WP's Chen Show Mao has good credentials: George Yeo
By Teo Wan Gek
Aljunied GRC resident Ong Mui Hwa (centre), 70, and her grandnephew Aaron meeting (from left) PAP newcomer Ong Ye Kung and the GRC's current MPs George Yeo, Lim Hwee Hua, Cynthia Phua and Zainul Abidin Rasheed, during the PAP team's walkabout at a hawker centre in Bedok Reservoir Road yesterday. -- ST PHOTO: TERENCE TAN
With the battle in Aljunied GRC possibly pitting Mr George Yeo's People's Action Party team against the Workers' Party's strongest team, Mr Yeo yesterday weighed in on the star catch on the other side - lawyer Chen Show Mao.
At a market visit in Eunos in the morning, Mr Yeo told The Sunday Times: 'He has got very good credentials. I'm looking forward to knowing more about him.'
Mr Chen, 50, a Beijing-based lawyer, has been spotted wearing WP colours during walkabouts in Aljunied GRC. He arrived in Singapore last weekend for the WP's election activities.
A partner in international law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell's Beijing office, he studied economics at Harvard University and languages and history at Oxford University, and obtained a law doctorate from Stanford University. He also sits on the advisory board of the Singapore Management University law school.
If he does contest the GRC, he may join WP chairman Sylvia Lim, who has indicated her interest in running there again.
In 2006, she led her party's 'A' team to secure 43.9 per cent of valid votes, making Aljunied GRC the most hotly contested constituency.
The PAP and the WP teams have yet to cross paths, however.
Mr Yeo said that although his branch activists have spotted the WP 'here and there', he has not met them.
'I've been on the ground every day but I've not seen them yet,' he said.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister remained tight-lipped on the PAP team's line-up.
Four of the five current Aljunied GRC MPs were present at the walkabout yesterday - Mr Yeo, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Hwee Hua, Senior Minister of State (Foreign Affairs) Zainul Abidin Rasheed, and MP Cynthia Phua.
New PAP candidate Ong Ye Kung, 41, an assistant secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress, was present as well. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, the fifth MP in the original line-up, was not there. Much of his Aljunied-Hougang ward is now under Ang Mo Kio GRC.
Of those present, Mr George Yeo said: 'This is a possible line-up.'
But he added that he is 'not in a position to confirm this, because the Prime Minister will decide'.
By Teo Wan Gek
Aljunied GRC resident Ong Mui Hwa (centre), 70, and her grandnephew Aaron meeting (from left) PAP newcomer Ong Ye Kung and the GRC's current MPs George Yeo, Lim Hwee Hua, Cynthia Phua and Zainul Abidin Rasheed, during the PAP team's walkabout at a hawker centre in Bedok Reservoir Road yesterday. -- ST PHOTO: TERENCE TAN
With the battle in Aljunied GRC possibly pitting Mr George Yeo's People's Action Party team against the Workers' Party's strongest team, Mr Yeo yesterday weighed in on the star catch on the other side - lawyer Chen Show Mao.
At a market visit in Eunos in the morning, Mr Yeo told The Sunday Times: 'He has got very good credentials. I'm looking forward to knowing more about him.'
Mr Chen, 50, a Beijing-based lawyer, has been spotted wearing WP colours during walkabouts in Aljunied GRC. He arrived in Singapore last weekend for the WP's election activities.
A partner in international law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell's Beijing office, he studied economics at Harvard University and languages and history at Oxford University, and obtained a law doctorate from Stanford University. He also sits on the advisory board of the Singapore Management University law school.
If he does contest the GRC, he may join WP chairman Sylvia Lim, who has indicated her interest in running there again.
In 2006, she led her party's 'A' team to secure 43.9 per cent of valid votes, making Aljunied GRC the most hotly contested constituency.
The PAP and the WP teams have yet to cross paths, however.
Mr Yeo said that although his branch activists have spotted the WP 'here and there', he has not met them.
'I've been on the ground every day but I've not seen them yet,' he said.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister remained tight-lipped on the PAP team's line-up.
Four of the five current Aljunied GRC MPs were present at the walkabout yesterday - Mr Yeo, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Hwee Hua, Senior Minister of State (Foreign Affairs) Zainul Abidin Rasheed, and MP Cynthia Phua.
New PAP candidate Ong Ye Kung, 41, an assistant secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress, was present as well. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, the fifth MP in the original line-up, was not there. Much of his Aljunied-Hougang ward is now under Ang Mo Kio GRC.
Of those present, Mr George Yeo said: 'This is a possible line-up.'
But he added that he is 'not in a position to confirm this, because the Prime Minister will decide'.
