​

The publication of results of election surveys, exit polls or content purporting to be the results of an election survey are not allowed from the issuance of the Writ of Election until the close of polling on Polling Day.

During this period, the public should not create surveys or polls on social media platforms, online forums, messaging services or websites where the results can be viewed.

Cooling-off period​

All campaigning, including traditional and online election advertisements, must stop during the cooling-off period. This starts on the eve of Polling Day, May 2, which is also known as Cooling-off Day, and ends when the polls close on Polling Day. While the publishing or republishing of any election-related content is not allowed, material already in the public domain can stay.

Examples of republishing include sharing, resharing, reposting or boosting existing online advertisements.

Election meetings (rallies or gatherings at assembly centres)​

To hold an election meeting, which includes rallies, candidates must hold a permit from the Police Elections Permit Office, ELD said.

Candidates must apply online or in person, and applications can be submitted only after the close of nomination proceedings on April 23. The earliest day an election meeting can be held is a day after Nomination Day, and applications must be submitted by 4pm on Nomination Day.

Applications for election meetings to be held on subsequent campaigning days must be submitted by 2.30pm at least a day before the planned meeting, ELD said.

“Candidates have a responsibility to get their supporters to respect the law, and to calm the supporters down should the situation show risk of degenerating into public disorder and to pose safety concerns, at election meetings,” ELD said.

Perambulating vehicles​

Candidates can use vehicles to broadcast pre-recorded election messages during the campaign period, though they must apply for a police permit to do so.

Candidates are not allowed to give live speeches from the vehicles or provide public entertainment during the broadcast. If the vehicles used have open decks, no one is allowed on the open deck.

Candidates can apply for a perambulating vehicle permit online via the Singapore Police Force website.

Perambulating vehicles can be used from the day after Nomination Day, and the deadline for applications is 4pm on Nomination Day.

Applications for the use of perambulating vehicles on all other campaigning days must be submitted at least a day in advance, by 2.30pm.

The use of perambulating vehicles is allowed during the period from the day after Nomination Day until the eve of Cooling-off Day.

No foreign interference, negative campaigning and prohibited persons​

Only Singapore citizens can take part in elections and campaigning.

Those who are below 16 years of age or those against whom an order of supervision has been made under Section 30(1)(b) of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act 1955 are not allowed to take part in any election activity.

ELD also urges candidates, their election agents and their authorised representatives to campaign “in a responsible and dignified manner that befits the seriousness of the election process”. This means steering away from negative campaigning based on hate and denigration of opposing candidates.

They should also not make false statements – such as unfounded allegations of corruption or criminal offences – or statements that may cause racial or religious tensions or affect social cohesion.

Campaigning by political parties and civic organisations on behalf of a candidate​

By law, any person who conducts activities in support of a candidate must be individually authorised in writing by the candidate or his election agent.

And before civic, business or professional bodies take part in any political activity, or allow their funds or premises to be used for political purposes, they should ensure that their Constitutions allow them to do so. They should also make sure that in doing so, they do not flout any laws that they are subject to, ELD said.

Such political activities include endorsing candidates and publishing advertisements or issuing press statements expressing support for a candidate.

 

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‘A tremendous asset to the team’: PM Wong on Ng Eng Hen​

PM Lawrence Wong (centre, left) flanked by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat at the Bishan-Toa Payoh and Marymount Hari Raya celebration at Plaza@128 on April 19.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Hariz Baharudin
Apr 21, 2025

SINGAPORE - Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen was a tremendous asset to Singapore’s Cabinet, and made a difference for the country and its people across the portfolios he helmed, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on April 21.

In a valedictory letter to Dr Ng, who on April 18 announced his retirement, PM Wong expressed his deep appreciation for the minister’s contributions since entering politics in 2001 as part of the PAP’s slate in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

A surgical oncologist by training, Dr Ng served as minister for manpower and minister for education before he became defence minister in 2011.

PM Wong noted that Dr Ng, now 66, left a successful surgical career and started at the Ministry of Manpower during a challenging period, as Singapore was then recovering from the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak.

Working closely with tripartite partners, he uplifted lower-wage workers, improved job security and enhanced workplace safety.

“You spearheaded major reforms to reduce workplace injuries and fatalities and introduced the Workplace Safety and Health Act,” said PM Wong.

“Recognising the need for lifelong learning, you set up the Workforce Development Agency (now Workforce Singapore) to help workers reskill and upskill, so they can always have good jobs.”

PM Wong also highlighted Dr Ng’s foresight in championing longevity insurance, which paved the way for the CPF Life scheme that now provides Singaporeans with greater financial security in retirement.

As minister for education, Dr Ng expanded tertiary pathways for students here, and established the Singapore University of Technology and Design to train future leaders to serve society through innovative work in design and technology.

He strengthened the Polytechnic-Foreign Specialised Institution initiative, which paved the way for the Singapore Institute of Technology, and oversaw the creation of NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, said PM Wong.

Dr Ng also supported educators and their professional development when he helped set up the Academy of Singapore Teachers.

But it is in defence that Dr Ng is best known, noted PM Wong. Dr Ng was appointed second minister for defence in 2005, and helmed the ministry from 2011.

As defence minister, he guided the modernisation of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and ensured it stayed ahead in a more complex threat environment and despite fast-moving technological shifts.

Under Dr Ng’s leadership, the SAF acquired and developed next-generation capabilities, from F-35 fighter jets to Invincible-class submarines to unmanned systems.

He also led the establishment of the Digital and Intelligence Service, a full-fledged fourth branch of the SAF, which strengthened Singapore’s capabilities in the digital, cyber and information domains.

The SAF not only stood ready for battle, but proved its worth in peacetime when it played a critical role in supporting Singapore’s Covid-19 response, added PM Wong.

Regionally, the SAF led cooperation platforms like the Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre and Counter-Terrorism Information Facility. It also delivered critical assistance globally, including most recently humanitarian support for civilians in Gaza.

Dr Ng never forgot that people form the heart of the SAF, and he championed realistic training while improving safety for soldiers, the Prime Minister added.

Besides overseeing the development of Safti City for realistic urban warfare training, he set up the Inspector-General’s Office to strengthen safety in the SAF, and established the SAF Volunteer Corps so that the broader community could contribute directly to defence.

PM Wong said Dr Ng also made a strong mark on the international stage as Singapore’s chief defence diplomat, respected by counterparts for his clarity of thought and incisive assessments.

“Through your efforts, Singapore built strong defence ties around the world, expanded our strategic space and strengthened our standing globally,” he said.

Within the Cabinet, Dr Ng was known for his thoughtful perspectives, and for getting to the heart of the matter, whatever the subject.

“You were steady in crises, thoughtful in analysing problems, and bold in imagining fresh possibilities. You brought weight and steadiness to our deliberations, and you have been a tremendous asset to the team,” said PM Wong.

PM Wong also recalled his monthly lunches with Dr Ng when he was minister of state for defence in his early years in politics, and that many younger ministers looked up to Dr Ng as both a role model and someone they could turn to for advice and encouragement.

Dr Ng also served as Leader of the House from 2011 to 2015, and was a steady anchor and Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC’s longest-serving MP, deeply committed to his residents’ well-being, he added.

“In these and many other ways, you have shaped Singapore. On behalf of all Singaporeans, I thank you for your dedication and service,” said PM Wong.

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong also paid tribute to Dr Ng on April 21, and said he was “clear, logical and decisive, as one might expect from a former surgeon”.

“Initially, politics and public policy were unfamiliar fields to him, but he learnt quickly,” said SM Lee. “He was steady in crises, and steadfast over the long term. In Cabinet, whatever the subject under discussion, I always valued his views.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Maliki helped rally international support for Singapore, PM Wong says in valedictory letter​

Dr Maliki Osman announced on April 21 that he would be retiring from politics after 24 years. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Zhaki Abdullah
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – Dr Maliki Osman’s decade of service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) helped strengthen Singapore’s partnerships with other countries, as well as rally international support for the Republic’s survival and success, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

In a valedictory letter to the veteran political office-holder, PM Wong noted that Dr Maliki was able to keep up a punishing travel schedule to engage Singapore’s partners in the region – such as Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia – as well as across the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

“Despite differences in culture and language, you found ways to connect, build trust and make the case for why Singapore mattered,” he said.

Dr Maliki, who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office as well as Second Minister for Education and Foreign Affairs, announced on April 21 that he would be retiring from politics after 24 years.

The former assistant professor at the National University of Singapore’s social work and psychology department first became an MP for Sembawang GRC in 2001, before moving to East Coast GRC in 2011.

Across his five terms, the 59-year-old held positions in various ministries, including the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of National Development (MND).

PM Wong said that across these various portfolios, Dr Maliki had shown the ability to “bring people together, bridge differences and energise communities” – traits that were especially evident during his 10 years at MFA.


Dr Maliki was appointed senior minister of state for foreign affairs in 2015, and was promoted to second minister for foreign affairs following the 2020 General Election.

“You were always prepared to explain the nuances of our foreign policy to a diverse domestic audience.

“You expanded Singapore’s network of friends and deepened international goodwill – both vital for a small open state like ours,” said PM Wong.

The Prime Minister also highlighted Dr Maliki’s work at MND, noting that he played an important role in developing the Fresh Start Housing Scheme, which helps families with children currently living in public rental flats to own their own flats.

Dr Maliki was appointed parliamentary secretary for national development in 2005, before becoming minister of state for the ministry in 2013.

“You also led the conceptualisation and design of a new civic centre for Geylang Serai, rejuvenating the precinct while retaining its distinctive Malay heritage,” PM Wong said, referring to Wisma Geylang Serai, which opened in 2019.


PM Wong noted that Dr Maliki continued to closely track ongoing efforts to revitalise the Geylang Serai Cultural Belt even after leaving MND.

He described Dr Maliki as “a key member of our team of Malay/MusIim office-holders and MPs”, forging strong partnerships with Malay/Muslim organisations as well as engaging the community on sensitive issues, such as the repeal of Section 377A of the Penal Code.

Across Dr Maliki’s various appointments, his experience and training as a social worker, and his passion to help disadvantaged members of society, shone through, said PM Wong.

He pointed to Project 4650, launched in 2010 to provide help to residents of two rental blocks in Bedok South.

“Instead of agencies working in silos, you brought together government and community partners to tighten coordination, take a family-centric approach and tailor solutions for each family,” PM Wong said, noting that the additional effort helped produce better results.

Project 4650 served as a key reference point when the Ministry of Social and Family Development was designing ComLink, which coordinates social service support for low-income families that face multiple challenges.

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he first appointed Dr Maliki as a political office-holder in 2004 when he became prime minister, describing the veteran MP as a “versatile and committed team player”.

“Over nearly 25 years in public service, he has done much to improve our country and society,” SM Lee said in a Facebook post.


Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli noted the two had worked closely in championing the needs and aspirations of the Malay/Muslim community through M3 – the tie-up between self-help group Mendaki, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore and the People’s Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council.

In a Facebook post, he said Dr Maliki was the driving force behind M3 initiatives such as Project Dian, which supports Malay families living in rental flats by connecting them with national and community initiatives.

“He also chaired the Committee on Future Asatizah, laying the foundation for a future-ready religious leadership that is deeply rooted in our values while attuned to the complexities of a changing world,” said Mr Masagos, who is also Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs.

“Thank you, Maliki, for your selfless service and steadfast friendship. I wish you and your family the very best in your future endeavours,” he said.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: PAP’s Gho Sze Kee refutes Lim Tean’s claim she was ‘parachuted’ into Mountbatten SMC​

The PAP's Mountbatten SMC candidate Gho Sze Kee with a resident during house visits in Jalan Tiga on April 21.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Esther Loi
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – The PAP’s candidate for Mountbatten SMC, Ms Gho Sze Kee, has refuted comments by opposition alliance leader Lim Tean that she was “parachuted” into the area, saying that she has been walking the ground for the past 10 months.

“Facebook pictures don’t lie. I’ve been featured on Mr Lim Biow Chuan’s Facebook page for the past 10 months,” said Ms Gho on April 21.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan is the incumbent Mountbatten MP, stepping down after nearly two decades of service.

Ms Gho, a maritime lawyer, told The Straits Times: “In fact, I started in July 2024, so maybe (Mr Lim Tean) didn’t notice that I was on the ground since then.

“(I’m) definitely not parachuted in... plus the fact that I’ve been at Bukit Timah for 13 years. So, I don’t think the word ‘parachuted’ really applies to me.”

Ms Gho, 46, has been a PAP activist since 2012 and the party’s Bukit Timah branch secretary since December 2020.

She was asked by ST, on the sidelines of house visits in Jalan Tiga on April 21, to respond to Mr Lim Tean’s comments.


Mr Lim Tean, secretary-general of the opposition People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR), had said on April 20 during a walkabout at Jalan Batu Market and Food Centre, off Mountbatten Road, that Ms Gho was an unknown quantity.

“She has been parachuted into Mountbatten very late in the day, and I don’t think she really knows the ground,” he had said.

PAR intends to field a candidate to contest Mountbatten SMC.

Ms Gho’s candidacy was announced on April 20 by Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, who will lead the PAP’s Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC team in the May 3 General Election.

Dr Tan had also announced then that Mr Lim Biow Chuan, a four-term MP, will be stepping down.

On her plans in the lead-up to Nomination Day on April 23, Ms Gho said she would be speaking to branch activists, and coordinating plans and preparing for the day.

Ms Gho noted that she has been conducting weekly house visits to landed properties and Housing Board blocks, as well as organising block and park parties for condominium residents in Mountbatten.

She added that her team’s coverage of the area has been “quite comprehensive”.

“Of course, I wouldn’t say that I have covered every single block... but I would say I have a pretty good view, and an overall bird’s-eye view, of the various types of HDB flats, different municipal issues, and residents’ concerns,” said Ms Gho.

When asked about her campaign plans after Nomination Day, she said: “We, in Mountbatten, just believe in pure hard work.

“So you’ll see me going straight down to the ground, pounding the ground, canvassing votes and asking residents to give me a chance.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

News analysis​

GE2025: With its new slate, PAP looks to form 5G with more diversity, minorities​

Ng Wei Kai and Goh Yan Han

The new PAP candidates include (clockwise from top left) Ms Goh Hanyan, Dr Hamid Razak, Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim, Mr David Neo, Ms Jasmin Lau, Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, Mr Jeffrey Siow and Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash.PHOTOS: SHINTARO TAY, BRIAN TEO, LIM YAOHUI, KEVIN LIM, MARK CHEONG, JASON QUAH, BERITA HARIAN, THE BUSINESS TIMES
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – Three elections ago, the PAP brought in a slate of candidates who would eventually form the core of the party’s fourth-generation leadership.

This 2011 group included Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing and National Development Minister Desmond Lee.

That year, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung was also fielded but lost in Aljunied GRC.

Fast forward to 2025, and the party is set to field a group of young candidates pulled from the public service who could form the core of its nascent 5G if elected.

It has also moved to fill potential gaps by bringing in more minority candidates tipped for political office, and recruited beyond the usual professions to flesh out its slate.

PM Wong said when introducing them: “If elected, a number of our new candidates can become more than backbenchers.

“They will help to strengthen my team, and some of the younger ones will form the core of the next 5G team – they will make sure Singapore continues to be in good hands.”

The party’s slate is younger on average, with more women.

Some have professional backgrounds that mirror those of current office-holders, said Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan.

These individuals could be tapped to be junior office-holders after the general election, he added.

Top civil servants who have left their jobs to don party whites this election include permanent secretary for trade and industry and manpower Jeffrey Siow, Health Ministry deputy secretary Jasmin Lau, Finance Ministry director Shawn Loh, Digital Development and Information Ministry director Goh Hanyan and Transport Ministry director Foo Cexiang.

Also in the mix are former army chief David Neo, former chief of staff – joint staff Goh Pei Ming and former Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) chief executive Dinesh Vasu Dash.

The group is relatively young. The oldest is Mr Dinesh at 50, while the rest are in their 40s, and the youngest are Mr Loh at 38 and Ms Goh at 39.

The professional journeys of these new faces, a mixture of top public servants and high-ranking military men, closely mirror those of the current Cabinet.

Mr Siow was principal private secretary to then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong – a role also previously held by PM Wong and Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat.

Mr Chee and DPM Heng were also permanent secretaries at the Ministry of Trade and Industry – Mr Siow’s last held role.

Mr Neo’s career trajectory mirrors that of Mr Chan, who was also chief of army before retiring to stand under the PAP banner. Mr Chan was 41 when he left the armed forces – Mr Neo is slightly older at 47.

Training for Cabinet has to start now​

The move to renewal comes later than expected. The party’s transition to its 4G leader was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic and DPM Heng stepping away from being PM-designate in 2021.

Bringing in a slate of ministerial-calibre candidates is not a new strategy for the PAP. It has done so in cycles over its 66-year rule.

Before the 2011 batch, there was the 2001 cohort which yielded a group later dubbed the “super seven”. This included President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and former transport minister Khaw Boon Wan. They also entered politics in their 40s, and quickly rose up the ranks into Cabinet.

Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Social Lab research fellow Teo Kay Key said of the current crop: “The lowered age does send a signal that these individuals are likely to have a longer runway in politics.” She added that this helps to give assurance about the sustainability of the party in the longer term.

IPS senior research fellow Gillian Koh said succession planning is essential for parties that are serious about their long-term national impact, and preparation for political office should start sooner rather than later.

She said: “Because voters are demanding, the policy space is getting more complex, the more time the younger generation of leaders have to pick up some key skills for political engagement and policymaking expertise, the better.”

PM Wong was part of the 2011 class of the PAP recruits. The length of time it took to have him and his peers come into positions to lead the party and country was almost 15 years, she noted.

For this reason, early exposure to being an MP for key roles in government is important as it takes a decade to do it and ensure that it is done right, she said.

“For the PAP, it is not too early to groom 5G leaders who would be in their late 30s and early 40s.

“They will already be in their early or mid-50s by the time they are ready, if they have not already been very senior civil servants or leaders in the SAF (Singapore Armed Forces).”

SMU’s Associate Professor Tan said the process to establish the party’s next generation will take at least two to three elections.

He said: “The sooner the process is started, the better it is for renewal and succession.”

Rounding out the slate with greater diversity​

The party will also field more minority candidates and individuals beyond the usual professions and sectors.

There are four new Malay candidates – Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim, Dr Faisal Abdul Aziz and Dr Elmie Nekmat – and three new Indian candidates – Mr Dinesh, Dr Hamid Razak and Mr Jagathishwaran Rajo.

Of this crop, at least two could eventually become political office-holders if elected, based on their current trajectories.

Mr Dinesh, who is slightly older than the rest and has a background in the SAF and the Health Ministry, and in helming the AIC, could find himself in government relatively quickly.

The Tamil speaker has also spoken of his intent to champion issues and work on integration in the Indian community.

The additions are needed by the party, which fielded no Indian new faces in 2020 and two in 2015. Since then, Mr Murali Pillai, who first contested in 2015 in Aljunied GRC and later won in Bukit Batok SMC in 2016, has been appointed Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Transport.

The other Indian political office-holders are Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, 66, who has been in Cabinet since 2008, and Foreign Minister Balakrishnan, 64, who became a full minister in 2005.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah, 62, became a minister in 2018.

Among the Malay candidates, Dr Syed Harun was tipped by Mr Shanmugam as someone who can “easily be an office-holder”.

While there were six new Malay MPs elected in 2020, none of them has risen from the backbenches. The youngest Malay officer-holder is Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam, who entered politics in 2015.

Dr Maliki Osman announced his retirement on April 21, while Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli and Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad will seek re-election.

More on this Topic
Maliki helped rally international support for Singapore, PM Wong says in valedictory letterGE2025: All you need to know about your constituency
Outside of its future leadership, the party also appears to have brought in more candidates from outside established routes into politics.

Dr Teo said: “This time, we seem to be seeing more individuals from a community background, such as Cai Yinzhou, Hazlina Abdul Halim, David Hoe, and Elysa Chen.

“There seems to be efforts to reach beyond the usual industry choices like civil service, law and entrepreneurs.”

What is for sure is that the party and its secretary-general are putting it to the electorate that voting for this slate is also a vote for the country’s future leadership.

How much water this argument will hold with Singaporeans will be tested on May 3.

​

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

News analysis​

GE2025: WP’s slate of new candidates similar in terms of qualifications, diverse in experiences​

Tham Yuen-C

The new faces unveiled by the Workers' Party include (clockwise from top left) Dr Ong Lue Ping, Mr Jackson Au, Ms Paris Parameswari, Mr Harpreet Singh, Ms Eileen Chong, Ms Siti Alia Abdul Rahim Mattar, Ms Alexis Dang and Mr Sufyan Mikhail Putra Mohd Kamil.PHOTOS: WORKERS' PARTY, KEVIN LIM
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE - When Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh unveiled his party’s new faces for the upcoming election, he had described them as “a broad range of individuals from different walks of life, different age groups, different backgrounds and different experiences”.

Looking at the WP’s slate of 14 new candidates, some will certainly take the same view.

The 14 include Dr Ong Lue Ping, 48, a senior clinical psychologist from the Institute of Mental Health; start-up founder Michael Thng, 37; media professional Jackson Au, 35; former diplomat Eileen Chong, 33; and Ms Paris V. Parameswari, 51, a former US Navy security administrator.

Even among the legally trained candidates, career trajectories have diverged – there is Mr Harpreet Singh Nehal, 59, senior counsel and managing partner of his own law firm.

Mr Andre Low, 34, is a disputes lawyer turned staff product manager at a global fintech company, while Mr Sufyan Mikhail Putra Mohd Kamil, 33, is a former coast guard officer turned lawyer.

Ms Siti Alia Abdul Rahim Mattar, 43, a former in-house counsel at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, is now a legal counsel in a multinational corporation.

The slate is also diverse in terms of gender and ethnicity. There are four women and 10 men, with three Malay candidates and two Indian candidates.

Said Mr Pritam Singh on April 20 when introducing the last batch of new faces: “Insofar as what the Workers’ Party has put forward to Singaporeans for this election... everybody brings something to the table.”

Diverse or similar?​

Other commentators have observed that the candidates also seem to have been picked based on their qualifications and credentials.

IPS Social Lab adjunct principal research fellow and academic adviser Tan Ern Ser said the WP’s new faces were mainly professionals, and with academic degrees.

Indeed, among the 14 new faces, all but one are graduates with at least a bachelor’s degree.

Seven also have a master’s degree, including Mr Thng who has a master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, while Dr Ong has a PhD.

On the calibre of candidates, Mr Harpreet Singh had said at his introduction on April 19: “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.”

Inevitably, comparisons have arisen between the new faces of the WP and the People’s Action Party.

While some commentators have said that the WP’s slate is not as outstanding, others have made the case that the opposition party’s candidates were just as “elite” as the PAP’s.

To Dr Tan, this is a case of “same, same, but different”, as people use both objective and subjective criteria to evaluate candidates.

“Well-qualified candidates are expected of the ruling party, but well-qualified candidates in a reputable opposition party are seen as exceptional,” he said.

Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, a senior international affairs analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore, said political parties that want to do well will have to field candidates who are “near the centre ground”.

To this end, there would be broad similarities between the candidates of the PAP and the WP.

Even then, they may differ in terms of how they view bread-and-butter issues and other policies, he added.

In putting forth new faces with “impressive profiles” this time around, the WP is continuing with the trend that had allowed it to win Sengkang GRC in 2020, he said.

Recruitment and renewal​

Since the WP won Aljunied GRC in 2011 – the first victory in a group representation constituency for any opposition party – it has had greater success in attracting new candidates.

In the 2015 General Election, the party fielded more professionals in its slate, including lawyers like Ms He Ting Ru, academic Daniel Goh and Mr Leon Perera, a former administrative officer in the civil service.

Associate Professor Goh and Mr Perera served as Non-Constituency MPs in the 13th term of Parliament. In the 2020 election, Ms He and Mr Perera became elected MPs.

The WP has also managed to refresh around half its slate in each election since 2015.

While the party has not announced which constituencies it will contest this time around, its activities on the ground suggest that it is likely to field candidates for 31 seats – in Aljunied GRC, Sengkang GRC, East Coast GRC, Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, Punggol GRC and Tampines GRC, as well as the single seats of Hougang, Jalan Kayu and Tampines Changkat.

Given that Mr Pritam Singh had also suggested at one of the press conferences that there could be more new faces revealed on Nomination Day, at least half of the party’s slate could be made up of new faces.

This was also the case in 2015, when 16 out of 28 candidates were new faces. In 2020, nine out of 21 were new faces.

Dr Tan put this down to the WP’s growing credibility.

“It is now seen as more attractive – electable, focused, and measured in its approach to politics – and perhaps, more importantly, has a positive electoral trajectory,” he said.

Dr Mustafa said having MPs in Parliament has helped the WP become more effective in recruiting candidates, as the public can see how the party has performed in the House.

Based on past elections, some of the more prominent new candidates fielded have also ended up being elected or co-opted into the party’s central executive committee after the election, regardless of whether they managed to make it into Parliament.

These include Mr Louis Chua and Associate Professor Jamus Lim, who were brought into the top decision-making body after the 2020 General Election, where they contested in Sengkang GRC and won.

This time around, the new WP candidates range in age from 33 to 59, with eight of the 14 in their 30s, and the rest in their 40s and 50s.

That the party is able to attract younger candidates is also key to its renewal, say analysts.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: Nee Soon MPs Louis Ng, Carrie Tan, Derrick Goh to step down from politics​

Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam wiping tears off Mr Louis Ng’s face at a doorstop on April 22.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY

Deepanraj Ganesan
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – Incumbent Nee Soon GRC MP Louis Ng, who was elected in 2015 and is known to be one of the most vocal MPs in Parliament, announced that he will step away from politics to spend more time with his three daughters.

Mr Ng announced his departure along with two fellow MPs from the same constituency, Ms Carrie Tan and Mr Derrick Goh, on April 22 at a media interview at Block 846 Yishun Ring Road.

They spoke to the media after a walkabout with the five-member team running in Nee Soon GRC, which Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam unveiled in a press briefing on April 21.

“I’m stepping away not because I stopped loving this job, really far from it, but being an MP has never just been a job for me. It’s been a calling, a deep privilege and, honestly, one of the greatest honours of my life,” said Mr Ng, who was visibly emotional. At one point, Mr Shanmugam helped him dab his tears away.

“I share a lot about my daughters in my speeches in Parliament,” he said. “But the truth is, I’ve missed a lot of important milestones in their childhood.”

He has one daughter aged 11, and a pair of twins aged eight.


Mr Shanmugam said that he and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had “spent many hours” persuading Mr Ng to stay, but ultimately understood his reasons for stepping down.

Mr Ng, who founded animal welfare group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) in 2001, will return to the non-profit sector.

“Armed with all my learnings and experience as an MP for the past decade... (I will) fight hard to build a more caring, compassionate and inclusive Singapore,” he said.

In a tongue-in-cheek social media post on April 22, in which he confirmed his decision not to stand for election as an MP for a third term, Mr Ng likened himself to a housefly while reflecting on his time in Parliament.

He said: “No matter how you swat and shoo me away, I keep coming back... to ask for more for fellow Singaporeans. I have done my best to speak up as much as I can and without fear or favour.”

Mr Ng, 46, is a two-term MP, while Ms Tan, 43, and Mr Goh, 57, have served one term each.

They were part of the PAP team that stood in Nee Soon GRC in the 2020 General Election, alongside Mr Shanmugam and Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, who is standing for re-election in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.

The team retained Nee Soon GRC with 61.9 per cent of the vote, against the Progress Singapore Party.

Mr Ng was elected to Parliament in 2015 and has represented the Nee Soon East ward within the group representation constituency since then. The lifelong social advocate was the most active MP in each of the last two terms.

In his recent term, he filed or clarified 728 parliamentary questions, up from 327 in the previous term.

He was also the most active debater, clocking 195 speeches or clarifications on Parliament’s items of business.

He first hinted at a departure from politics in a social media post on April 13, in which he posted a “report card” on his 10 years in Parliament.

He shared that he had raised 1,055 parliamentary questions, 15 adjournment motions, two private member’s motions, two private member’s Bills and one parliamentary petition, in addition to helping to “shape 269 pieces of legislation through my Bill speeches”.

He added that he was pleased to have spoken up about numerous topics, including issues surrounding single unwed parents, animal welfare, migrant workers, parental leave, climate change and the LGBTQ+ community.

Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam with incumbent Nee Soon MPs (on the right, from the back) Louis Ng, Carrie Tan and Derrick Goh, who are stepping down, and PAP new faces (on the left, from the back) Ms Lee Hui Ying, Mr Jackson Lam, Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi and Ms Goh Hanyan at a coffee shop at 846 Yishun Ring Road on April 22.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Ms Tan, the founder of charity Daughters Of Tomorrow, has represented the Nee Soon South ward since being elected into Parliament. She is also a transformation coach at Lightbearers Collective.

She said it was not an easy decision to step down from the constituency, but added that it is the right move to make way for someone younger and more energetic.

“I will be pursuing some of my own learning and development in the wellness space, and I will continue to be a change-maker and bring what I learnt back into the community to advocate for Singaporeans’ well-being,” she said.

Nee Soon GRC MP Carrie Tan with a resident near Yishun Ring Road on April 22.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Mr Shanmugam described Ms Tan as someone who is very enthusiastic about making things happen. He also noted that she had once earned praise from former US president Barack Obama as a change-maker and a young person with great potential.

On Mr Goh’s departure, Mr Shanmugam noted that his promotion to the post of DBS Bank’s group chief operating officer in February involves extensive travel that might compromise his work on the ground.

“We had long chats and Derrick felt that while... he would have been happy to carry on – and we wanted him to carry on – in the interest of residents, maybe someone else should come in and take over while he supports from the background,” he said.

He added that Mr Goh has made a difference in the lives of Nee Soon Link residents and across Nee Soon as town council chairman.

Nee Soon GRC MP Derrick Goh embracing a resident near Yishun Ring Road on April 22.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Mr Goh, who has been overseeing the Nee Soon Link ward, said: “I will be stepping aside, but not stepping away. As I settle down in my work, residents will continue to see me around.

“On this note, I want to thank all residents. I will definitely and deeply miss my residents, my volunteers, and I thank them for the support that they’ve given me. It’s been an honour and privilege to serve them all. I will cherish all these moments from the bottom of my heart.”

Several other politicians have also announced that they will not be seeking re-election in GE2025.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, the former anchor minister for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, said on April 18 that he would retire from politics after over two decades in the Cabinet. Two-term MP Chong Kee Hiong, who represented the Bishan East-Sin Ming ward in the GRC, will also not stand in the upcoming polls.

Others include Senior Minister of State for Transport and Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor, who was the MP for Hong Kah North SMC; first-term MP Don Wee, who represented the Brickland ward in Chua Chu Kang GRC; and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Maliki Osman, who announced his retirement from politics on April 21.

Besides Mr Shanmugam, the new slate in Nee Soon GRC comprises 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.

They will go up against a team from opposition party Red Dot United, led by party secretary-general Ravi Philemon.

 

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GE2025: At least four constituencies set for possible multi-cornered fights as Nomination Day looms​

Red Dot United secretary-general Ravi Philemon said the decision was made after talks with WP, which has also expressed interest in contesting in the SMC.PHOTO: ST FILE

Sue-Ann Tan
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE -The upcoming May 3 election could see multi-cornered fights taking place in at least four constituencies, although several parties have in the past days stepped away from some areas to avoid splitting the opposition vote.

In the lead-up to Nomination Day on April 23, two opposition parties have withdrawn from the newly carved out Jalan Kayu SMC, setting the scene for a straight fight between PAP and WP.

Red Dot United (RDU) secretary-general Ravi Philemon said on April 22 that the decision was made after talks with WP, which has also expressed interest in contesting the single-member constituency.

“As part of these conversations, we spoke with the WP leadership. During those exchanges, they expressed interest in contesting in Jalan Kayu. As discussions progressed, it became clear they intended to field a candidate there. They requested Jalan Kayu,” he said.

The People’s Power Party (PPP) said on the same day that it will no longer contest the Jalan Kayu and Tampines Changkat single seats.

PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng said: “As a party, we also want to give respect to the bigger parties... We have decided that we will actually have to disappoint our candidates, as well as our supporters.”

But the stage is still set for multi-way contests in other constituencies, namely Potong Pasir SMC, Tampines GRC, Sembawang GRC and Ang Mo Kio GRC.

The list of parties contesting in these areas will only be confirmed come Nomination Day on April 23, once party candidates successfully submit their nomination papers and other documents at the respective nomination centres.

On April 22, the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) confirmed its candidate for Potong Pasir SMC, Mr Williiamson Lee, who will be going up against PAP’s Alex Yeo.

The People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR) also said on April 18 that it would contest Potong Pasir, although it had not revealed its candidate yet.

In Sembawang GRC, another multi-way contest is shaping up, as the National Solidarity Party (NSP) could face off with the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the incumbent PAP team at the polls.

Leading NSP in Sembawang GRC is party secretary-general Spencer Ng, while the SDP slate includes party vice-chairman Bryan Lim Boon Heng and deputy head of policy James Gomez. The PAP team will be led by Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.

Meanwhile, in Ang Mo Kio GRC, PPP, led by party treasurer and limousine service provider William Lim, might come up against fellow opposition Singapore United Party (SUP) as well as the incumbent PAP team helmed by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

And in Tampines GRC, four parties – PPP, NSP, PAP and WP – are expected to contest there.

On April 20, NSP also announced that it would bow out from Sembawang West and Tampines Changkat SMCs to give way to fellow opposition parties to contest in those constituencies.

The party had initially been heading for a three-cornered fight in Sembwang West SMC with SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan and the ruling PAP. The PAP on April 22 said that it would field Ms Poh Li San there.

Over in Tampines Changkat, PAP’s Desmond Choo will contest, likely against the WP, according to activity on the ground.

Jalan Kayu was initially headed for a multi-cornered fight, with RDU, PAR and PPP originally expressing interest in March.

RDU had gone on its maiden walkabout in Jalan Kayu on March 21 and introduced Madam Kala Manickam, an educator and former Singapore Armed Forces officer, who was meant to lead the team there.

WP, too, had been spotted in the area, going door to door to hand out leaflets, residents told The Straits Times.

But on April 18, PAR pulled out of the Jalan Kayu contest.

The PAP announced a day later that labour chief Ng Chee Meng will contest in Jalan Kayu.

Mr Philemon said: “Jalan Kayu deserves the best possible representation in Parliament... But the more important question is how we ensure Jalan Kayu residents are represented clearly, firmly and honestly – without splitting the vote or weakening the voice of the opposition.”

He said RDU has consistently emphasised that opposition unity is essential, and it has been engaging various political party leaders about the situation in Jalan Kayu.

“This decision wasn’t made lightly. So far, we’ve invested time, effort, and approximately $5,000 in campaign materials and logistics,” Mr Philemon said, adding that stepping back was challenging.

“But ultimately, the greater cost is not to RDU – it’s the question of whether the best interests of citizens will be upheld.”

 

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GE2025: Where will the bigwigs run this election? All eyes on East Coast, Punggol, other ‘hot’ GRCs​

Faces to look out for on Nomination Day include (clockwise from top left): Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, WP chief Pritam Singh, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and senior counsel Harpreet Singh Nehal.ST PHOTOS: KUA CHEE SIONG, MARK CHEONG, BRIAN TEO, CHONG JUN LIANG

Kenneth Cheng
Apr 22, 2025


SINGAPORE – With less than a day to candidate nominations for the general election, question marks still hang over where several bigwigs from both the ruling PAP and the WP, Singapore’s main opposition party, will be fielded.

While the PAP has announced its line-up for 28 out of the 33 constituencies for the May 3 polls, it has kept resolutely mum on plans for the keenly watched East Coast GRC, as well as the Punggol and Tanjong Pagar GRCs.

This has raised questions about whether some of its heavyweights may be moved to other seats come Nomination Day on April 23.

Perhaps one of the biggest questions is whether Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat will continue to anchor the PAP’s East Coast GRC team, move to another constituency, or retire from politics.

There is also mystery around who will anchor the PAP’s Punggol GRC team, a new battleground where a showdown with the WP is expected.

The slate in Tanjong Pagar GRC, anchored by Education Minister Chan Chun Sing in the last election, also hangs in the balance after Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah’s surprise move to the new Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.

She will replace Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean. Observers said SM Teo could end up being fielded elsewhere, including in Punggol GRC.

The PAP’s candidates for the Queenstown and Radin Mas SMCs are also unconfirmed.

The ruling party is expected to be challenged at the polls for all 97 seats, with 10 opposition parties likely to field candidates when nomination proceedings close at noon on April 23.

On the other side of the aisle, the WP has publicly introduced 14 new candidates, but has otherwise played its electoral cards close to its chest.

It has thus far confirmed only where two of the 14 new faces will stand, and has not ruled out fielding more on Nomination Day.

Apart from its Aljunied GRC crown jewel, which it has held since 2011, Sengkang GRC that it won in 2020, and the Hougang single seat that has been in WP hands since 1991, the party has not confirmed the other constituencies it would contest.

All eyes will be on whether WP leaders – secretary-general Pritam Singh, chairwoman Sylvia Lim, vice-chairman Faisal Manap and policy research head Gerald Giam – will move out of Aljunied GRC to contest elsewhere, including in East Coast or Punggol GRCs.

While unsurprising, the PAP’s and WP’s reticence about revealing their line-ups in certain constituencies points to the likelihood of last-minute tactical moves, said political observers.

Here is a closer look at several of the nine nomination centres across the island that will be the focus of attention on the morning of April 23.

Eye on East Coast, Punggol​

Yusof Ishak Secondary School in Punggol – the site of nomination proceedings for East Coast, Punggol, Sengkang and Pasir Ris-Changi GRCs – will arguably be the most closely watched for surprise moves.

In 2020, the biggest 11th-hour surprise came from the PAP’s East Coast GRC team.

The first sign emerged a mere half-hour before nominations closed, when DPM Heng was spotted at the nomination centre. He was then a Tampines GRC incumbent.

As in previous elections, the composition of the PAP’s and WP’s East Coast GRC teams will attract keen interest this time, given the close contest expected. In 2020, the PAP narrowly eclipsed the WP with 53.39 per cent of the vote.

Another question mark is around where Culture, Community and Youth Minister Edwin Tong will be fielded.

He is widely expected to move from the current Marine Parade GRC to East Coast GRC, which will absorb his Joo Chiat ward.

Dr Gillian Koh, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), is of the view that Mr Tong will “most certainly anchor” East Coast GRC.

“The question is whether DPM Heng will remain there to be a co-anchor or be mobilised elsewhere,” she said.

Associate Professor Eugene Tan, a political analyst and SMU law don, said it remains unclear if Mr Tong may be deployed elsewhere, outside East Coast or Marine Parade.

For now, Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim – senior vice-president for strategy and communications at advisory firm Teneo – is set to run in East Coast GRC.

She will succeed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Maliki Osman, who is retiring. Incumbent Cheryl Chan has said she will also retire from politics.

Besides DPM Heng, the other incumbents in the constituency are Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How and Ms Jessica Tan.

On the WP front, there is talk that it could field senior counsel Harpreet Singh Nehal – regarded a “star catch” for the party – in East Coast GRC.

“I don’t want to be parachuted anywhere safe,” Mr Harpreet Singh had said in an interview on April 11.

Also set to unravel at Yusof Ishak Secondary are the PAP and WP line-ups for Punggol GRC.

SM Teo has been seen with PAP new face Foo Cexiang, a former director at the Ministry of Transport, along with incumbents overseeing estates in Punggol. They are Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary, Minister of State Sun Xueling and Ms Yeo Wan Ling.

IPS’ Dr Koh said SM Teo is free to be redeployed to Punggol GRC, as he is not contesting Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.

She added that he has the “gravitas to carry the ground”.

The WP has also been walking the ground in Punggol over the past year, with teams led by former Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong spotted in recent months.

Aljunied, Tampines line-ups​

Other hot seats where the WP’s nominations are likely to go down to the wire are in Aljunied and Tampines GRCs.

Poi Ching School in Tampines will be where candidates vying for these group representation constituencies, as well as the Tampines Changkat and Hougang single seats, will submit their nomination papers.

While the PAP has confirmed its line-up for Aljunied and Tampines GRCs, the WP has not.

In Aljunied GRC, the ruling party will field Ms Chan Hui Yuh, Dr Faisal Abdul Aziz, Mr Daniel Liu, Dr Adrian Ang and Mr Jagathishwaran Rajo.

The WP has said it will field new face Kenneth Tiong, a tech start-up director, there, but has not confirmed the rest of its slate.

Dr Koh said there is a possibility that Mr Pritam Singh, Ms Lim and Mr Giam could be redeployed to new constituencies.

“This will be backed up by its new recruits, some of whom seem to be relatively accomplished professionals and others who have had time volunteering with it,” she noted.

Farther east, Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli will lead the PAP’s Tampines GRC team for the second time, with former army chief David Neo and marketing professor Charlene Chen on the ticket with incumbents, Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng.

Among those tipped to be fielded in Tampines GRC for the WP include Mr Andre Low, a dispute lawyer-turned-consultant, payment expert Jasper Kuan, and Mr Jimmy Tan, co-founder of an industrial equipment supplying firm.

There has also been talk that Mr Faisal could move from Aljunied GRC to lead the WP team in Tampines GRC.

IPS’ Dr Koh said Tampines GRC may be in play for the WP, despite the National Solidarity Party also expressing interest in it.

She pointed to Mr Pritam Singh’s comment on April 19 that the party has no interest in making way for other opposition parties and does not attend talks organised to avoid multi-cornered battles.

Ultimately, said SMU’s Prof Tan, the question is where the WP will field its strongest GRC team, putting aside its Aljunied and Sengkang GRC slates.

“The fact that the PAP has not revealed its full complement and line-ups for a few GRCs, and the WP is unlikely to even reveal who is contesting where before Nomination Day, will likely mean that there will be last-minute tactical changes,” he noted.

It is unsurprising, added Prof Tan, that the tactical switches will involve constituencies where the PAP and WP are likely to go head-to-head.

Dr Koh said that while the parties may believe there is a tactical advantage in holding their cards close to their chests, this could disadvantage the side whose candidates are new to the ground.

The residents there, she noted, would have less time to get to know the candidates.

Other constituencies to watch​

Kong Hwa School, the nomination centre for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, and Deyi Secondary School, which will host candidates contesting Jalan Kayu SMC, will also be ones to watch, said Prof Tan.

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng will lead the PAP’s team in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC. It includes new face Diana Pang, a business development director, Minister of State Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim and incumbents Seah Kian Peng and Tin Pei Ling.

While the WP has not shown its cards in that constituency either, several candidates who contested in 2020 could make a return. IT professional Nathaniel Koh, lawyer Fadli Fawzi and a new face, communications professional Jackson Au, have been making their rounds in the constituency.

In Jalan Kayu, the PAP is fielding labour chief Ng Chee Meng, who is seeking a comeback after his Sengkang GRC loss in 2020.

His challengers are, however, not known yet.

The WP is likely to contest the single seat, which is newly carved out of Ang Mo Kio GRC.

Should the WP increase its share of seats or popular vote at the polls, this may “well be a milestone in Singapore’s transition from a one-party dominant system”, said Prof Tan.

The coming election will happen under the growing shadow of a trade war ignited by sweeping US tariffs, and geopolitical uncertainty and turmoil.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is leading the PAP into a general election for the first time as secretary-general, has said the polls take place amid profound changes across the world and carry far greater stakes.

The stakes involved include how Singapore’s interest is defended on the global stage, and how the nation will navigate stormy weather to secure lives and livelihoods for its people, he added at the launch of the PAP manifesto on April 17.

“This SG60 election is ultimately about our future,” he said.

• Kenneth Cheng is assistant news editor at The Straits Times. He oversees transport coverage, spanning the land transport, aviation and maritime sectors.

 

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GE2025: Ong Ye Kung to lead PAP team in Sembawang GRC, Poh Li San to stand in Sembawang West SMC​

(From left) Ms Mariam Jaafar, Mr Gabriel Lam, Minister Ong Ye Kung, Mr Ng Shi Xuan, Mr Vikram Nair and Ms Poh Li San at the announcement of PAP candidates for Sembawang GRC and Sembawang West SMC on April 22. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Zaihan Mohamed Yusof and Shabana Begum
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – Health Minister Ong Ye Kung will lead the PAP’s five-member team for Sembawang GRC, which will include two new faces – Mr Ng Shi Xuan, 35, and Mr Gabriel Lam, 42.

At a press conference on April 22, Mr Ong confirmed that his Sembawang GRC team will be rounded out with incumbent MPs Vikram Nair and Mariam Jaafar.

Meanwhile, Ms Poh Li San will contest the new single seat of Sembawang West against Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan at the coming polls.

Mr Ong said the Sembawang slate will be the PAP’s final line-up announcement ahead of Nomination Day on April 23, which leaves open who the ruling party will field in Tanjong Pagar GRC, and expected tough contests in East Coast and Punggol GRCs.

Four-term Sembawang MP Lim Wee Kiak was not at the briefing, and Mr Ong had earlier paid tribute to the ophthalmologist at a community event on April 13.

Mr Ong said on April 22 that he could not yet confirm Dr Lim’s retirement, given that Nomination Day deployments are “a complicated jigsaw (and) there’s always a need for backup and a contingency plan”.

Dr Lim’s successor in Sembawang GRC’s Canberra ward is Mr Ng, who is the director of a battery company.

Previously a public servant, he had been a grassroots volunteer in MacPherson for a decade and was vice-chairman of the MacPherson Youth Network. Mr Ng said he is passionate about young people’s health and mental well-being, and hopes to speak up for local businesses if elected.

“I run a small business, selling batteries, and I know the struggles. Too much paperwork, too many rules… Our SMEs hire 70 per cent of our workforce. Cutting red tape and helping them grow is one way to take care of our Singaporeans,” he added.

If elected, he wants to push the Government to offer more test beds for businesses to trial new ideas, and also for a faster national adoption of electric vehicles.

Mr Lam, who is chief operating officer of moving company Shalom International Movers, said he wants to champion families and second chances.

He has been involved with Yellow Ribbon Singapore since 2011 and is also an ambassador for the Central Narcotics Bureau’s United Against Drugs Coalition.

“I understand fully the importance of second chances, and second chances apply not just to those who have been incarcerated, but also to those who have made decisions in life that led to hardship,” he said.

Ms Poh, who represented Sembawang West when it was part of Sembawang GRC, said her residents know her well, as she has been working hard on the ground, and has implemented a lot of changes in her ward.

The one-term MP said she has also been voicing her residents’ concerns in Parliament, particularly on jobs and employment.

On going up against Dr Chee in a straight fight, Ms Poh said residents should consider what each political party brings to the leadership of Singapore, especially in this critical period when the future looks uncertain.

She said her record speaks for itself, and she will put up a good fight, and that voters will make their decisions on May 3.

Mr Ong said the PAP’s manifesto for Sembawang will be released on April 23, and that the constituency has “many years, and even decades, of development ahead of it”.

Gesturing towards the nearby Sembawang Shipyard, he said its impending move to Tuas from 2026 will free up a big coastal area – next to a park and colonial houses – for future use.

The minister said there is no already-fixed masterplan for the area, nor is there one for the space next to the upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System station in Woodlands.

“We will launch quite a big exercise, as we always do, to engage residents to really imagine what can be built,” he added.

A three-way fight is expected in Sembawang GRC, which has more than 133,000 voters, with the SDP and the National Solidarity Party (NSP) having declared their intentions to contest there.

In the 2020 General Election, the PAP won Sembawang GRC with 67.29 per cent of the vote against the NSP.

 

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GE2025: Poh Li San to contest new Sembawang West SMC, against SDP’s Chee Soon Juan​

Ms Poh Li San, 50, said she expects a “tough one-on-one fight against the leader of the SDP”.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

Shabana Begum
Apr 22, 2025


SINGAPORE - Ms Poh Li San will contest the new Sembawang West SMC under the PAP banner, and is set to face Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) secretary-general Chee Soon Juan at the polls.

Ms Poh, 50, an incumbent MP for Sembawang GRC, looks after the Sembawang West ward. She announced her candidacy at a press conference at Beaulieu House on April 22, where the ruling party also confirmed its five-member slate for Sembawang GRC.

Ms Poh, who addressed the media in Malay, Mandarin and English, said she expects a “tough one-on-one fight against the leader of the SDP”.

“The contest ahead may look daunting, but I’m not one who will shy away from difficult challenges,” she said.

She believes residents will be fair-minded enough to “discern clearly between who has done real work and is committed to stay here and continue to work for them, versus someone who just shows up one month before the election”.

Ms Poh, who is contesting for a second term, cited examples of issues she has championed on behalf of her constituents, including upgrading infrastructure and improving public health.


If elected, her plans include upgrading homes and common spaces; enhancing support for seniors, including opening two new active ageing centres; expanding outdoor programmes to engage youth meaningfully; and strengthening mental wellness in the community.

“Residents in Sembawang West, they know me very well because I am hard-working... I’ve been on the ground a lot, (building) very strong rapport with our residents,” she said.

Ms Poh added that the global uncertainty, possible recession and rising unemployment will pose serious challenges for Singapore, and this would require a strong team and bold ideas.

“Now is the time for taking risks, because as a small country, this is the only way we can survive this looming crisis,” she said.

“This must be done by a team that has done it before and with the interests of Singaporeans at heart, not by reckless populists. The PAP government has taken a big risk to secure the peace and prosperity of Singapore, and each time, we have come out better and stronger.”


Ms Poh, who is senior vice-president at Changi Airport Group, has close ties to Sembawang as a former helicopter pilot operating out of Sembawang Air Base.

She is also president of the Singapore Table Tennis Association, and was previously the first woman to be appointed a full-time aide-de-camp to the late President S R Nathan.

In the 2020 General Election, Ms Poh was part of a five-member team, led by then Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, that garnered 67.29 per cent of the vote in Sembawang GRC against the National Solidarity Party (NSP).

The new Sembawang West SMC has about 24,000 voters who all live in Housing Board flats.

Dr Chee decided to contest in Sembawang West SMC after Bukit Batok SMC, where he had been active, was redrawn into the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.

While NSP initially expressed its intention to contest the Sembawang West single seat, it bowed out on April 20 to avoid a three-cornered fight.

 

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GE2025: Multi-cornered fights expected in Tampines, Ang Mo Kio as People’s Power Party stakes claim​

People's Power Party secretary-general Goh Meng Seng (front row, third from left) and his team members speaking at a press conference on April 22. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO

Gabrielle Chan
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – The stage is set for multi-cornered fights in Ang Mo Kio and Tampines GRCs in the upcoming election, after the People’s Power Party (PPP) announced on April 22 that it will contest both constituencies.

PPP had earlier indicated that it was preparing to contest Tampines Changkat SMC, Nee Soon GRC and Jalan Kayu SMC.

It later backed out of running in Nee Soon GRC to give way to Red Dot United (RDU). It will also not contest Tampines Changkat SMC or Jalan Kayu SMC.

PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng, 55, will lead the Tampines team, which comprises operations executive Vere Nathan, 26, green technology firm founder Peter Soh, 65, entrepreneur Arbaah Haroun, 50, and party chairman Derrick Sim, 44, who is a financial planner.

For Ang Mo Kio, its candidates are former civil servant Martinn Ho, 64, safety coordinator Thaddeus Thomas, 43, horticulturist Heng Zheng Dao, 24, and IT engineer Samuel Lee, 33. The team will be led by party treasurer and limousine service provider William Lim, 47.

Mr Goh said in a press conference at the Jayleen 1918 hotel on April 22: “There are a lot of contestants in different places with conflicted interests.”


On the party’s decision to pull out of the contests in Tampines Changkat and Jalan Kayu, he said: “As a party, we also want to give respect to the bigger parties... We have decided that we will actually have to disappoint our candidates, as well as our supporters.”

The move sets up a likely fight in Jalan Kayu between labour chief Ng Chee Meng from the PAP and a candidate from the Workers’ Party, after the People’s Alliance for Reform and RDU backed out of the single-member constituency.

Tampines will be the most hotly contested GRC in this election, with four parties currently staking their claims.

Other than the incumbent PAP – the team is helmed by Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli – the WP and the National Solidarity Party (NSP) are also expected to contest Tampines GRC.

In Ang Mo Kio, PPP will be going up against the PAP team led by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and the Singapore United Party (SUP).

People’s Power Party members bowing during the party’s press conference at Jayleen 1918 hotel on April 22.ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Mr Goh apologised to the NSP and SUP for “this conflict”, with the team also bowing at the press conference.

When asked why PPP has chosen to contest Ang Mo Kio and Tampines GRCs, he said: “Our personalities are very important, especially as a leader. So we have walked around everywhere, and we found that in terms of recognition... I’m the strongest because I stay there almost for all my life.”

In its manifesto issued on April 4, the party’s key policy suggestions included monthly payouts of $300 for each child from families that earn a household income at or below the 70th percentile of the population until the child finishes secondary school.

It also suggested that employees’ contribution to the Central Provident Fund be reduced to 5 per cent from the current 20 per cent, and that essential groceries and healthcare services be exempt from the goods and services tax.

Members of the two PPP teams also spoke at the press conference – except for Mr Soh, who was not present – highlighting issues such as job insecurity for young Singaporeans, the cost of living, the environment, and foreign labour.

The mood was relaxed and, at times, emotional as members – including Mr Goh – became teary as they spoke about their reasons for wanting to contest this time. Mr Lee even broke out in song as he called for the election to “make Singapore home again”.

PPP’s chairman, Mr Sim, who told the media that he is a former police officer, wants to help shape policies if elected. He said: “I’m here with a mission to change and push certain laws in Parliament. I’m not here for fame.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

The Usual Place Podcast​

Winning a constituency would help PSP attract young talent: Hazel Poa​

Chin Hui Shan
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – Among the political aspirants that have been introduced to voters ahead of the May 3 General Election, those from the opposition PSP stand out for being older than those in the PAP and WP.

Just one new potential Progress Singapore Party candidate is under 40 years old.

PSP vice-chairperson Hazel Poa said the party has trouble finding young blood to stand as its candidates.

“Facts are facts. We have been trying to reach out to younger voters and also to recruit younger candidates, but the problem that we have been facing is that they’re usually more hesitant,” said Ms Poa.

“A lot of them actually worry about their career prospects if they are seen to be opposition candidates.”

Winning a constituency in the upcoming election would help the party overcome this hurdle and persuade more to become candidates in future, she said.

Ms Poa was speaking on The Straits Times’ current affairs podcast The Usual Place on April 22, during which she was asked what the party was doing to shake off its image that it was composed of mostly older members.


The discussion with ST correspondent and podcast host Natasha Ann Zachariah also featured Ms Poa’s husband, potential PSP candidate Tony Tan, who is likely to run in Kebun Baru SMC.

The PSP’s only candidate under the age of 40 is Ms Stephanie Tan, a 37-year-old homemaker with a law degree who will likely be contesting Pioneer SMC.

Meanwhile, political pundits say the other two political parties with a parliamentary presence are entering this general election with party renewal high on the agenda.

Almost half of the PAP’s 32 new faces are in their 30s, and eight out of 14 of the WP’s new candidates are under 40.

Asked for PSP’s pitch to young voters, Mr Tan urged these people to get involved in politics and not be afraid of speaking up.

“If they feel that certain things are not working, they must have the courage to speak up... If there are certain things that they want, they ought to push for it,” he said.

Ms Poa added that the PSP is open to new ideas and this should appeal to young voters.

“Age is just a number. (What’s) more important is the mindset. I feel that to be young in your mindset means that you must be open-minded to new ideas and willing to test out new ideas and think of new ways of doing things,” she said.

“In PSP, I think we have been rather forthcoming in challenging the norms and bringing forth new ideas.”

Ms Poa said people initially joined the party because of founder and chairman Tan Cheng Bock, but the more recent joiners said they could relate to the issues that she and party secretary-general Leong Mun Wai have raised in Parliament.

Both Ms Poa and Mr Leong are outgoing Non-Constituency MPs (NCMPs). In the 2020 General Election, they were part of the PSP’s West Coast GRC team that narrowly lost to the PAP.

This general election, they will be part of the party’s A-team, led by Dr Tan, that will contest the newly formed West Coast-Jurong West GRC.

Asked whether this is akin to putting all the party’s eggs in one basket, Ms Poa replied that the PSP had considered spreading risk.

“At one stage, the party did agree that I can go to (an) SMC, but subsequently... they felt that it is best for the three of us to be in the same team in West Coast-Jurong West GRC. I’ve had to change my plans on quite short notice, actually,” she said.

“Eventually, I think we feel that because it was the West Coast residents who sent me and Mun Wai into Parliament as NCMPs... we should stay (in West Coast).”

PSP vice-chairperson Hazel Poa (left) and potential PSP candidate Tony Tan are guests on The Usual Place podcast.ST PHOTO: JAMIE KOH
Electoral boundary changes have moved some 41,000 voters from the Taman Jurong and Jurong Spring wards of the old Jurong GRC to the new West Coast-Jurong West GRC.

Ms Poa noted that the changes have made it more challenging for the team and “moved the bar higher” for them, but said the party is undaunted.

“Over the past 4½ years, we have maintained our interactions with the West Coast residents,” said Ms Poa, adding that reception has been “fairly warm”.

She added that the responses from the residents in Taman Jurong and Jurong Spring have been “quite encouraging”.

Meanwhile, Mr Tony Tan is running under the PSP banner for the first time, but it will not be his first time contesting an election.

He contested the 2011 General Election with the National Solidarity Party.

Mr Tan pointed out that Kebun Baru has “quite a lot of elderly folk” – he hopes to come up with programmes to support them – and young couples who have to juggle looking after elderly parents and children.

“(These families) remind me of when I was younger... My mum had to be on her own when I went overseas to study,” said Mr Tan, who was raised by a single mother.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: SPP confirms candidates for Potong Pasir, Bishan-Toa Payoh ahead of Nomination Day​

Singapore People’s Party treasurer Williiamson Lee will be going up against PAP’s Alex Yeo.ST PHOTO: HESTER TAN

Gabrielle Chan
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – The opposition Singapore People’s Party (SPP) will contest Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Potong Pasir SMC, with party secretary-general Steve Chia confirming its candidates for the respective areas in the upcoming election.

Party treasurer Williiamson Lee will be standing in the single-seat constituency, while Mr Chia will be fielded in the four-member GRC, the party said.

Mr Chia’s April 22 announcement sets the stage for a possible three-cornered fight in Potong Pasir, which is the SPP’s former stronghold.

The SPP’s team members for Bishan-Toa Payoh are party chairman Melvyn Chiu, 46, operations executive Muhammad Norhakim, 31, and operations manager Mr Lim Rui Xian, 37.

SPP had introduced the five candidates it would be fielding in this general election on April 19, but stopped short of confirming the respective slates.

In Potong Pasir, Mr Lee will be going up against PAP’s Mr Alex Yeo, 46, who is standing in place of incumbent MP Sitoh Yih Pin.


The People’s Alliance for Reform had also said it would contest Potong Pasir, although it has not revealed its candidate yet.

Meanwhile, SPP’s Bishan-Toa Payoh team will be going up against the PAP team led by Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat, economist Saktiandi Supaat and two new faces – charity director Elysa Chen and social entrepreneur Cai Yinzhou.

Mr Chia described Mr Lee, 46 and self-employed, as a “steadfast member of our party for two decades” and “no stranger to the campaign trail”.

Mr Lee contested Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC during the 2020 General Election, as part of the team that included Mr Chia, Mr Chiu and Mr Osman Sulaiman.

The SPP team garnered 32.77 per cent of the votes, losing to the PAP team consisting of Dr Ng Eng Hen, Mr Chee, Mr Chong Kee Hiong and Mr Saktiandi.

In March, SPP staked claims on familiar party grounds Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Potong Pasir SMC.

Potong Pasir was once SPP’s stronghold, being held by veteran MP Chiam See Tong for 27 years. Mr Chiam, now 90 and retired, won the seat in 1984 when he beat the PAP’s Mr Mah Bow Tan.

In 2011, SPP’s Mrs Lina Chiam, wife of Mr Chiam, lost to the PAP’s Mr Sitoh Yih Pin by 114 votes.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

PAP’s new faces on Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC slate hope to rally more support for social needs​

Ms Elysa Chen (left) and Mr Cai Yinzhou are the two new candidates being fielded in the four-member Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.ST PHOTOS: DESMMOND FOO, BRIAN TEO
Lim Min Zhang
Apr 22, 2025

SINGAPORE – With more than a decade of volunteering under her belt, new PAP candidate Elysa Chen is used to walking the ground and listening to people’s needs, giving her a taste of the hard work that goes into grassroots politics.

When the May 3 polls come around, she said, she hopes her track record speaks for itself.

Although she said she is very much the “newbie on the block”, with more experienced PAP teammates like Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat and Mr Saktiandi Supaat, getting to work on the ground is not new to her.

Speaking to The Straits Times on April 22, Ms Chen, 41, addressed a common criticism lobbed at new PAP candidates who are fielded in safe group representation constituencies helmed by an anchor minister.

“I’m not a babe in the woods,” she said. “Yes, it’s my first election, but I’m used to serving people, and I have a track record of finding solutions to problems.”

The former journalist and junior college teacher was also a church youth pastor earlier in her career.


After volunteering with CampusImpact as a tutor, she was in 2018 appointed executive director of the charity, which helps disadvantaged youth. She has done volunteer work since her journalist days from 2007 to 2011, and joined the PAP in October 2023.

Ms Chen is one of two new candidates being fielded in the four-member Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, which the PAP has won handily in the last two general elections.

The other is executive director of Chinatown Heritage Centre Cai Yinzhou, 35, who said he, too, believes every vote is hard won.

Before his candidacy was announced, he was better known for social advocacy work, such as for migrant workers.

If elected, he is expected to take over Toa Payoh Central, which was overseen by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, who is retiring from politics after 24 years.

Mr Cai said: “I think the focus for me in this election is to earn that trust, walk the ground, hear the needs and issues, and in this period, to also work together with the team to serve the broader GRC.

“We cannot take any area in this election or any election for granted – that people will naturally vote for you.”

In the last two general elections, the PAP secured a vote share in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC that was higher than the national average. In 2020, the PAP team won 67.23 per cent of the votes in the GRC against the Singapore People’s Party (SPP), higher than the PAP’s overall vote share of 61.23 per cent.

A rematch is on the cards for this election. An SPP slate, likely to be led by secretary-general Steve Chia, is expected to go up against the PAP team helmed by Mr Chee.

Mr Cai was one of incumbent Nee Soon GRC MP Louis Ng’s legislative assistants for about five years, since 2018, when he joined the party. Legislative assistants help MPs carry out research for proposals they bring to Parliament.

If elected, Mr Cai said, he hopes to rally people to support identified needs in society, giving the example of helping migrant workers during the pandemic.

In 2020, he co-founded a group to distribute essential goods such as meals, groceries and toiletries to migrant workers. He was nominated for The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year award that year.

“That has been my belief – that if we see issues in the community, we can solve it together.

“That’s something that the new role of being an MP will allow greater impact to the community of Toa Payoh,” said Mr Cai, a father to two young children, including a newborn.

Likewise, Ms Chen – whose son turns two in June – said she hopes to bring along her social sector experience if she gets a chance to enter Parliament.

She added that she feels strongly about better support for mental health and social workers. For instance, standard sick leave could be allowed to be used for mental health issues, and postnatal care for mothers needs to be expanded, she added.

Said Ms Chen: “Social workers are often overstretched, and we must invest in both their numbers and their development... We should make sure they’re equipped, supported and recognised.”