General Election 2025

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GE2025: PAP’s multiracial approach key to Malay/Muslim community’s progress, says SM Lee​

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong speaking at the PAP’s rally for Tampines GRC at Temasek Junior College on May 1ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Hariz Baharudin
May 02, 2025


SINGAPORE – The Malay/Muslim community’s progress has been made possible by its support of the Government’s multiracial policies, which have been central to Singapore’s approach since independence, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

He was speaking at the PAP’s rally for Tampines GRC at Temasek Junior College on May 1 – the last day of the campaign before Polling Day on May 3. Also present was the five-member PAP team contesting the GRC, led by Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli, who is also Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs.

Addressing residents in Malay, SM Lee called on Singaporeans to continue supporting the policies by giving the PAP a strong mandate in the upcoming general election.

“All this was possible because the Malay community has supported the Government’s multiracial policies since the very beginning,” he said. “Let us continue to build on the progress we have achieved thus far.”

Almost one in four residents in Tampines is Malay, making it the GRC with the highest proportion of Malay voters.

In his rally speech, SM Lee pledged that the Government will continue working with all racial and religious groups to enlarge the common space in society, with a special focus on ensuring that minority communities are not left behind.

“This will continue with the 4G team, because this is a fundamental principle in the PAP’s political approach,” he said, referring to the next generation of PAP leaders.

SM Lee noted that the Malay/Muslim community has made significant progress in education and employment, and has taken full advantage of opportunities to fulfil its potential and aspirations. Compared with other advanced countries and compared with Malay communities elsewhere, its progress is significant, he said.

He credited this to years of close cooperation between the Government and the community, including targeted support through initiatives by self-help group Mendaki to strengthen education and lifelong learning, and the M3, which is the tie-up between Mendaki, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore and the People’s Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council.

“All this hard work has helped to tackle social issues which the community still faces,” he said.

But SM Lee also acknowledged that many Malay/Muslim families, like others in Singapore, continue to face anxieties. These range from the cost of living and housing, to concerns about raising children or securing retirement.

The Government, he said, will keep working with the community to address these issues and ensure policies reflect their aspirations and priorities.

He also held up how the community had come together to help those in need. This includes both domestic efforts, such as supporting low-income families and helping children in their studies, and international humanitarian work.

One example of the latter was how the community worked with Singaporeans of other races and religions to provide humanitarian aid to Palestine.

SM Lee also pointed to how the Government has expanded the space that the Islamic community has to practise its faith. It is building a new Singapore College of Islamic Studies and continuing its mosque building programme, with a new mosque set to be constructed in Tampines North.

He called on residents to support Mr Masagos and his team, which comprises Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Sustainability and the Environment Koh Poh Koon, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Sustainability and the Environment Baey Yam Keng, and new faces Charlene Chen and David Neo.

They are facing a multi-cornered fight against the WP, National Solidarity Party and People’s Power Party.

All the progress Singapore has achieved is the result of its national success, said SM Lee. With the country’s resources and a government that has worked closely with its people, Singapore has been able to uplift lives across communities.

But SM Lee stressed that as the country grapples with new challenges, it is very important that Singapore stays united and works together to ensure the country continues to progress.

“But all this depends on your support, in Tampines and also in other districts. We need your support for a strong mandate, to do what is right and what is needed by Singapore and Singaporeans,” said SM Lee.

 

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GE2025: Strongest possible team, clear mandate needed to keep Singapore exceptional, says SM Lee​

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong speaking at a PAP rally for Tampines GRC and Tampines Changkat SMC at Temasek Junior College on May 1. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Hariz Baharudin
May 02, 2025

SINGAPORE – As Singapore navigates trade wars and a new world order, it needs the strongest possible team to head off these unprecedented challenges, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

“We need a government with a clear mandate, to act effectively on your behalf to secure your interests,” he added, calling on Singaporeans to vote for the PAP to keep the Government and the country exceptional.

Speaking on May 1 at a rally for Tampines GRC in Temasek Junior College, he said the general election and its results are being watched very closely by investors and foreign leaders, and will have a big impact on Singapore.

“Therefore, please make sure that we send the right signal internationally,” he said, adding that the country’s political stability and the “exceptional state of affairs” here is its superpower.

Opposition parties are asking for more alternative voices to be voted in, SM Lee noted, saying that opposition MPs will, for the foreseeable future, be in Parliament.

The PAP welcomes alternative voices, listens to all views and adopts policies that make sense, regardless of where they come from, he said on the final day of the hustings.

“But if we become an ordinary country, an ordinary democracy, then our performance, I can tell you, will become ordinary. And you have to be prepared for that,” he said.

The quality of education, housing, healthcare, leadership, and even the nation’s international standing would no longer be what Singaporeans have come to expect, he said.

SM Lee noted that there are no lack of examples around the world of how things can go wrong in ordinary democracies.

Having more opposition MPs does not automatically make a country better governed, SM Lee said. In fact, more things can go wrong – with divisions, factions forming, constant leadership turnover and policies flipping back and forth.

Citing the example of international climate agreements, he said one government may join a treaty, the next may pull out, and another may rejoin – making it hard to plan or maintain continuity.

If a small country with no natural resources like Singapore functioned like this, it would be in big trouble, SM Lee said.

Singapore would have performed very differently over the past 60 years and not have made it to where it is today.


SM Lee also pushed back against opposition arguments that having more alternative voices in Parliament would lead to better governance.

“All the parties make the same pitch: ‘PAP is good. PAP should form the government. But please give me just a few more seats so we can check them harder, make them even better’,” he said.

Some Singaporeans have bought into this argument, he noted. But the election, he stressed, is not simply about whether the PAP wins with a few less seats or a few more.

Losing even a few more GRCs could mean the loss of several experienced ministers or potential office-holders, which would send the wrong signal to foreign counterparts and investors, SM Lee said.

“What would happen to our chances of seeing through these troubles safely? How would this help us to protect jobs, secure fresh investments, make better plans, build a brighter future for ourselves?” he said.

SM Lee said Singapore’s ability to deliver strong outcomes over the decades, from education and housing to social security and healthcare, was not by chance.

It was made possible by an “exceptional brand of politics”, defined by honest, capable leadership, a trusted rapport between the Government and people, and a deep sense of national unity.

He pointed to the Covid-19 pandemic as a test of this system, and outlined two key factors behind Singapore’s successful response: having a capable and committed leadership team, and the trust Singaporeans placed in the Government.

Singapore’s hospitals were not overwhelmed and the country had one of the lowest death rates in the world, said SM Lee. He also held up how its economy bounced back quickly and its society emerged stronger and more resilient.

SM Lee credited the multi-ministry task force – led by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong who was then finance minister, alongside Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong – for steering the country through the crisis.

Other ministers, he said, also played crucial roles in protecting jobs and securing essential supplies.

Foreign investors and global leaders will be watching the outcome of the election closely, SM Lee said. He noted that multinational corporations will ask whether the Government is stable, how much support it has, and how capable the ministers are.

On the diplomatic front, SM Lee said international leaders are also scrutinising Singapore’s political developments. When leaders meet at global forums, they assess one another not just through formal briefings, but also by reading between the lines.

SM Lee noted that each side comes prepared, with political briefings that flag whether a leader is under pressure. If foreign leaders believe the prime minister of Singapore cannot deliver, then there would be little point engaging seriously with him.

In his Mandarin speech, SM Lee said the PAP Government has implemented wide-ranging policies to help Singaporeans cope with cost-of-living pressures and other challenges.

These include cash payouts, MediSave top-ups, U-Save rebates and rebates for service and conservancy charges, and support for families, seniors and workers.

He highlighted efforts to speed up housing supply, expand childcare options, and improve healthcare coverage and long-term care subsidies, while also supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and preparing for global economic disruptions through the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce, which is chaired by DPM Gan.

SM Lee said such support requires sufficient resources, especially with an ageing population and rising healthcare spending. That is why the Government decided, after careful consideration, to raise the goods and services tax, alongside permanent offsets to help households.

In closing his English speech, SM Lee said that for 40 years, ever since he entered politics, he has done his best to keep Singapore exceptional.

The PAP, he said, had kept the faith, done right by Singaporeans, and brought the country to where it is today.

But keeping Singapore exceptional, he added, would always require honest, capable and committed people. This includes not just a strong prime minister and key ministers, but a whole team that works well together.

Ultimately, he said, the vote on May 3 is about whether Singapore can keep its progress going for future generations.

“Help us to do this, just as our predecessors and our forebears worked together to do this, so that our children and our grandchildren can inherit a much better Singapore than we have been able to have,” said SM Lee.

“Let them take our nation forward for many years to come.”

 

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GE2025: PAP’s Aljunied candidates deliver series of jabs at WP at rally on final night​

Mr Daniel Liu, PAP candidate for Aljunied GRC, speaking at the rally at Serangoon stadium on May 1.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Isabelle Liew and Harith Mustaffa
May 02, 2025

SINGAPORE - The PAP’s five-member team contesting Aljunied GRC delivered a series of jabs at their WP opponents on the final night of campaigning for the 2025 General Election, accusing the incumbents of big talk but little action.

They argued that the PAP has maintained 14 years of grassroots work in Aljunied despite it being under opposition control, stressing that the party “never left” its voters and has consistently outperformed the WP – from Parliament to town council management.

The rally was held at Serangoon Stadium, widely seen as WP’s symbolic home ground in Aljunied GRC, with the PAP’s campaign slogan printed on the backdrop of the stage: “It’s time. Change starts now”.

WP rallies have been held at the stadium since it first contested the constituency in 2006.

The PAP is the underdog in Aljunied GRC, which the WP has held since its historic win there in 2011.

The PAP team for Aljunied GRC comprises marketing director and second-term candidate Chan Hui Yuh, 48, and four new faces – urban planner Daniel Liu, 40; dental surgeon Faisal Abdul Aziz, 37; company director Adrian Ang, 42; and trade unionist Jagathishwaran Rajo, 37.

They are up against a WP team led by party leader Pritam Singh, 48, and includes Ms Sylvia Lim, 60; Mr Gerald Giam, 47; new face Kenneth Tiong, 36; and Mr Fadli Fawzi, 44, who contested in Marine Parade GRC under the WP banner in 2020.

During the 2020 General Election, the WP clinched Aljunied with 59.95 per cent of the vote.

Mr Liu kicked off the rally by criticising the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council’s (AHTC) report card.

He pointed out that the WP-run town council had earmarked 495 Housing Board blocks for upgrading in its five-year plan in 2021. But in its annual report for the 2023 financial year, only 12 blocks were completed.

He said AHTC projected a total expenditure of $195 million in its five-year plan for Aljunied, yet just $46 million had been spent as at its latest annual report in 2023.

“Five-year plans are good, but what is the point if you can’t deliver?” said Mr Liu. “Their talk is big but action is so small.”

Mr Singh had previously said that AHTC is as good as any other town council in Singapore.

But Mr Liu noted that AHTC submitted the fewest projects to be considered for funding by the Community Improvement Projects Committee among all town councils in the financial year 2024.

“I don’t think he (Mr Singh) quite understands the ramifications of the words he used because it is clear that the reality here is different,” Mr Liu said, citing a playground in Aljunied that had no swings and lacked barrier-free access for seniors.

The PAP candidates for Aljunied GRC interacting with the crowd at the end of the rally at Serangoon stadium on May 1.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Speaking in Malay, Dr Faisal criticised the WP’s efforts over the years to raise issues concerning the Malay/Muslim community, accusing the party of being “reactive” and “not proactive”.

While the PAP has led efforts to build more mosques in Singapore, mentored youth on education and launched a local Islamic college to support the development of the religion, the WP, on the other hand, “does not have a clear plan”, said Dr Faisal.

“What they say is exciting and nice to hear, but what is their plan to uplift the Malay/Muslim community?

“They will only act when they are forced to,” he said, adding that Aljunied voters must hold the WP accountable, even as the party positions itself as a check on the Government.

Midway through his speech, Dr Faisal quipped that flies on the stage were bothering him.

“A lot of flies here ah, oh gosh, which area are we in? Oh yeah, Workers’ Party area!”


Mr Jagathishwaran defended the role labour MPs play as “multitaskers” who work with unions, employers and the Government to benefit workers.

Mr Singh had previously argued that labour PAP candidates should be given more time to focus on their NTUC roles so they can develop new ideas, rather than being elected as MPs.

“Let me assure you, our labour MPs are not waiting around. They are multitaskers, ground workers and change-makers,” Mr Jagathishwaran said.

Dr Ang addressed concerns about him being a new face in the opposition-held constituency. He pointed out that since being appointed as PAP’s branch chairman for the Bedok Reservoir-Punggol ward in February, he has walked the ground and spoken to many residents.

He also brought up “unacceptable” municipal issues such as dirty corridors and ageing infrastructure in Aljunied.

“We will work for Aljunied first, before making grand national promises. Let’s get the fundamentals right before delivering speeches that stir emotions but ignore real issues,” he said.

Ms Chan closed the rally by highlighting WP issues that had come under scrutiny during the hustings: the party abstaining from voting on a Bill that would allow the Government to block German insurer Allianz’s acquisition of a majority stake in lncome; and Mr Singh’s conviction for lying under oath to a parliamentary committee.

Mr Singh had said he is appealing against the conviction.

“Good governance is not a zero-sum game. It’s about having the right people in place – honest, competent and ready to serve,” said Ms Chan, who has helmed the PAP’s Serangoon branch since 2014, adding that she has been on the ground “week after week”.

She urged voters to hold politicians accountable for poor estate management and dishonesty.

The rally, which was hosted by Ms Tin Pei Ling, ended about an hour early, at 9pm. Ms Tin is MP-elect for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, which the PAP won in a walkover.

 

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GE2025: PAP’s actions are legal but may not always be principled, says RDU at rally​

RDU chief Ravi Philemon speaking at the party's rally in Yishun Central on May 1.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Deepanraj Ganesan
May 02, 2025

SINGAPORE – In opposition Red Dot United’s (RDU) rally on the last day of campaigning, its secretary-general Ravi Philemon led his party members in questioning the principles of the ruling PAP.

Mr Philemon cited the example of psychiatrist Syed Harun Alhabsyi joining the PAP’s Nee Soon GRC team after resigning from his Nominated MP post in February.

He asked why Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam was allowing the former NMP, “who has not properly accounted for why he is standing under the PAP ticket so soon after stepping down, ride on his coattails into Parliament”.

On Feb 14, Dr Syed Harun and lawyer Raj Joshua Thomas resigned from their posts, the first NMPs to have done so before the end of their term.

“For the PAP, everything is legal, everything is constitutional, but is everything principled? We have to be very, very worried about unprincipled political parties. I am worried that the PAP is charting into these waters. You should be worried with me,” added Mr Philemon at the May 1 rally, held at a field in Yishun Central.

Other members of the RDU’s Nee Soon GRC slate took turns to fire salvos at their opponents, with private school teacher Syed Alwi Ahmad also taking aim at Dr Syed Harun, 40.

Dr Syed Alwi, 57, said: “An NMP role is meant to be non-partisan, a space where voices from civil society, from education, the arts and the community can speak freely without political alignment... when someone moves that quickly from a neutral platform to the ruling party, we must question whether the independence of that voice was ever real to begin with.”

Mr Philemon, 56, also said there are many issues that PAP candidates have to answer for, citing incidents such as Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s “like” on a Facebook post by former NMP Calvin Cheng and remarks that Dr Balakrishnan made in Parliament about PSP Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai in 2021 that were caught on a hot mic.

Ms Sharon Lin, 40, a senior consultant in the information technology sector, accused new candidate Lee Hui Ying, 36, whom former Nee Soon GRC MP Lee Bee Wah had endorsed at a PAP rally on April 30, of hiding behind the older Ms Lee.

Addressing the new PAP candidates, she said: “Don’t ride on the coattails of a minister who has been here for almost 40 years. Don’t hide behind Lee Bee Wah. If you want to serve, then start by showing us who you are without the shadows of others propping you up. This isn’t just about attacking personalities. It is about upholding principles.”

RDU chairman David Foo, 60 – also a candidate for Nee Soon GRC – said his party has shown that it is “not recalcitrant or rogue”, and in the past five years, has proven itself to be responsible.

RDU chief Ravi Philemon (centre) on stage with other party members at the party’s rally in Yishun Central on May 1.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
With 15 members contesting in three GRCs and one SMC, the party is fielding the second-highest number of opposition candidates in this election.

Dr Foo said this was because RDU had earned the trust of good people who want to serve.

“We are not here to tear the system down. We are here to help make it better for Singaporeans. Because we believe that a system improves when it is challenged with respect, when it is questioned with courage, when it is refined with truth,” he said.

 

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GE2025: WP bailed at crucial point, says Indranee of the party’s voting approach on repeal of Section 377A​

Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah speaking at the Punggol GRC rally held at Yusof Ishak Secondary School on May 1.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Goh Yan Han
May 02, 2025

SINGAPORE – WP bailed when it came to the crunch on a delicate and potentially very contentious matter, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah on May 1.

She was referring to the WP’s approach to voting in Parliament on the repeal of Section 377A and the constitutional amendment accompanying it that protected the current definition of marriage.

Section 377A is a colonial-era law that criminalised sex between men.

If the PAP had allowed its MPs to vote as they wished like the WP did on the repeal of Section 377A, the law might not have been struck down or the current definition of marriage would have been at risk, she pointed out.

She was lending her support to the PAP’s team facing off against the WP in Punggol on the last day of the hustings.

Addressing comments from the WP that there was one occasion its MPs had helped to make up the numbers when they voted in favour of a constitutional amendment, Ms Indranee said that particular amendment was a straightforward one with no controversy.

“But there’s another amendment that they didn’t tell you about,” she said, pointing out how the WP had voted on the repeal of Section 377A and the constitutional amendment accompanying it.

Parliament had in 2022 passed laws to decriminalise gay sex and protect the definition of marriage against legal challenge.

The PAP government had moved to have the law struck down, while introducing a new article to protect the current definition that could still be amended by future governments, noted Ms Indranee.

When it came to voting on the changes in Parliament, the PAP did not lift the party whip, which meant that its MPs voted as a bloc.

As a result, the changes went through, said Ms Indranee.

“The Workers’ Party, on the other hand, made a big deal of the fact that they were lifting their whip and they voted. Their voting was all over the place,” she said. The WP MPs had a mix of representatives supporting, opposing, and abstaining across the two votes.

Party chief Pritam Singh had said then that he had lifted the party whip to allow WP MPs to vote according to their conscience, so that they could represent the many Singaporeans who see the matter as one of deep religious belief and conscience.

He had also spoken on the PAP’s choice not to lift the whip. “Given the varied public opinion on the impending repeal of S377A, there is a risk that the democratic value of Parliament could be diluted if the views of Singaporeans on this subject are not adequately ventilated in this House,” he said then.

At the rally, Ms Indranee said: “Under the WP approach, it was ‘anybody can vote as they like’. There was no leadership, there was no party position. It was a political calculation to be all things to all people.

“They certainly had many alternative voices, but no party position, and they had the luxury of voting this way only because the PAP had not lifted the whip and we carried the motions.”

If the PAP had taken a similar approach and lifted the whip, and the repeal and amendments had not been carried, it could have led to polarisation and clashes between different groups, said Ms Indranee.

“The PAP’s approach kept things in balance. It achieved a new equilibrium, and it took into account the views from both sides. It provided leadership, but most of all, it took courage,” she said, adding that it would have been “so easy” to go the WP route.

“Leadership requires courage, not expedience. And the PAP is a government that governs on principle, not expedience.”

She also addressed the WP’s campaign message on more alternative voices in Parliament being needed, presenting it as an either-or situation.

Ms Indranee said that having opposition voices is already guaranteed under the Non-Constituency MP scheme. Under the scheme, introduced in 1984, seats are reserved for losing opposition candidates with the highest vote shares.

Mr Singh had said on April 29 that only elected opposition MPs can pressure and push the Government, and that NCMPs have no voters and residents to solicit feedback from.

“If that is the case, I wonder what NCMPs Mr Leong Mun Wai and Ms Hazel Poa have been doing in Parliament these five years,” said Ms Indranee, referring to the Progress Singapore Party’s two NCMPs.

“I am sure it must be disheartening for PSP to learn that all their efforts over these past five years do not qualify as pressuring and pushing the Government,” she said.

She also questioned why the WP had accepted such positions previously, if the party believed this to be so of NCMPs. In the past, WP chairwoman Sylvia Lim had been an NCMP after the 2006 election, while Aljunied incumbent Gerald Giam had also been an NCMP after 2011.

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She asked voters to examine the “smooth statements” made by the WP.

“I’m not saying to you how you should vote, but I’m saying look at what they say very carefully, because they don’t always hold up to scrutiny.”

At the rally, the PAP’s candidates for Punggol GRC also spoke.

Minister of State for Social and Family Development and Home Affairs Sun Xueling, the incumbent in Punggol West, will be the Punggol town council chairman if elected.

She emphasised her experience in addressing the needs of the residents over the last five years, such as speaking up on infant milk formula prices, pre-school capacity and costs, as well as lift issues.

“I hear you. I see you, I listen to you when you share your feedback with me. I do not just raise questions in Parliament. As a political office-holder, it is my responsibility to present solutions, and this is what I do with the civil service and with stakeholders. So you are safe with us,” she said.

Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and Health Janil Puthucheary said the team had had a “hard-fought campaign” that has been peaceful, productive and polite.

He did not directly address the issue of “negative politics” that had become the focus of some back-and-forth in the last few days of the campaign period.

He spent most of his rally speech speaking of the plans for Punggol town, including transport services and other amenities.

“This is what we are doing, identifying the needs of our residents, finding the solutions, bringing our partners together, and lobbying government,” he said.

 

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GE2025: PM wouldn’t have risked moving DPM Gan to Punggol if he was indispensable, says Pritam​

WP chief Pritam Singh speaking at the rally at Anderson Serangoon Junior College on May 1.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Wong Pei Ting
May 02, 2025

SINGAPORE – Prime Minister Lawrence Wong would not have risked fielding Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong against the opposition WP in Punggol if the veteran minister was indispensable, said WP chief Pritam Singh on May 1.

And if DPM Gan is not re-elected come May 3, Singaporeans need not feel guilty, as it was not voters but the ruling PAP that put him at risk, Mr Singh added at the opposition party’s rally on the final day of the election campaign.

The Leader of the Opposition devoted a large part of his speech, which lasted nearly half an hour, to rebutting PM Wong’s comments during campaigning.

The Prime Minister had earlier described WP’s comments on the potential loss of DPM Gan as “cavalier and irresponsible”.

In a surprise move on Nomination Day on April 23, DPM Gan was confirmed as the anchor minister for the PAP’s Punggol GRC team, which is in a straight contest with WP in the four-member constituency.

Listing the point as among five “reality checks” on arguments made by the PAP against the WP, Mr Singh said on May 1 that it was PM Wong who moved DPM Gan out of Chua Chu Kang GRC, where he had served for 14 years.

The Prime Minister had explained that this was for “better distribution” of the ruling party’s senior leadership for the campaign.

Mr Singh said at the rally, held at Anderson Serangoon Junior College in Upper Serangoon, that PM Wong’s argument did not make sense, given Singapore’s small size.

“We are not America, China or even Malaysia.”

Mr Singh said to move a really important government minister at election time is a risk, and it can be deemed “reckless” when there are other relatively safer constituencies where he could be placed.

“If DPM Gan is indispensable, then – if I may use PM Wong’s own phrase – moving him was cavalier and irresponsible,” he added.

Shifting DPM Gan to Punggol was also a tactical move to stop WP from winning the constituency, said Mr Singh.

If the Deputy Prime Minister loses the contest in Punggol, he can, like previous Cabinet ministers, be appointed to chair a government-linked company, or remain Singapore’s official negotiator or special envoy, if he has a good relationship with US trade negotiators, added Mr Singh.

PM Wong had said DPM Gan plays a crucial role in US tariff talks.

Mr Singh said the same would apply to Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli, who leads the PAP’s Tampines GRC team, as well as Culture, Community and Youth Minister Edwin Tong, the anchor minister for the PAP’s East Coast GRC slate.

WP is contesting both constituencies.

Mr Masagos has held senior roles in telecommunications firm Singtel, and could chair a government-linked company or become an ambassador if he is not re-elected.

Mr Tong, a senior counsel, could lead the Singapore Institute of Legal Education or join the Football Association of Singapore to “fulfil his dream of bringing Singapore to the Fifa World Cup in 2034”, said Mr Singh.

He added that PM Wong had allowed four ministers to retire, three of whom were “super heavyweights”.

The four are Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, 70; Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, 64; Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, 66; and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Maliki Osman, 59.

“If he is not confident that he has enough ministers, would he have allowed four ministers to retire?” Mr Singh asked.

If there was a risk to Singapore’s future, they would have been asked to stay, he added, noting that the four ministers who are retiring are years younger than SM Lee Hsien Loong, 73.

The simple truth is that “no one is indispensable”, added Mr Singh.


Speaking at the rally, WP chairwoman Sylvia Lim said the PAP’s rhetoric at this election is similar to that of the ruling party in 2011, when the PAP team in Aljunied GRC was described as being too important to lose.

“But since the PAP lost Aljunied, has Singapore been weakened? Life goes on. And guess what? One of our Workers’ Party unknowns is now the Leader of the Opposition,” she said.

Mr Singh also refuted the PAP’s assertion that voting in more opposition members would weaken the PAP government.

Assuming the PAP wins 71 – or 73 per cent – of 97 parliamentary seats at the polls, Mr Singh asked: “Is PM Wong saying that he cannot find enough good people to fill his Cabinet?”

WP is fielding 26 candidates across eight constituencies.

Mr Singh argued that more WP MPs will not weaken the Government, as they “do not oppose for the sake of opposing”.

“If the laws are in Singapore’s interest, we will vote with the Government, as we have done so. Everyone here knows Workers’ Party MPs are rational and responsible.”

Refuting PM Wong’s point that he is seeking a clear mandate at the polls so that his team can speak confidently for Singapore on the world stage, Mr Singh asked: “Does the PAP really believe that foreign leaders of democratic countries who meet Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will think, ‘Oh, the Singapore Prime Minister only won 73 per cent of the seats. So lousy. He must come from a lousy school?’”

Added Mr Singh: “Foreign leaders of democracies would give their right arm and right leg for 73 per cent of the seats in Parliament. They would say 73 per cent is a fantastic result.”

The WP chief also countered a point raised by various PAP candidates that the opposition is all talk.

He said it is the nature of a parliamentary democracy that MPs do not just have to attend Parliament faithfully, but speak up for Singaporeans.

“It is not possible to say that speeches are unimportant,” added Mr Singh, as he urged PAP candidates to “have a care” for Singapore’s political system, which is designed to represent all Singaporeans.

“The Workers’ Party has to step up for them.”

Hitting back at PM Wong’s remark that voters should not give the opposition a “free pass”, Mr Singh said the PAP’s group representation constituency system has protected dozens of new PAP MPs, including at this election, where a few “never walked the ground until recently”.

“Voters do not know them, but voters are expected to vote for them just because they are in a GRC with an anchor minister. That is what I call a free pass.”

Highlighting that WP candidates have established themselves to be brave and have guts and resilience, Mr Singh made a final pitch to voters: “Remember this phrase: The Workers’ Party is a force for good.”

 

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GE2025: A vote for WP is a vote for the future, say its candidates​

WP party members on stage at the WP's last rally at Anderson Serangoon Junior College on May 1.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Clement Yong and Nadine Chua
May 02, 2025

SINGAPORE – A vote for the WP will not just determine the results of this election, but will also shape the future of Singapore, party candidates said on May 1 as they made a final plea to voters.

“Let us build on what we have achieved in Aljunied, Hougang and Sengkang and take the next step to send a clear message from Punggol, Tampines, East Coast, Jalan Kayu and Tampines Changkat, that Singapore wants a Parliament that listens and a rational, responsible and credible opposition,” said WP’s Aljunied GRC candidate Gerald Giam.

Party chair Sylvia Lim, who is also on the Aljunied slate, said: “You may only have one vote, but together, our votes can chart the future.”

At the party’s last rally at Anderson Serangoon Junior College, candidates spoke about the party’s achievements in Parliament and at town councils.

WP MPs have “punched above (their) weight”, asking more than 2,300 parliamentary questions and bringing up issues including leaked NRIC numbers on the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority’s digital service portal and the Income-Allianz deal that was eventually aborted, said Mr Giam.

The party’s town councils are also directly managed and on solid financial footing, he added.

Now, the party was ready to do more, he said, calling on voters to vote for the WP for a more balanced Parliament and to chart a better course for Singapore.

Several candidates spoke about how the PAP has lost its way.


Mr Michael Thng, a WP candidate for Tampines GRC, referred to the authorities spending $400,000 to consult an external agency to rebrand Marina Bay, only to end up reusing its original name. This was in 2004. He also cited the $40 million budget to support the continued use of older ez-link cards after the Land Transport Authority shelved its plans for SimplyGo.

He likened the PAP to a multinational company that was once at the top of its game but has now “stopped imagining boldly, and has started protecting what (it) has”.

“They are not able to deal with the challenges that lie ahead, or creative enough to find new ways to solve them. This is not the PAP of big, bold, forward-looking ideas,” he said.

Aljunied GRC candidate Kenneth Tiong, meanwhile, criticised the Government’s willingness to sell “strategic national assets built over decades” to foreign players, pointing to this as a reason Singapore has not produced what he called domestic growth engines.

This mentality was apparent in the sale of Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing in 2009 and shipping company Neptune Orient Lines in 2016, and the attempted sale – later stopped by an Act of Parliament – of Income Insurance to German insurer Allianz in 2024.

Associate Professor Jamus Lim, an incumbent WP MP for Sengkang GRC, said it was the WP’s “longstanding” ideas adopted by the Government that have made Singaporean lives better – among others, better financial support for unemployed workers, higher pay for national servicemen and better protection for scam victims.

“Without an opposition presence in Parliament, far fewer inconvenient questions would have been asked, and mistakes made by the Government would not have been held to account in the same way,” he said.

The candidates also took the chance to address voters’ concerns about voting for the opposition, with some like Tampines GRC candidate Faisal Manap arguing that voting for the WP would result in more parties serving residents.

In Aljunied GRC, residents now have the WP serving them, in addition to the PAP continuing to labour in the wards to win back votes and the People’s Association organising events during festivities.

WP-held wards have already enjoyed this windfall, such as double celebrations on occasions like Christmas, Chinese New Year and Deepavali, Mr Faisal said.

Mr Giam, who has contested four general elections, meanwhile assured voters that their vote is secret.

He said he had followed the entire voting process until the incineration of the ballot papers, and guaranteed that safeguards are in place.

His fellow Aljunied GRC candidate Fadli Fawzi added: “Last election, almost one million Singaporeans courageously voted against the PAP in hopes of seeing genuine change. Do you think the Government can monitor everyone in times of global uncertainty?”

Urging voters to give their vote to the WP on May 3, Ms Lim said: “Let’s make a promise that come Saturday, we will vote not out of fear but with conviction and hope for the future that we deserve, that years from now, we can proudly say that we stood up and worked for Singapore as we passed the baton to the next generation.”

 

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GE2025: 5 assembly centres for candidates, supporters to wait for poll results​

The assembly centres will be open from the closing of the polls at 8pm until 30 minutes after the announcement of the final electoral result.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Lok Jian Wen
May 02, 2025

SINGAPORE – Candidates of the 2025 General Election and their supporters can go to five stadiums to wait for results of the May 3 polls, said the police.

Five stadiums – three for the PAP, one for WP and one for SDP – have been designated as assembly centres and issued permits by the police’s Elections Permit Office. They are:

• Bedok Stadium – PAP
• Bukit Gombak Stadium – PAP
• Yio Chu Kang Stadium – PAP
• MOE (Evans) Stadium – SDP
• Serangoon Stadium – WP

Non-partisan members of the public can also gather at the stadiums to wait for the results.

The assembly centres will be open from the closing of the polls at 8pm until 30 minutes after the announcement of the final electoral result.

During the last general election in 2020, the final official results for all contests came in at around 3.45am the day after Polling Day on July 10.

 

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GE2025: Inside the set-up of one of Singapore’s 1,240 polling stations​

Around 34,000 public service officers have been deployed as election officials for GE2025.ST PHOTOS: GIN TAY
Shawn Hoo
May 02, 2025

SINGAPORE – While candidates and their aides took a day off from campaigning on Cooling-off Day on May 2, election official Nicole Teo, 29, was hard at work setting up one of 1,240 polling stations in Singapore from as early as 9am.

As Singapore gears up for Polling Day on May 3, Ms Teo and 21 fellow election officials have been busy transforming the canteen of Bendemeer Primary School into a polling station. About 1,500 to 1,600 voters are expected to vote at the station for the candidates of their choice in Jalan Besar GRC between 8am and 8pm on May 3, says Ms Teo.

A senior presiding officer at the polling station, Ms Teo was also an election official in GE2020 and the presidential election in 2023. She and her team were seen putting up brightly coloured signage and instructions around the polling booth as well as attending team briefings on May 2.

Ms Nicole Teo putting up a poster at the Bendemeer Primary School polling station on the eve of Polling Day on May 2.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Preparations began two years ago when she had to attend tutorials and training sessions, where she had to pass several quizzes.

One of the most challenging parts of her job is to know every role inside out. She told The Straits Times at a media interview at Bendemeer Primary School: “As a senior presiding officer, we need to have a very clear overview of all the different roles within the polling station.”

An election official pasting stickers on the ground during the setting up of the polling station at Bendemeer Primary School on the eve of Polling Day on May 2.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Ms Teo is one of around 34,000 public service officers who have been deployed as election officials for GE2025, supporting nomination, polling and counting activities, said an Elections Department (ELD) spokesperson. Around 2.6 million Singaporeans are expected to cast their vote on May 3 at schools, void decks, community centres and Housing Board pavilions islandwide.

At the polling station, voters can expect bright yellow signage indicating the five stations that voters will have to move through, as well as arrows that indicate the flow of movement. Seniors, persons in wheelchairs and pregnant women can join a priority queue to cast their vote.

Twenty-two election officials were on site to set up a polling station at Bendemeer Primary School on May 2.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
For smooth sailing on Polling Day, Ms Teo advises voters to dress comfortably and check for crowds at their polling station on the ELD website or on Singpass. She added: “It will be important to not turn up so early because the peak hours will probably be in the morning.”

Ms Teo also recommends that voters use the self-inking “X” stamps as an “efficient” way to indicate their vote. However, they may also choose to bring their own pen or approach an election official to borrow a pen.

Ms Teo also recommends voters to use the self-inking “X” stamps as an “efficient” way to indicate their vote. However, they may also choose to bring their own pen or approach an election official to borrow a pen.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
The election officials are well prepared for various weather conditions with water canisters, disposable raincoats and insect repellant spray on site for their use.

Ms Teo’s work at Bendemeer Primary School on May 3 begins at 6am and she expects to knock off after 9pm. Like every other Singaporean on May 3, she will have to find time to vote between 8am and 8pm.

 

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GE2025: PAP’s Liang Eng Hwa retains Bukit Panjang with 61.41% in rematch against SDP’s Paul Tambyah​

PAP's Liang Eng Hwa won in a closely watched rematch against Prof Paul Tambyah of the SDP, with a notable vote share increase compared to the 2020 election.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Andrew Wong and Christine Tan
May 04, 2025


SINGAPORE - Incumbent PAP MP for Bukit Panjang SMC Liang Eng Hwa successfully defended his seat with 61.41 per cent of the vote, fending off familiar rival Paul Tambyah of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP).

Mr Liang won in a closely watched rematch against Dr Tambyah, with a notable vote share increase compared with the 2020 election, where Mr Liang narrowly won with 53.73 per cent of all valid votes.

It was the closest contest among all single-member constituencies in that election.

For a constituency where observers were expecting a tight race, voters gave the ruling party a comfortable margin this time round as Dr Tambyah took home 38.59 per cent of the votes.

The single-member constituency had been touted as a hot seat, with Dr Tambyah, the SDP chair and an infectious diseases expert, making his second bid against Mr Liang, a four-term MP and popular backbencher.

Speaking to a throng of jubilant supporters at Bukit Gombak Stadium, Mr Liang said: “You can rest assured that I will give my very best again to improve your life, your well-being.”

He thanked his supporters and PAP candidates in neighbouring Holland-Bukit Timah GRC for their support, and also pledged to work on “keeping Singapore stronger, safer and always stable”.

The MP added: “Although the campaign has been exhausting and difficult at times, all of you have stood by me... Let’s now convert the energy to serving our residents well and to serve Singapore.”

Mr Liang told The Straits Times that the win – and notable vote share swing of almost 8 percentage points towards the PAP – could be attributed to not just a good campaign, but also consistent hard work in the last five years.

“I’m glad that residents see the hard work put in, the improvements, and also endorse the plans for the next five years,” said Mr Liang, who will be serving his fifth term as an MP.

“What we have promised, we have delivered.”

The mood was more subdued at MOE (Evans) Stadium, where Dr Tambyah gathered with SDP supporters after the results. He told the media that he was disappointed, but not surprised.

Comparing his showing to that in the previous election, he said: “The previous election was a Covid-19 election. I was on TV a lot just before the Writ of Election (was issued), so I think I had a lot of visibility at that point in time.”

Dr Tambyah attributed his loss to his party’s lack of resources in comparison to PAP, especially in organising “$1 deals”, where residents could purchase groceries, such as eggs, for a dollar.

Describing voters’ “rush to safety” amid “the constant drumbeat of crisis, tariffs, (and) economic (factors)”, he added: “Hopefully, the next election, people vote for hope rather than fear.”

He said SDP would continue its work in Bukit Panjang and noted that the party has young people rising up. “I’ll be there as long as I’m needed,” he said.

This is the fifth election in which the PAP and SDP have faced off in the SMC, which is the largest single-member constituency with 33,596 voters.

Mr Liang, a managing director at DBS Bank, had represented the Zhenghua ward in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC for three terms since 2006, and was moved to Bukit Panjang SMC in 2020 after the retirement of its PAP MP Teo Ho Pin.

When Dr Tambyah joined the fray that year, Bukit Panjang SMC recorded the largest voter swing against the PAP in a single-member constituency – 14.65 percentage points down from Dr Teo’s 68.38 per cent in the 2015 election.

Before 2025’s hustings officially started, Mr Liang told ST on April 11 that he saw Dr Tambyah as “a formidable opponent”.

On the national front, Dr Tambyah, who is also a professor of medicine at the National University of Singapore, had proposed a single-payer system where mandatory health insurance is imposed on all Singaporeans, with the Government managing the central fund.

While Health Minister Ong Ye Kung had criticised the proposal by pointing out that insurance premiums and taxes would rise significantly if subsidies were removed, Dr Tambyah argued that national healthcare expenditure had gone from $9 billion to more than $26 billion under Mr Ong’s leadership.

Dr Tambyah explained that the single-payer plan would ensure that the Government is the biggest buyer of services, which would drive costs down, as whatever the insurer loses in terms of profit margins would be made up for by the sheer volume of orders.

Mr Liang responded by reiterating Mr Ong’s stance that removing healthcare subsidies would result in higher insurance premiums.

Closer to home, the pair had sparred over several issues, including the role of an MP, the lack of lift access in some Housing Board flats in Bukit Panjang, and the running of the town council.

Throughout a week of rallies this time, Dr Tambyah had told residents to vote without fear, as improvement projects in estates and services would continue to run even if an opposition candidate won, pointing to examples in WP-held Sengkang, Aljunied and Hougang.

He reasoned that such projects and services were provided by professionals in the civil service or agencies, which are apolitical in nature.

In response, Mr Liang argued that it was “naive to think that it doesn’t matter who your MP is” and that agencies would work on “autopilot” to carry out such projects.

He pointed out that many of the town’s improvements, such as the two flyovers that link the town to the Kranji Expressway, were not originally planned, but came only after he acted on residents’ concerns and secured approval from the authorities for the projects.

This was a hard-won battle for Mr Liang, who was diagnosed with early-stage nose cancer in July 2023. He resumed his MP duties in mid-September 2023, following the completion of his radiotherapy treatment.

Despite the health scare, he had said he wanted to continue serving, as cancer did not change his sense of purpose and mission.

 

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GE2025: PAP’s Alex Yeo wins three-way fight for Potong Pasir with 69.18% of votes​

The PAP's Potong Pasir candidate Alex Yeo (centre) celebrating with supporters at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on May 3.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Selina Lum, Gabrielle Chan and Amanda Chai
May 04, 2025

SINGAPORE – A PAP candidate who was once fielded in the WP stronghold of Aljunied has clinched a strong solo victory in Potong Pasir SMC, in his first contest in the seat.

Mr Alex Yeo won a three-cornered fight for the single-member constituency, fending off Singapore People’s Party (SPP) treasurer Williiamson Lee and People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR) secretary-general Lim Tean.

Mr Yeo received 19,185 votes, or 69.18 per cent – an improvement of about 9 percentage points for the ruling party compared with the 2020 General Election, where it garnered 60.67 per cent of the vote.

Of the remaining votes, 6,230, or 22.47 per cent, went to Mr Lee, while Mr Lim had 2,316 votes, or 8.35 per cent.

Mr Yeo, 46, replaces PAP stalwart Sitoh Yih Pin, who has stepped down after serving three terms in the single seat since 2011.

This is Mr Yeo’s second election – he was part of the PAP slate for Aljunied GRC at the 2020 polls.

The lawyer, who is married with two children, served as branch chair of the Paya Lebar ward in Aljunied GRC, which has been held by the WP since 2011.

In a speech following his victory, Mr Yeo thanked Potong Pasir residents for the mandate, adding that it will not be taken lightly.

He said: “We know that this is a heavy responsibility, and we will carry it through the next five years, and we will make sure that we deliver every single promise we make.”

Mr Yeo acknowledged the work of his team in fighting a “very clean, hard, sincere campaign”. He also thanked two mentors – Mr Sitoh and former Cabinet minister Lim Boon Heng, who advises the PAP’s Aljunied team – for giving him advice and guidance over the years.

Speaking to The Straits Times, SPP’s Mr Lee, 45, congratulated Mr Yeo on his win.

“Three-cornered fights are never easy,” Mr Lee said. “Of course, I will come back stronger.”

The businessman added that SPP will continue to walk the ground in Potong Pasir.

In a statement, PAR’s Mr Lim, 60, said the results of the election were disappointing not just for his party, but for the entire opposition.

Mr Lim, a lawyer by profession, said PAR will “re-organise” and “come back much stronger” for the next election.

PAR was formed in November 2024, comprising four parties aiming to strengthen opposition unity.

It became a grouping of three when the People’s Power Party withdrew in February 2025 over irreconcilable strategic differences.

Potong Pasir is a former opposition stronghold that was held by Mr Chiam See Tong for 27 years before he left to contest a GRC in 2011.

Mr Sitoh won the seat that year by a razor-thin margin of 114 votes.

He went on to defend his seat successfully against the SPP at the 2015 polls, winning 66.39 per cent of the vote, and again at the 2020 polls, garnering 60.67 per cent.

In the 2020 General Election, the constituency had just 18,551 voters.

Today, the number has surged to 30,971 – a 67 per cent jump – according to data released by the Elections Department.

About 61.5 per cent of its residents are aged 45 and below, compared with about 54.3 per cent in 2020 – according to The Straits Times’ analysis using Department of Statistics data dated June 2024 – marking a demographic shift in a constituency once known for its greying population.

The transformation is largely driven by new Housing Board developments in the Bidadari estate, which has brought in young families.

Owing to the population spike, a portion of Potong Pasir was carved out and absorbed into the new five-member Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC for this election.

 

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GE2025: PAP retains Holland-Bukit Timah with 79.29% of votes against new opponent RDU​

The PAP's Holland-Bukit Timah GRC candidates (from left) Christoper de Souza, Edward Chia, Vivian Balakrishnan and Sim Ann at Bukit Gombak Stadium on May 3.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Lee Li Ying and Christine Tan
May 04, 2025

SINGAPORE - The PAP team in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC defended its seats with 79.29 per cent of the votes against new challenger Red Dot United (RDU).

This is up from 66.36 per cent in the 2020 election, when the same team led by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, 64, contended with a slate from the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP).

It is also historically the best performance for the four-member group representation constituency, apart from a walkover in 2006 when the GRC was created. The PAP won 60.08 per cent and 66.6 per cent of all valid votes in 2011 and 2015, respectively.

Dr Balakrishnan’s team includes Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann, 50, lawyer Christopher de Souza, 49, and businessman Edward Chia, 41.

Addressing supporters at Bukit Gombak Stadium after the official results were announced, Dr Balakrishnan said they were “deeply humbled to have this strong mandate”.

“We view this victory as an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to all our residents,” said the minister.

Speaking to The Straits Times, Dr Balakrishnan noted that the election had taken place at a time when the world is in a state of uncertainty and flux, and voters had expressed that concern at the ballot box.

“It is a reminder for all of us that when times get tough, you need a tried and tested team, where we will do our best to secure a brighter future for the next generation,” he said.

Mr de Souza, who will start his fifth term as an MP, said his team did not take the results lightly.

“It actually is a level of trust and encouragement that requires us to honour it deeply with intense, hard work on the ground and nationally,” he said, adding that they would work “even harder” for residents.

Their RDU opponents, who got 20.71 per cent of votes, were financial consultant Fazli Talip, 43, piano teacher Emily Woo, 59, assistant engineer Sharad Kumar, 25, and operations manager Nizar Subair, 57.

Apart from Mr Fazli, who contested the 2011 election in East Coast GRC as a WP candidate, the other three are political newcomers.

After the loss, RDU’s secretary-general Ravi Philemon told the media: “We must accept the will, and the voice and the decision of the people.”

Speaking at its headquarters in Ubi, he said that the key message the party took home is that “there is a place for Red Dot United in the politics of Singapore”.

“We are a fairly new political party, just five years old... Going forward as a party, I believe we have plans to grow,” said Mr Philemon of RDU, which was formed in 2020 and had fielded the second-largest number of candidates this election among the opposition.

The incumbent team’s pitch was its track record and five-year plan for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC and neighbouring Bukit Panjang, including new active ageing centres and the upgrading of Bukit Panjang Neighbourhood 5 Park.

The RDU candidates tackled issues of inequality and promoted their party’s key proposals, including scaling back the goods and services tax (GST) from 9 per cent to 7 per cent, and a “Citizens Dividend” – an “unconditional cash transfer” given to all Singaporeans.

Compared with the hotly contested races in the east, both sides conducted a relatively quieter campaign to win the hearts of the GRC’s 123,225 voters over nine days of hustings.

The PAP team went from door to door and conducted walkabouts at the Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre and Senja Hawker Centre, while RDU mainly engaged residents at locations with high footfall such as LRT stations, coffee shops and hawker centres.

Things went up a notch on April 29, when the RDU team launched salvos at its PAP opponents in its rally, with Mr Fazli criticising all four incumbent MPs for not voting against the GST hike.

Mr Sharad also took issue with Dr Balakrishnan over his Facebook account allegedly “liking” a post offering to relocate Singaporeans to Gaza.

Dr Balakrishnan earlier said that he did not “like” the post, and a report had been filed with Meta over the unauthorised activity.

The incumbent team maintained a relatively low profile throughout the hustings and did not hold rallies.

Only Mr Chia gave his maiden rally speech – he joined politics in 2020 when Covid-19 prohibited such gatherings – at a rally for Bukit Panjang SMC candidate Liang Eng Hwa on April 30.

Dr Balakrishnan also attended the rally in support of Mr Liang, whose constituency was touted as a hot seat in a contest against SDP chairman Paul Tambyah.

In his speech, Mr Chia said it would be difficult to execute planned upgrades with two separate town councils, as Holland-Bukit Timah GRC and Bukit Panjang SMC are currently managed together under one town council.

The line-up for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC was only one of two PAP GRC slates across the island that remained unchanged, with the other being Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s team in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.

Dr Balakrishnan said on April 15 that this was because his team still has the right blend of experience.

Before hustings officially started, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC generated some buzz when the SDP, which has contested in the area for the past three elections, decided not to enter the fray in a bid to consolidate resources.

RDU quickly announced its campaign there, with Mr Philemon noting it was an “important piece of the puzzle” that connects Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC to Nee Soon GRC – two other constituencies the party contested.

Mr Philemon had acknowledged there was a real challenge in its campaign as he called Dr Balakrishnan “entrenched” in the GRC and said his party was unfamiliar with the area.

Mr Philemon promised that his team would continue engaging residents regardless of the election results.

 

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GE2025: PAP retains Chua Chu Kang GRC with 63.59% of votes; wins 75.83% of votes in Bukit Gombak SMC​

The PAP team contesting Chua Chu Kang GRC – (from left) Mr Jeffrey Siow, Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng and Ms Choo Pei Ling – thanking their supporters at Bukit Gombak Stadium on May 3.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Osmond Chia and Sharon Salim
May 04, 2025

SINGAPORE - The PAP team led by Manpower Minister Tan See Leng has retained Chua Chu Kang GRC for a fourth consecutive term, winning 63.59 per cent of the valid votes against the PSP on May 3.

The winning margin is higher than the 58.64 per cent of votes it received in the last election in 2020.

Meanwhile, the PAP’s Ms Low Yen Ling secured the neighbouring Bukit Gombak SMC with 75.83 per cent of valid votes against the PSP’s Harish Pillay.

Dr Tan, 60, who was deployed to Chua Chu Kang to replace Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong to lead the PAP team in a surprise move on Nomination Day, will enter his second term as an MP.

He leads lawyer and second-term MP Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, 44, and PAP newcomers Jeffrey Siow, 46, former permanent secretary at the Trade and Industry and Manpower ministries, and neuroscientist Choo Pei Ling, 38.

The team defeated a PSP team comprising lawyer Wendy Low, 48, stockbroker S. Nallakaruppan, 60, safety consultant A’bas Kasmani, 71, and former secretary-general of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation Lawrence Pek, 55.

The PSP team received 36.41 per cent of the votes, down from its results in GE2020.

In 2020, Chua Chu Kang GRC proved to be where the PSP had achieved one of its best results, having received 41.36 per cent of the votes. This is the second time that PSP is contesting the group representation constituency.

After PAP was announced the winner in Chua Chu Kang GRC, Dr Tan assured supporters at Bukit Gombak Stadium that the team will “never abuse this trust” and will not let them down.

Speaking to the media after his speech, he thanked DPM Gan for the “fantastic amount of groundwork that has been made”.

He added: “It’s really a very reassuring win. It’s also a testimony of the residents’ trust in us, and we will never take that for granted.”

Dr Tan, the new anchor minister, spent the campaign racing to introduce himself to residents, who were seen quizzing him about DPM Gan’s sudden redeployment to Punggol GRC. DPM Gan had helmed the PAP team in Chua Chu Kang GRC since 2011.

Dr Tan had earlier pledged to see through existing plans for the GRC, such as new MRT stations to improve the area’s connectivity and some $212 million worth of neighbourhood enhancements under the town council’s five-year plan.

The PAP team will come up with a 100-day plan to see how concerns raised by residents can be addressed, such as connectivity issues in Tengah, which will be prioritised.

Both teams said during the hustings that residents often flagged cost-of-living woes.

PSP’s Mr Pek spearheaded the party’s call for a universal minimum wage – a proposal that Dr Tan and Mr Siow rebuffed several times on the hustings, defending measures like the Progressive Wage Model to support low-income workers.

In Bukit Gombak, the ruling party’s Ms Low won 75.83 per cent of all valid votes, and the PSP’s Mr Pillay, 24.17 per cent. The newly carved out SMC, comprising estates from Bukit Gombak and Hillview, has 26,427 registered voters.

Speaking to supporters at Bukit Gombak Stadium after she was declared the winner, Ms Low said: “I am deeply grateful to each and every one of you, for your time, for your efforts, for your sweat, for your sacrifices, and on some days, for your tears as well. I could not have done this without you.

“I look forward to continuing the journey with you to write the next Bukit Gombak chapter.”

Ms Low Yen Ling thanking her supporters at Bukit Gombak Stadium on May 3.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Her campaign focused on her role in various projects in the ward, like the opening of Hume MRT station, which she had lobbied for with residents over the years. She frequently organises community events and outreach programmes for the residents who live in condominiums, which form about two-thirds of the homes in the ward, based on ST’s analysis using Department of Statistics data dated June 2024.

Ms Low, who had been part of the PAP’s Chua Chu Kang GRC team since GE2011, had earlier committed to work with the PAP team in Chua Chu Kang GRC on the $212 million five-year town plan, which includes Bukit Gombak.

Even though Bukit Gombak is now an SMC, she had said earlier that it does not change the fact that it will still be very much part of the big Chua Chu Kang family.

Bukit Gombak will continue to be served by Chua Chu Kang Town Council and share its resources.

PSP’s Mr Pillay, a tech veteran whose past roles include growing software company Red Hat in Singapore, had earlier pointed out that he was among those who called for the software that underpins the TraceTogether system used for contact tracing in the Covid-19 pandemic to be made open to scrutiny to improve trust. The Government had taken up his suggestion to do so, he said.

His proposal included an open software platform that town councils can use for estate management, no matter the party affiliation. He had pledged to help ensure that taxpayers’ money is not wasted during a transition following an election, and that the town council’s administrative products and services would be available from day one.

 

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GE2025: Strong showing for PAP as it wins Tanjong Pagar GRC, Queenstown and Radin Mas SMCs​

Education Minister Chan Chun Sing (centre) speaking to PAP members on May 3. With him are his fellow Tanjong Pagar GRC candidates (from left) Alvin Tan, Joan Pereira, (from right) Foo Cexiang and Rachel Ong, as well as Radin Mas candidate Melvin Yong (third from left) and Queenstown candidate Eric Chua.ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Lim Min Zhang and Christie Chiu
May 04, 2025

SINGAPORE – The PAP has won Tanjong Pagar GRC – helmed by Education Minister Chan Chun Sing – with 81.03 per cent of the vote against the People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR). This is the ruling party’s best performance in a GRC since such electoral divisions were created in 1988.

Tanjong Pagar has once again proved to be a PAP stronghold. The margin of victory is far bigger than at the 2020 General Election, when PAP won 63.1 per cent of the vote against the PSP.

There were also clear PAP victories in the neighbouring SMCs of Queenstown – a new constituency carved out of Tanjong Pagar GRC – and Radin Mas.

In Henderson Road, where the PAP team and supporters were gathered, Mr Chan was asked about the party’s strong performance, but he would say only that “our focus is always on the residents”, and that the work resumes the “first thing in the morning”.

“We always believe that if we take care of the residents, the residents will take care of the results,” he told reporters.

“This has always been our belief in team Tanjong Pagar, and this will always be our belief going forward.”

This was only the third time the five-member GRC was contested. The PAP had banked on its track record in the constituency of 140,194 voters, previously led by founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.

The Tanjong Pagar team did not hold any rallies during this campaign.

In Queenstown, Mr Eric Chua secured 81.12 per cent of the vote against Mr Mahaboob Batcha of the PAR. Mr Chua is Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth as well as Social and Family Development.

On the “secret sauce” to his success, Mr Chua said his mission has always been to serve the people. His win was the highest margin of victory for a single-member constituency in this election.

He said he will continue to run initiatives for the constituency, such as a festival to promote hawker culture and a food donation drive for lower-income families. “I think if we stay true to this mission... we will let our voters decide the results for themselves,” he said.

In a statement, Mr Batcha said that he remains committed to serving Queenstown. “We will continue to engage with residents and work tirelessly towards building a better community.”

Mr Melvin Yong prevailed in Radin Mas, after a three-cornered fight against Mr Kumar Appavoo of the PAR and independent candidate Darryl Lo, with 69.17 per cent of the vote. Mr Yong is the assistant secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress.

Mr Appavoo won 7.36 per cent of the vote, while Mr Lo’s share was 23.47 per cent. In GE2020, Mr Yong won 74.01 per cent of the vote against Mr Appavoo, who was then with the Reform Party.

Commenting on the results, Mr Yong said “we will study some more on what we need to do better”, and that the work continues.

Mr Lo told The Straits Times that he was happy with his performance, and thanked all 5,362 people in Radin Mas who voted for him.

The Singapore Management University law graduate said: “The results demonstrated that Singaporeans are seeking a credible opposition.”

He added: “I hope that the performance of (Mountbatten SMC candidate) Jeremy Tan and I this time round will encourage more independent candidates to stand up in the future.”

Mr Lo said previously that he was standing for election because he believed there was no credible opposition in his constituency.

In Tanjong Pagar, the PAP team included Mr Chan; backbencher Joan Pereira, who joined politics in 2015; Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan; and Ms Rachel Ong, whose Telok Blangah ward was redrawn into Tanjong Pagar.

Completing the slate is political newcomer Foo Cexiang, a former director at the Ministry of Transport who took over from Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. She was moved to helm Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.

The PAP’s previous strongest showing in a group representation constituency was in 2001, when it won Jurong GRC with 79.75 per cent of the votes against the Singapore Democratic Party.

Mr Chan said that Tanjong Pagar Town Council will be reconfigured, with Mr Yong to continue as the chairman, assisted by Mr Chua and Ms Ong. All seven wards will be served as one “team Tanjong Pagar”, Mr Chan added.

The PAR’s Tanjong Pagar team comprised commercial banker Prabu Ramachandran; Mr Nadarajan Selvamani, a director of a private school; Mr Rickson Giauw, a site safety adviser and officer; Ms Han Hui Hui, a human rights fellow at a foreign university who has contested in previous general elections; and senior logistics assistant Soh Lian Chye.

The PAR had campaigned on making education, school meals and healthcare free for every Singaporean child, as well as exempting essential items such as groceries from the goods and services tax, among other issues.

PAR was formed in December 2023 as an alliance of four parties, including Peoples Voice, the Reform Party and the Democratic Progressive Party. The People’s Power Party withdrew from the alliance over “irreconcilable strategic differences”.

 

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GE2025: PAP wins Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC with 75.21% of vote and Marymount SMC with 70.7% of vote​

The PAP's Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC candidates (from left) Cai Yinzhou, Elysa Chen, Saktiandi Supaat and Chee Hong Tat greeting supporters at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on May 3.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Joyce Teo and Samuel Devaraj
May 04, 2025

SINGAPORE - The PAP has scored a resounding victory in both Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Marymount SMC, capturing more than 70 per cent of the votes cast.

The four-man PAP team in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, led by Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat, garnered 75.21 per cent of the vote against Singapore People’s Party (SPP), which drew 24.79 per cent.

PAP’s vote share translated to 66,137 votes cast, while 21,799 votes were cast for the opposition SPP. There were a total of 98,708 voters, including 8,688 who did not vote. The number of spoilt votes totalled 2,084.

The PAP also won Marymount SMC, with Ms Gan Siow Huang drawing 14,868 votes or 70.70 per cent of the vote share, against 6,163 votes cast for PSP, which translated to 29.3 per cent of the vote share.

A total of 21,282 votes were cast and 251 votes were rejected. Those who did not vote numbered 1,993.

In Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, it was the PAP’s fourth win against SPP.

In 2020, when the PAP team was led by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, it garnered 67.23 per cent of the vote, which was higher than PAP’s overall vote share of 61.23 per cent. SPP attracted 32.77 per cent of the vote then.

In 2015, PAP secured 73.59 per cent of the vote share against SPP, which drew 26.41 per cent. In 2011, PAP triumphed with 56.93 per cent, compared with SPP’s 43.07 per cent.

Dr Ng, 66, confirmed that he would not be running in the 2025 General Election when he announced his retirement on April 18. He entered politics in 2001.

The 2025 PAP team comprised Mr Chee, 51, Mr Saktiandi Supaat, 51, who is head of FX research at Maybank, and political fresh faces Elysa Chen, 41, a charity director, and social entrepreneur Cai Yinzhou, 35.

After the win was officially announced, Mr Chee thanked the residents gathered at Yio Chu Kang Stadium for giving his team a “clear mandate”.

He said: “We will work hard to fulfil our promises and improve your lives.

“There are some areas that we need to do better. My team and I will continue to listen to your feedback and make improvements, step by step, year by year.”

Mr Chee also told reporters at a doorstop interview that starting next week, his team will begin their Meet-the-People Sessions, community activities, market visits and house visits.

He added: “The residents will be able to see me, regardless of which part of Bishan-Toa Payoh they are in.”

The 2025 SPP team included secretary-general Steve Chia, 54, party chairman Melvyn Chiu, 45, and two new faces, operations executive Muhammad Norhakim, 31, and operations manager Lim Rui Xian, 37.

At a doorstop interview outside Raffles Girls’ School just after the sample count was released, Mr Chia appeared resigned but still expressed surprise at the result, as he said many people had told him they would support SPP.

He added that the party would be reflecting on the outcome and considering its next steps, including whether to merge with other opposition parties, or give up and deregister SPP.

Over in Marymount SMC, Ms Gan, 50, successfully defended her seat against PSP candidate Jeffrey Khoo, 56, the chief executive of a regional risk consulting firm.

Ms Gan Siow Huang celebrating with her supporters at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on May 3.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
She is the Minister of State for Education and Manpower. In 2020, when she made her election debut in Marymount, she won 55.04 per cent of the vote against former PSP candidate Ang Yong Guan, who drew 44.96 per cent of the vote share.

Speaking to her supporters after the results were announced, Ms Gan said she is “deeply humbled” by her win and will work hard to improve Marymount estate and build a stronger, more caring community.

“My team and I hope to be able to, together with you, build a brighter future for you and your family and make every day a good day to be in Marymount,” she said.

“We have done well, and we will do better for Marymount.”

Mr Khoo was part of PSP’s A-team – led by party chairman Tan Cheng Bock – that was fielded in West Coast GRC during the 2020 polls.

PSP had lost with 48.32 per cent of the vote against PAPs 51.68 per cent – making it the narrowest win for the ruling party that year.

Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Marymount SMC are among the nine constituencies that saw no boundary changes in the March 11 Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report.

 

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GE2025: PAP wins Jalan Besar GRC, widens lead with 75.21% of votes​

(From left) The PAP's Jalan Besar GRC candidates Shawn Loh, Denise Phua, Josephine Teo and Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah at Bedok Stadium in the early hours of May 4.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Judith Tan
May 04, 2025

SINGAPORE - The PAP widened its lead in Jalan Besar GRC, winning 75.21 per cent of the votes against the People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR), an opposition coalition.

The four-member team is helmed by the current Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo, and it includes incumbent MPs Denise Phua and Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah as well as new face Shawn Loh.

Mr Loh took over the GRC’s Whampoa ward from Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How, who stepped down from the team.

The PAR team that contested Jalan Besar GRC comprises newcomers – freelance private tutor Chiu Shin Kong, nurse Sarina Abu Hassan, early childhood educator Vigneswari V. Ramachandran and the party’s treasurer Mohamad Hamim Aliyas.

PAR wrested 24.79 per cent of the votes.

The total number of votes cast was 93,531.

This is Mrs Teo’s second time leading the winning team in Jalan Besar GRC, following her move from Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC in 2020.

A jubilant Mrs Teo told the media at a doorstop that the team was humbled by residents’ support.

“We have never taken it for granted,” she said, adding that her team’s work in Jalan Besar GRC started even before the campaign trail.

The result by the PAP team was an improvement from GE2020, where the PAP team won with 65.36 per cent of the votes against Peoples Voice (PV) – which is now a member of PAR.

PV, then led by party chief Lim Tean, obtained 34.64 per cent of the votes.

Mr Lim, who is secretary-general of PAR, did not lead his team in this general election. Instead, he was in a three-cornered fight with Singapore People’s Party treasurer Williiamson Lee and Mr Alex Yeo of the PAP for Potong Pasir SMC.

Mr Loh thanked the PAR team for a “good and clean fight” in Jalan Besar GRC. He made special mention of Ms Sarina and Ms Vigneswari, who had to balance the campaign as well as their work duties.

Jalan Besar GRC, comprising four wards – Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng, Kolam Ayer, Whampoa and Kampong Glam – represents the largest area of the downtown city centre of Singapore, followed by Tanjong Pagar GRC.

In their campaign, the PAP candidates focused on making Jalan Besar GRC more vibrant and sustainable, more caring and inclusive, and where community bonds are stronger.

On April 6, its town council launched the Jalan Besar masterplan for the next five years, from 2026 to 2030, for a greener and more elderly-friendly town. The aim is to make Jalan Besar a more inclusive community for its residents.

The constituency, one of the oldest in Singapore, will be upgraded to include way-finding features such as motifs and colour-coded zones to help residents, especially those with dementia, navigate the neighbourhoods.

It was first created in the 1959 Legislative Assembly election and became a three-member GRC in 1988, comprising Jalan Besar, Kolam Ayer and Geylang West.

It expanded to become a five-member GRC in the 2001 General Election after absorbing Whampoa, Kallang and Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng but was dissolved in 2011, with the formation of Moulmein-Kallang GRC.

Jalan Besar GRC was contested again in the 2015 General Election.

The GRC, known to be a PAP stronghold, has since 1988 seen contests from many political parties, including the WP, Singapore Democratic Party and Singapore Democratic Alliance.

It also saw a walkover in 1991.

Jalan Besar GRC has a high concentration of seniors as well as low-income households, but its demography has shifted with a number of Build-To-Order residential projects up.

“The profiles of our residents are never static, as there will be new residents moving in,” said Mrs Teo, adding that her team will continue to identify and meet new needs.

She is mindful that some new residents have young children, while some have “fur kids”.

“The team will be looking at innovative ways to help cater to them within Jalan Besar,” she said.

 

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GE2025: PM Wong’s PAP team retains Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC with 73.46% of the votes​

The PAP's Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC candidates (from left) Hany Soh, Zaqy Mohamad, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Alex Yam thanking their supporters at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on May 3.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Shabana Begum, Vihanya Rakshika and Angelica Ang
May 04, 2025


SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has led his PAP team in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC to a win against the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) with 73.46 per cent of the votes, in his first election as prime minister.

This marked an improvement from 2020, when his PAP team defeated the SDP with 63.18 per cent of the votes, and from 2015, when the PAP won by 68.73 per cent.

In his acceptance speech at Yio Chu Kang Stadium, PM Wong, 52, thanked the voters of the constituency for “the strong mandate” that they had given him and his team.

“This is my first election as prime minister and secretary-general of the PAP. So it has been a very humbling experience working with all of you, interacting and engaging with all of you.”

He added: “We will honour the trust that you have given to us by working even harder for all of you.”


The PAP’s Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC slate remains unchanged from 2020 and also includes Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad, 50; North West District Mayor Alex Yam, 43; and Ms Hany Soh, 37.

Their SDP opponents were party organising secretary Jufri Salim, 41; theatre director Alec Tok, 60; founder of alternative media site Wake Up Singapore Ariffin Sha, 27; and Dr Gigene Wong, 59, a former businesswoman.

They garnered 26.54 per cent of the votes.

PM Wong also fared better than his predecessor, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in his first general election as prime minister, with the PAP winning 65.57 per cent of the overall vote share in the 2025 General Election.

In SM Lee’s first election as prime minister in 2006, the Ang Mo Kio GRC team anchored by him beat the WP with 66.1 per cent of the votes, slightly below the PAP’s national average of 66.6 per cent.

PM Wong’s margin of victory in his GRC is comparable to that of Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong’s maiden election as prime minister in 1991: Mr Goh’s Marine Parade GRC swept 77.3 per cent of the votes against the now defunct Singapore Justice Party, well above the PAP’s national average of 61.0 per cent.

Mr Abdul Samad, a PAP supporter from Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, was all smiles at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on May 3.

“I had no doubt that he will win,” said the 52-year-old, referring to PM Wong.

“When I saw other (PAP candidates) also win, to me that sends a strong signal that we are in safe hands for the next five years.”

Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC was formed in 2015 from parts of Chua Chu Kang GRC and Sembawang GRC that had seen significant population growth.

It is one of nine constituencies whose boundaries were kept intact by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee in its March 11 report. It now has 119,559 voters, up from 117,077 in 2020.

PM Wong and Mr Yam have represented Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC since its formation. The PAP and SDP have had straight fights in the constituency for three consecutive general elections since 2015.

In GE2025, Mr Ariffin of the SDP said some people had called his team the “suicide squad” for contesting in PM Wong’s constituency.

Cost-of-living concerns took centre stage during the election. Most opposition parties, including the SDP, criticised the Government’s decision to raise the goods and services tax (GST) from 7 per cent to 9 per cent despite inflationary pressures.

The SDP’s manifesto called for the GST to be reduced back to 7 per cent, and its chief Chee Soon Juan said that the tax on luxury goods could be raised to 13 per cent or 14 per cent.

In response to criticisms over the GST hike, PM Wong said at the Fullerton rally on April 28 that foreigners, tourists and higher-income families pay the entire GST of 9 per cent, while permanent GST vouchers ensure that lower- and middle-income Singaporeans pay less than the headline GST rate.

In the middle of the hustings, the SDP’s Dr Wong drew the ire of netizens for using a racial slur to refer to Mr Ariffin, her Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC teammate.

At a rally the next day, Dr Chee and Dr Wong apologised to Singaporeans and Mr Ariffin for the faux pas. She said she did not know that the term she used was disrespectful and harmful, but that was no excuse for her actions.

Speaking to The Straits Times at the SDP’s assembly ground at MOE (Evans) Stadium after the sample count was released on May 3, SDP chairman Paul Tambyah said he believed that the incident had not significantly affected the party’s vote share in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.


He noted that the SDP team in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC was led by Mr Jufri, a first-time candidate, and had comprised relatively new candidates. He added that the party had performed as expected in the constituency.

Professor Tambyah added that the party had taken swift disciplinary action against Dr Wong, such as by issuing her a stern warning and restricting her public speaking engagements following the incident.

Speaking to the media at the stadium, Mr Ariffin encouraged young people to never give up on their dreams and to keep striving.

 

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GE2025: PAP’s Ng Chee Meng wins Jalan Kayu with 51.47% of votes against WP candidate Andre Low​

The PAP's Jalan Kayu candidate, Mr Ng Chee Meng, with supporters at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on May 3.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Theresa Tan, Sue-Ann Tan and Kimberly Kwek
May 04, 2025

SINGAPORE – Labour chief Ng Chee Meng completed his political comeback by winning the Jalan Kayu single seat with 51.47 per cent of the vote, beating WP fresh face Andre Low in a fierce contest.

Mr Ng, 56, standing under the PAP banner, faced off against Mr Low, a tech professional who declared himself the underdog in the contest.

Mr Low, 33, who is contesting his first election, is likely to enter Parliament as a Non-Constituency MP as he is among the losing opposition candidates with the highest percentage of votes.

Mr Ng, speaking to reporters in Yio Chu Kang Stadium after the election result was declared, said: “I’m just happy that we prevailed.

“I want to hit the ground running so that I can see more residents in Jalan Kayu. It’s time for us to push together to make Jalan Kayu a more inclusive, kinder and stronger community.”

When asked if the result met his expectations, he said: “Well, it’s a good result. I’m grateful for the results.”

Jalan Kayu, which was carved out of Ang Mo Kio GRC, was one of the fiercest battlegrounds in the run-up to the polls.

Mr Low fired the first salvo against the PAP at his maiden rally on April 24 by hitting out at the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) for supporting the bid by German insurer Allianz to acquire a majority stake in Income Insurance.

The deal, worth $2.2 billion, was ultimately stopped by the Government.

On April 27, Mr Ng said the deal was proposed in good faith and the labour movement felt it was a “reasonable deal”.

Mr Ng, who has been NTUC secretary-general since 2018, said Income’s market share fell from 20 per cent to 6 per cent in the past decade, and the proposed deal could strengthen Income and protect policyholder interests.

The deal came under intense public scrutiny after questions were raised about Income’s ability to continue its social mission after the proposed sale.

Mr Ng said he initiated a review in NTUC Enterprise, the parent entity of Income, so that the labour movement can learn the right lessons and do better for Singaporeans.

“In NTUC, we will do our best, and sometimes, I’m sorry that is not good enough... but we will do better,” he added.

Mr Ng was chief of defence force before entering politics in 2015 and winning Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC as part of a PAP team. He went on to hold several Cabinet positions, including education minister (schools) and second minister for transport.


In 2020, Mr Ng helmed the PAP team in the newly created Sengkang GRC but lost to a WP team led by lawyer He Ting Ru, which won 52.13 per cent of the vote.

While the 2025 ballot is Mr Ng’s third electoral contest, it is his first time fighting in a single-member constituency.

In the run-up to the polls, he said he wanted to be elected on his own merit, instead of being “parachuted” into a safer seat.

Three days after Mr Ng responded to criticisms about the NTUC Income-Allianz deal, it was Mr Low’s turn to apologise on April 30, after expletive-laden Telegram messages between Mr Low and his friends were leaked on social media.

Mr Low apologised for his language, and added that the messages were a rant to friends during the Covid-19 pandemic, at a different stage in his life.

“But regardless of the setting, there is no excuse for using such language or making disparaging remarks about anyone – especially those who have placed their trust in me,” he said.

Mr Low appealed to the nearly 30,000 voters in Jalan Kayu, and asked them to vote for a fresh perspective.

He added that his opponent is a scholar and a former lieutenant-general.

He said: “I feel like it is time for Jalan Kayu residents to make a choice if they want a different kind of parliamentarian – someone fresh, someone energetic, someone with new ideas.”

On Polling Day, Jalan Kayu voters chose Mr Ng.

Addressing supporters in Serangoon Stadium after ballots were counted, Mr Low thanked the residents who supported him and said he would continue to walk the ground to listen to concerns and be a “voice for change”.

He said: “And to those who made a different choice, I hear you too. Your decision is valid and important. This campaign was never just about winning just a seat in Parliament.

“It was about offering a different fresh perspective, asking important questions and starting a necessary conversation about accountability, affordability and the Singapore we want to build together.

“These conversations do not end tonight. They must continue.”

He said he is still young, and will continue his work on the ground.

“And perhaps with the party’s blessings, in five years, I hope to once again seek your support to represent you in Parliament,” he added.

 

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GE2025: PAP wins Ang Mo Kio GRC with 78.95% in 3-cornered fight against SUP, PPP​

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong (centre) greeting supporters at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on Polling Day. With him are his fellow Ang Mo Kio GRC candidates (from left) Darryl David, Nadia Ahmad Samdin, Jasmin Lau and Victor Lye.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Chin Soo Fang and Elisha Tushara
May 04, 2025

SINGAPORE - The PAP team led by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong secured a resounding victory in Ang Mo Kio GRC, garnering 78.95 per cent of the votes against the Singapore United Party (SUP) and People’s Power Party (PPP).

SUP and PPP received 10.84 per cent and 10.21 per cent of the votes, respectively, in the polls on May 3.

The PAP’s result is a 7.04 percentage point increase from the last contest in 2020, when it won with 71.91 per cent of the votes against the Reform Party’s (RP) 28.09 per cent.

This is also its best performance in the constituency since the first contest was held in 2006.

Its previous best result was in 2015, when the team led by then Prime Minister Lee defeated RP with 78.64 per cent of the votes.

SM Lee said in a speech to supporters at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on May 4: “Thank you very much for supporting me and my team and giving us your mandate again, to represent you, to work for you, to do our best for you, for Ang Mo Kio and for Singapore.

“Many things are happening in the world. We have many worries. With the PAP, we can work with you, with your trust and your full support and cooperation. We will do the best for our families, for our country and for our future.”

He added that the GRC will work with the Kebun Baru, Yio Chu Kang and Jalan Kayu SMCs as one big family.

“And together, we will make Ang Mo Kio an even better place to live, work and play, and Singapore an even better place to call home and to be proud of for many, many more years to come,” he said.

The largest of the 18 group representation constituencies with 161,499 electors, Ang Mo Kio GRC was contested by three parties for the first time since it was created in 1991.

The PAP team includes former civil servant Jasmin Lau, 42; financial technology firm chief executive Victor Lye, 63; as well as incumbent Ang Mo Kio GRC MPs Darryl David, 54, and Nadia Ahmad Samdin, 35.

SM Lee, 73, who stepped down in May 2024 after 20 years as prime minister, has represented the Teck Ghee ward in the GRC for 41 years, after being first elected to Parliament in 1984.

Ms Lau is a newcomer, while Mr Lye was part of the losing PAP teams in Aljunied GRC in the last two elections.

The SUP slate for Ang Mo Kio includes the party’s secretary-general Andy Zhu, 42, and Ms Noraini Yunus, 56, who both contested in the GRC under the RP banner in the 2020 General Election.

The other members are party chairman Ridhuan Chandran, 53; flight attendant Nigel Ng, 39; and Dr Vincent Ng, 52, who was part of the National Solidarity Party team that stood in Tampines GRC in 2020.

The PPP team, which is contesting in Ang Mo Kio for the first time, is helmed by party treasurer William Lim, 47; retired civil servant Martinn Ho, 64; safety coordinator Thaddeus Thomas, 43; information technology engineer Samuel Lee, 33; and horticulturist Heng Zheng Dao, 24.

Ang Mo Kio GRC was uncontested until 2006, when the PAP defeated a WP team. In the last three general elections, the PAP won by comfortable margins against the RP.

Both SUP and PPP will lose their election deposits for not securing more than 12.5 per cent of the votes.

Speaking to the media after the sample vote count was confirmed, SUP’s Mr Zhu said the party is not too concerned about losing its deposit and will continue to reach out to voters in Ang Mo Kio for the next five years.

“This is a long-term battle. It’s not just for today, and it will not be over after tonight,” he said.

PAP wins in Kebun Baru, Yio Chu Kang​

Over in Kebun Baru SMC, the PAP’s Mr Henry Kwek claimed victory with 68.5 per cent of the votes against the PSP’s Mr Tony Tan.

Speaking to his residents, Mr Kwek said: “Tonight, we celebrate, but tomorrow we’ll get back to work, because the real work has always been about you, our people of Kebun Baru, for caring for the elderly, for supporting our seniors, empowering our youth, and building a community where no one is left behind, and bringing our people’s voice to Parliament.”

The SMC, which has 22,263 electors, was part of Nee Soon GRC in 2015.

Mr Kwek, 49, who is the chief executive of an investment firm, had been in charge of Kebun Baru since he was elected with the PAP’s Nee Soon team in 2015.

In 2020, he was fielded as the PAP candidate for the newly carved-out Kebun Baru SMC, and won with a vote share of 62.92 per cent against the PSP’s Mr Kumaran Pillai.

His opponent Mr Tan, 55, has been a volunteer with the PSP since the party was founded in 2019.

A former Singapore Armed Forces scholarship holder with an engineering background, he is married to PSP’s first vice-chairwoman Hazel Poa.

He and his wife first joined the RP, but resigned in 2011 due to disagreements with its leaders.

They then joined the National Solidarity Party and were fielded as candidates in Chua Chu Kang GRC in the election that year, losing to the PAP team led by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.

In Yio Chu Kang SMC, the PAP’s Mr Yip Hon Weng retained his single seat.

The 48-year-old, the former group chief of the Silver Generation Office under the Agency for Integrated Care, won 78.73 per cent of the votes against the People’s Alliance for Reform’s Dr Michael Fang, a 48-year-old health sciences lecturer at a private college.

The PAP’s Yio Chu Kang candidate Yip Hon Weng greeting a supporter at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on May 3.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
In the last election in 2020, Mr Yip, then a newcomer, secured 60.82 per cent of the votes against the PSP’s Kayla Low, when the single-member constituency was carved out of Ang Mo Kio GRC that year.

Dr Fang contested as a Peoples Voice candidate in Jalan Besar GRC in 2020, along with PV founder Lim Tean, Mr Leong Sze Hian and Mr Nor Azlan Sulaiman. The PAP team led by current Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo won with 65.36 per cent of the votes.

The SMC has 25,410 electors.

Calling it a “good result”, Mr Yip said: “It has shown that our hard work over the past five years has borne fruit, and I look forward to serving my residents for the next five years, improving the estate and speaking up more in Parliament on their behalf.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

GE2025: PAP wins Pasir Ris-Changi GRC​

(From left) The PAP's Pasir Ris-Changi GRC candidates Desmond Tan, Indranee Rajah, Valerie Lee and Sharael Taha at Bedok Stadium in the early morning of May 4.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Rosalind Ang and Harith Mustaffa
May 04, 2025

SINGAPORE - The PAP has won Pasir Ris-Changi GRC – led by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah – with 67.66 per cent of the votes against the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), a coalition of two parties and a newcomer.

Ms Indranee’s teammates are Mr Desmond Tan, 54, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, one-term MP Sharael Taha, 43, and new face Valerie Lee, 39.

They faced a straight fight against a team from SDA comprising the opposition coalition’s chairman Desmond Lim, 58, secretary-general Abu Mohamed, 74, communications lead Harminder Pal Singh, 53, and newcomer Chia Yun Kai, 32. The team garnered 32.34 per cent of the votes.

The constituency, which has 100,957 voters, was formed by merging some districts under the former Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC with adjacent areas in East Coast GRC, after electoral boundaries were redrawn.

Pulau Ubin was subsumed under the new boundaries of Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.

In her speech at Bedok Stadium thanking voters for their faith and support, Ms Indranee said: “We will put in place the plans that we already have, but we are going to listen to you so that we can put together fresh plans.

“For those who didn’t vote for us, it will be our mission to understand why, and we will work hard for you too, because you are no less our residents than the others, and we will work hard for everyone.”

During the nine days of campaigning, Ms Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and National Development, had said that while the PAP has plans to address concerns such as the cost of living and jobs at a national level, her team at Pasir Ris-Changi GRC will explore issues and plans at the local level, including improving infrastructure.

Ms Indranee had moved from Tanjong Pagar GRC where she had served for 24 years to anchor the PAP team in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.

This was after Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, the former anchor minister in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, announced his retirement from politics after 33 years. Mr Teo had been an MP in Pasir-Ris Punggol GRC since 1997.

During campaigning, Ms Indranee had said at a rally about SM Teo’s “shoes” being too big to fill.

In an interview with the media at Bedok Stadium following the official results’ announcement, Ms Indranee said she will make her own footprints together with her team.

“And you know, everybody has different shoes; what is much more important is how you walk in those shoes with the residents.”

Separately, SDA’s Mr Lim said the results of this general election showed the highest support that the coalition has received since 2006.

The SDA had garnered 23.67 per cent of the votes in General Election 2020 while contesting the then Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

“I feel encouraged and motivated to continue working for the community,” said Mr Lim, adding that the alliance plans to focus on community engagement, refine its policies and the use of social media as well as build strong coalition with other political parties to address the issues that matter most to constituents.

The SDA is a coalition comprising the Singapore Justice Party, of which Mr Lim is the secretary-general; the Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS), of which Mr Abu Mohamed is the president; and Mr Chia, who initially announced he had founded his own party Most Valuable Party to contest East Coast GRC. Mr Chia joined SDA on Nomination Day on April 23.

During campaigning, the alliance had aimed to address the cost of living, issues on housing and healthcare as well as that of providing better job opportunities for Singaporeans amid competition from foreign talent.

Pasir Ris-Changi voters whom The Straits Times spoke to earlier on Polling Day said the voting process was smooth and hassle-free.

The day began with heavy downpours in the early morning of May 3 before clearing up to clear skies for the rest of the day.

Voters said issues such as the cost of living were on the top of their minds when it came to casting their votes.

“What’s more important for me is to choose the right team to take the country forward,” said 49-year-old housewife Noor Huda Abdullah.