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Army general to learn ropes from SM Goh
Ong Seh Hong making way for newcomer in Marine Parade GRC
By Teo Wan Gek
SENIOR Minister Goh Chok Tong has got his wish for a strong candidate to understudy and succeed him in helming the Marine Parade GRC team one day.
He said in a post on the People's Action Party Marine Parade branch's Facebook page, MParader, yesterday that one of the two former military top brass will be a new candidate in his GRC.
The duo are outgoing army chief Major-General Chan Chun Sing, 41, and Brigadier-General Tan Chuan Jin, 42.
SM Goh also confirmed that Dr Ong Seh Hong will retire from politics. The post read: 'The good-hearted doctor is selflessly stepping down from Ubi for one of the two generals to understudy me.'
The Straits Times had earlier reported that the likely new candidate is BG Tan and that he will be introduced to residents this weekend.
SM Goh wrote in a Facebook post last Saturday that he asked Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to send him a 'strong candidate who has the potential to be part of the fourth-generation core team'.
The duo, who have not been seen on the ground yet, have been tipped to be future office-holders after they hang up their army greens for PAP whites.
SM Goh's post is also an affirmation that one of them will enter politics.
BG Tan stepped down as commander of the Army Training and Doctrine Command last Friday. The Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship recipient will leave the SAF on March 31 after 24 years of service.
In an e-mailed reply last night responding to questions from The Straits Times, BG Tan said he understood 'the interest and speculation. I would be curious too!'
He added: 'Even though the final details of my next steps are being firmed up, it appears that I may well have the honour of continuing to (serve), albeit in a different capacity.'
'To be involved in the grassroots allows us to directly know our people's needs and concerns, and to make what difference we can. I believe it is also about bringing people together to build strong communities,' he said, in an indication that politics could be on the cards.
'There is much that I have to learn from those who have tirelessly served the community and I hope that I can contribute, in my own small way, to the good work done by those who have walked the path before me.'
Maj-Gen Chan, who joined the SAF in December 1987, stepped down as army chief last Friday after holding the post for a year. But the President and SAF Overseas Scholarship recipient has remained tight-lipped about his plans.
With the addition of one of the former generals, the PAP line-up in Marine Parade GRC has started to take shape.
With Dr Ong's impending retirement, the current team is made up of SM Goh, Dr Fatimah Lateef, Mr Seah Kian Peng, Mr Lim Biow Chuan and Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim.
But Mr Lim's Mountbatten ward has been carved out as a single seat following changes to the electoral boundaries.
Also, Dr Faishal's Kaki Bukit ward has been absorbed by Aljunied GRC and he is likely to move to Nee Soon GRC.
This would leave SM Goh, Dr Fatimah and Mr Seah from the original line-up.
But the new Marine Parade GRC has shrunk from a six-MP to a five-MP GRC and now includes single-seat MacPherson, helmed by Mr Matthias Yao.
Ms Tin Pei Ling, 27, has been understudying Mr Yao. And the prospective entry of BG Tan will round off the five-MP team.
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