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SINGAPORE : The guessing game is on about who will be fielded where as election fever heats up.
On Thursday, the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) unveiled its slate of candidates for East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC), ahead of Nomination Day.
East Coast GRC is one of the largest, with more than 125,000 registered electors. Two veteran politicians from the GRC, Senior Minister S Jayakumar and Speaker of Parliament, Abdullah Tarmugi, said they will be retiring from politics.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Swee Say - from Holland-Bukit Timah GRC - and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for National Development, Mohamad Maliki Osman - from Sembawang GRC - will move to the constituency.
Mr Lim said: "Last night, when I disclosed my redeployment to my core grassroots leaders in Buona Vista, I think obviously one area of key concern is when would they know who is my replacement at Buona Vista. Because they are all very anxious to start running with this new candidate. So I am confident that the party, within the next few days, will come to a decision.
"So we are looking forward to this new face appearing at Buona Vista so that we can give him a warm welcome and then we can start running with him."
The current Buona Vista ward in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC has however been moved to Tanjong Pagar GRC, following the redrawing of electoral boundaries.
Mr Lim, who is seen as the "anchor minister" at East Coast, and outlined his priorities.
He said: "One is to continue to strengthen and to enhance the living environment in the GRC and at the same time, strengthen the social interaction among the residents within the community.
"My second priority is that within in my team...I think if you look at the composition of my team, I am the oldest in my team. I am 50-plus, whereas the other four members are much younger than me. So obviously, my priority will be in terms of creating more opportunities in the coming term, so that my younger colleagues in the team will have more room, more space, to develop because at the end of the day, yes, we want to make sure that we have the best team in place, to serve East Coast GRC, but equally, if not more important, is also to strengthen the present team so that in time, in the many years to come, the team that is serving the East Coast GRC will grow stronger and stronger."
The change leaves Holland-Bukit Timah with a four-member team - comprising Vivian Balakrishnan, Christopher De Souza, Yu-Foo Yee Shoon and Liang Eng Hwa - which could remain intact, as the new electoral boundary has whittled it down from a five-member GRC.
But veteran politician Yu-Foo Yee Shoon could step down, having served six terms in Parliament.
However, she would not be drawn into any speculation. She said: "I will leave it to my GRC and its MPs to come together to announce my plans."
The PAP usually retires about a third of its serving MPs in each election.
In 2006, 24 stepped down.
In Sembawang GRC, its anchor minister said there may be new faces in the team since Dr Maliki will go to East Coast.
Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, who is also an MP at Sembawang, is widely expected to helm the newly-formed Nee Soon GRC.
Khaw Boon Wan, MP for Sembawang GRC, said: "We would need two new members and let us wait for these candidates to be announced, and out of those new candidates, I am sure two good ones will be assigned to Sembawang."
Another GRC likely to see changes is Marine Parade, helmed by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.
In his first foray in new media, Mr Goh posted on the GRC's Facebook page: "Expect two new faces to understudy MPs in the GRC soon."
A possible new candidate is 27-year-old business consultant Tin Pei Ling. Her name was flagged in another post, indicating she could be part of the PAP's Marine Parade team.
As for Single-Member Constituencies, Joo Chiat is likely to get a new PAP candidate.
Incumbent MP Chan Soo Sen is expected to step down after three terms in Parliament.
Marine Parade MP Seah Kian Peng is tipped to take over.
He is however remaining tight-lipped, and instead said he has been focused on his own current ward in Braddell Heights.
It is unusual for the PAP to announce its line-up ahead of Nomination Day, and this does give the opposition something to chew on. In response, the Workers' Party's Chairman Sylvia Lim said the PAP's East Coast line-up will not change the party's strategy, and added her party will only confirm its line-up on Nomination Day.
