SingFirst unveils first batch of candidates
The five candidates introduced on Friday include secretary-general Tan Jee Say, media consultant Fahmi Rais, sales executive Melvin Chew Weng Hoe, risk manager Chirag Desai and former IT consultant Wong Chee Wai Gregory.
SingFirst sec-gen Tan Jee Say introducing his party's GE candidates. (Photo: Eileen Poh)
SINGAPORE:Opposition party Singaporeans First (SingFirst) on Friday (Aug 28) unveiled its first batch of candidates for the coming General Election and announced its party slogan, "Restore our nation"
The five candidates introduced include secretary-general Tan Jee Say, and new faces CEC member Fahmi Rais, Mr Melvin Chew Weng Hoe, Mr Chirag Desai and Mr Wong Chee Wai Gregory. Mr Tan says where the candidates will be contesting will only be unveiled on Nomination Day. SingFirst is expected to field 10 candidates in the Tanjong Pagar and Jurong Group Representation Consituencies (GRCs).
Mr Tan Jee Say says the party slogan stems from the need to "take back our country from the Government that has given the country away to foreigners".
Explaining the slogan, he said: "All the pies, all the sweet pies have been taken by foreigners, foreign-born workers. And the Prime Minister says he doesn't care about the Gini coefficient as long as he can get 10 billionaires to stay in Singapore.”
The influx of foreigners, which has led to strains on the public transport system and stiffer competition for jobs, is a hot-button issue at this General Election.
Tan Jee Say, 61, Secretary-General of Singaporeans First
The former civil servant worked in the Ministry of Trade and Industry from 1979 to 1985. He entered politics at the 2011 General Election, contesting Holland-Bukit Timah GRC under the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) banner. His SDP team lost to the PAP securing 40 per cent of the vote. That same year, he contested the Presidential Election, securing 25 per cent of the vote.
Mr Tan wants to focus on strengthening financial support for families.
Mr Fahmi Rais, 48, communications and media consultant
Mr Fahmi, a broadcast veteran from Malay television, has previously worked in several top communication and creative agencies. A former People’s Action Party (PAP) member, he said: "I'm not quite new in politics. I've been doing political works as far back as 1991, with the other side of course.”
Mr Wong Chee Wai Gregory, 48, self-employed
Mr Wong was an IT consultant but is now self-employed. He wanted to go to pursue his PhD in 2014, but was convinced by Mr Tan to delay that pursuit to build up the party. "The country is in pretty bad shape. I suspended my PhD and here I am speaking on behalf of the citizens," he said.
Mr Chirag Desai, 38, market risk manager
Mr Chirag has worked in market risk management at international banks in New York and Singapore for the past 12 years. He also volunteers for Red Cross and SINDA activities. "I strongly want to advocate SingFirst values which are fair society, strong family and esteemed people,” he said. "This will make Singapore a much better place to live in. I really hope to create a more robust framework for town councils as well as more efficient accounting methods," Mr Chirag added.
Mr Melvyn Chiu Weng Hoe, 36, sales executive
Mr Chiu is a sales executive in a MNC. He said he chanced upon a SingFirst walkabout in Tanjong Pagar last year when he returned from overseas studies. "SingFirst's branding is very interesting, and the manifesto supports that as well. I'm very happy to be with a party that puts Singaporeans at the heart of the nation," he said.
The five candidates introduced on Friday include secretary-general Tan Jee Say, media consultant Fahmi Rais, sales executive Melvin Chew Weng Hoe, risk manager Chirag Desai and former IT consultant Wong Chee Wai Gregory.
SINGAPORE:Opposition party Singaporeans First (SingFirst) on Friday (Aug 28) unveiled its first batch of candidates for the coming General Election and announced its party slogan, "Restore our nation"
The five candidates introduced include secretary-general Tan Jee Say, and new faces CEC member Fahmi Rais, Mr Melvin Chew Weng Hoe, Mr Chirag Desai and Mr Wong Chee Wai Gregory. Mr Tan says where the candidates will be contesting will only be unveiled on Nomination Day. SingFirst is expected to field 10 candidates in the Tanjong Pagar and Jurong Group Representation Consituencies (GRCs).
Mr Tan Jee Say says the party slogan stems from the need to "take back our country from the Government that has given the country away to foreigners".
Explaining the slogan, he said: "All the pies, all the sweet pies have been taken by foreigners, foreign-born workers. And the Prime Minister says he doesn't care about the Gini coefficient as long as he can get 10 billionaires to stay in Singapore.”
The influx of foreigners, which has led to strains on the public transport system and stiffer competition for jobs, is a hot-button issue at this General Election.
Tan Jee Say, 61, Secretary-General of Singaporeans First
The former civil servant worked in the Ministry of Trade and Industry from 1979 to 1985. He entered politics at the 2011 General Election, contesting Holland-Bukit Timah GRC under the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) banner. His SDP team lost to the PAP securing 40 per cent of the vote. That same year, he contested the Presidential Election, securing 25 per cent of the vote.
Mr Tan wants to focus on strengthening financial support for families.
Mr Fahmi Rais, 48, communications and media consultant
Mr Fahmi, a broadcast veteran from Malay television, has previously worked in several top communication and creative agencies. A former People’s Action Party (PAP) member, he said: "I'm not quite new in politics. I've been doing political works as far back as 1991, with the other side of course.”
Mr Wong Chee Wai Gregory, 48, self-employed
Mr Wong was an IT consultant but is now self-employed. He wanted to go to pursue his PhD in 2014, but was convinced by Mr Tan to delay that pursuit to build up the party. "The country is in pretty bad shape. I suspended my PhD and here I am speaking on behalf of the citizens," he said.
Mr Chirag Desai, 38, market risk manager
Mr Chirag has worked in market risk management at international banks in New York and Singapore for the past 12 years. He also volunteers for Red Cross and SINDA activities. "I strongly want to advocate SingFirst values which are fair society, strong family and esteemed people,” he said. "This will make Singapore a much better place to live in. I really hope to create a more robust framework for town councils as well as more efficient accounting methods," Mr Chirag added.
Mr Melvyn Chiu Weng Hoe, 36, sales executive
Mr Chiu is a sales executive in a MNC. He said he chanced upon a SingFirst walkabout in Tanjong Pagar last year when he returned from overseas studies. "SingFirst's branding is very interesting, and the manifesto supports that as well. I'm very happy to be with a party that puts Singaporeans at the heart of the nation," he said.
