SINGAPORE: As a People’s Action Party (PAP) MP, Dr Tan Cheng Bock, 85, had contributed much to Singapore and to the Ayer Rajah ward where he had served for many years, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee on Sunday (Apr 20)
Adding that he respects Dr Tan for what he has achieved, Mr Lee said he nevertheless hopes to offer residents living in West Coast-Jurong West GRC a mix of younger and more experienced candidates “in order to tackle the new challenges that we face in the years ahead”.
Mr Lee was answering a question about the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) founder, who will be contesting West Coast-Jurong West GRC in the May 3 polls, facing off against Mr Lee’s team.
Dr Tan, who was first elected into parliament in 1980 under the PAP and had served at the constituency for 26 years until 2006, said on Sunday that the coming elections is likely to be his last.
“(Dr Tan) has brought benefits to the residents, and my team and I respect the work he’s done and the contributions he’s made to Singapore and to Ayer Rajah,” said Mr Lee.
He was speaking to the media after the launch of a National Trades Union Congress’ (NTUC) Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) job fair at Boon Lay Community Club, where the media asked several questions related to the PSP team that will be contesting the ward.
The opposition party unveiled its lineup of candidates in the constituency on Sunday. Apart from Dr Tan, the slate also includes secretary-general Leong Mun Wai, vice-chairperson Hazel Poa, as well as new faces Sani Ismail and Sumarleki Amjah.
Dr Tan, Mr Leong, and Ms Poa were part of the PSP team that narrowly lost to PAP in West Coast GRC during the 2020 General Election.
Asked about the possibility of a rematch between PSP and PAP this election, Mr Lee noted that the candidates on both sides are “known quantities” that have interacted with each other for some time.
“We know each other. We’ve interacted with each other over the years in parliament, but also in the community,” said Mr Lee.
He added: “These are things that Singaporeans know, and so it’s not a matter of uncertainty coming into this General Election and in a way, I think, better give Singaporeans the opportunity to decide.”
The GRC, formerly known as West Coast, was the most hotly contested constituency in the 2020 General Election. Then, the PAP won with 51.69 per cent of the vote against PSP, which secured two Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) seats for Mr Leong and Ms Poa.
On Sunday, Mr Lee was joined by new face, Dr Hamid Razak, who was introduced earlier this week as part of the PAP’s team in West Coast-Jurong West GRC in the upcoming General Election.
The five-member slate includes lawyer Cassandra Lee, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Shawn Huang, and former West Coast GRC incumbent MP Ang Wei Neng.
The ward has undergone significant boundary changes following the latest electoral map review. It now includes parts of Jurong West and Taman Jurong, leading to its new name – West Coast-Jurong West GRC. The electorate has grown to 158,581 voters.
ADDRESSING JOB CONCERNS IN WEST COAST
At e2i’s “Bringing Jobs to Your Doorstep” event, Mr Lee met community stakeholders, signed a memorandum to help Singapore workers, and greeted jobseekers from the district.
Apart from Dr Hamid, PAP new face and trade unionist Natasha Choy was also spotted at the event as a guest.
The event was aimed at making job and skills-related resources more accessible for residents in the GRC by bringing support into the neighbourhood. More than 3,500 job vacancies were featured during the fair.
On this point, Mr Lee said the team is committed to continuing and expanding his team’s “Jobs @ West Coast” initiative….
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