SINGAPORE: Although the last results of the General Election came in well after midnight, MPs-elect had already hit the ground running on Sunday (May 4) morning, eagerly thanking residents for their support.
National Development Minister Desmond Lee led his five-person team as they greeted patrons of a coffee shop in Jurong West hours after winning the newly formed West Coast-Jurong West Group Representation Constituency (GRC).
The team won 60.01 per cent of votes against a Progress Singapore Party (PSP) team led by chairman Tan Cheng Bock.
The team comprises former Jurong GRC MP Shawn Huang, former West Coast GRC MP Ang Wei Neng and electoral debutants Cassandra Lee and Hamid Razak.
As Mr Lee made his rounds around the coffee shop, some residents having their breakfast eagerly waited for him to approach their table for handshakes, while other passers-by made a beeline towards him to congratulate him for the team’s win.
Although this was just the first stop of the day, Mr Lee patiently listened as residents took turns to speak to him, occasionally wiping the sweat off his face from the morning heat with a towel.
He extended his arm multiple times to help them hold their phones up as they took selfies, and encouraged his teammates to squeeze in for the shots.
An elderly resident told Dr Hamid in Mandarin that he was very intelligent for being able to speak the language, while his teammates laughed and nodded in agreement.
National Development Minister Desmond Lee mingling with supporters at Boon Lay Place Food Village on 4 May, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Abel Khoo)
Speaking to members of the media before a walkabout at their second stop, Boon Lay Food Village, Mr Lee said that it was “very humbling” to have the strong support of the residents compared to five years ago.
The PSP in 2020 came within a few percentage points of victory in what was the tightest race of the polls that year, albeit in the now-defunct West Coast GRC.
In 2020, the PAP retained West Coast GRC with 51.68 per cent of the vote, while the PSP secured two Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) seats as the best-performing losing team.
“In parliament, my colleagues and I have worked for them, spoken about issues that matter to them, answered questions that residents are concerned about. On the ground, through Meet-The-People Sessions, home visits, many projects that we’ve done to continue to connect with residents,” Mr Lee said.
“So certainly (there is) a strong sense of responsibility to continue to support the residents who have entrusted us with the support they gave us yesterday.”
Mr Lee said that the team will continue working on measures to help residents with issues such as the cost of living and job security, explaining how it has worked with Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) to better support fresh graduates from institutes of higher learning, as well as middle aged and older workers in the west of Singapore.
“We sense a greater anxiety amongst people living here about job security, and therefore we redouble our efforts with strong partnerships with e2i, find jobs and so on, to better enhance support for different groups of Singaporeans living here in West Coast and Jurong West,” he said.
There are also many estates in the constituency that will be undergoing upgrading and enhancement works with the help of residents’ inputs to ensure the amenities are “meaningful to them”, he added.
When asked how the team is going to celebrate their win before the new week begins, Mr Lee said: “I wouldn’t say celebrate, it’s letting it seep into us the enormity of this responsibility and the tremendous trust that residents have given to us.”
A lion dance troupe greets PAP's West Coast-Jurong West GRC candidates during their walkabout at 505 Jurong West Market & Food Centre on 4 May, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Abel Khoo)
Before the team arrived at the third location, 505 Jurong West Market & Food Centre, there was already excited chatter about their visit, and a crowd started forming at the entrance.
The team had barely stepped out of the car when the crowd erupted in cheers and a lion dance troupe started beating on drums and crashing cymbals.
Mr Lee could barely walk three steps before being stopped for pictures, and some parents carried their children onto seats so they could catch a glimpse of the candidates.
“Mr Lee is very good at the groundwork. He has been involved in a lot of community events and the people here like him very much,” said Mr Martin Lim.
“Many amenities have been rebuilt and he takes the time to understand what his residents want,” the workforce trainer said, proudly adding that he has had a number of conversations with the minister at community events.
Mr Lim said that in the next five years, he hopes to see his MPs speak out more on the foreign workforce policy.
“Many people are not doing well in their careers and feel competition from foreigners. MPs shouldn’t stay silent and raise these issues in parliament,” the 60-year-old said.
When asked why the PSP did not win as high a vote share as they did in 2020, Mr Lim said that many residents felt like Dr Tan was not on the ground enough this time.
“Tan Cheng Bock is only an observer, but Desmond Lee has been on the ground putting in effort to connect with the residents. A person talking versus a person that’s doing. The voters can see the difference,” he said.
Another resident having his morning coffee shared a similar sentiment.
“Age is catching up with Tan Cheng Bock and he should stick to retirement rather than entering politics,” said Mr Vincent Gomez.
Despite the “predictable” results, Mr Gomez, also 60, said he felt “happy and excited” about the PAP’s win in the GRC.
“They’re a very strong team and there have been many infrastructure improvements. There are enough food places here. You’ll never go hungry.”
PAP’s East Coast GRC team’s community thank-you drive on May 4, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Christine Tan)
The mood was jubilant across various spots in East Coast GRC as some residents were eager to catch a glimpse of the PAP’s victory parade there.
This year, the PAP improved on its 2020 performance in East Coast GRC, retaining it with 58.76 per cent of the vote. In the previous contest, it secured 53.39 per cent of the vote.
On board an open-top bus were familiar faces and fresh ones – Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How and Deputy Speaker Jessica Tan, alongside newly elected MPs Dinesh Vasu Dash and Hazlina Abdul Halim.
The team soaked in the morning sun, smiling and waving PAP flags from the bus’ rooftop deck.
From passing cars, drivers rolled down their windows to return the waves. Some even honked several times in a playful tune.
At bus stops and along pedestrian paths, residents also smiled and waved as the bus travelled past them, with occasional “east side, best side” cheers.
PAP’s East Coast GRC team on a walkabout at 85 Fengshan Centre on May 4, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Christine Tan)
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the victory parade, Mr Tong said that the immediate plan is to look at his team’s respective divisions to ensure alignment, as they are bringing together five wards, including Joo Chiat, which he describes as the “new kid on the block.”
“Integrating Joo Chiat is an obvious priority. It’s the new kid on the block, in a way, joining the rest of East Coast.
“But beyond that, we also need to assess what’s working across the constituency, both from an infrastructure perspective and in terms of softer, social programmes,” he said, citing support for seniors and caregivers as an example.
Focusing on the youth will also be a priority, said Mr Tong.
“(We need to ensure) they have opportunities to get exposure and they feel that they are empowered to take control of their own future.”
Some of the places the entourage stopped at were 85 Market in Fengshan, Bedok town centre, an open-air car park in Joo Chiat and Block 35 Chai Chee Road.
The stops were brief as they had a tight schedule to adhere to, but they had the chance to have friendly interactions with residents who were happy to meet them.
Information technology professional Derek Ho, 57, was at a market in Bedok with his wife and daughter when he ran into Mr Tong and his team, stopping to shake their hands.
He said that he had been up until 4am watching the election results, and he had expected a tough fight for East Coast GRC, like in the 2020 election.
“But the PAP team won comfortably. I think this shows that they have done a good job serving residents here.”
PAP's Nee Soon GRC candidate Jackson Lam mingling with supporters at 101 Yishun Ave 5 on 4 May, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Abel Khoo)
Although Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam had concluded his celebratory walkabout before the afternoon sun kicked in, the four other members of the newly elected Nee Soon GRC team still managed to draw an eager and exuberant crowd at Chong Pang City at around noon.
The Nee Soon PAP team secured 73.81 per cent of the vote against Red Dot United. This is nearly a 12 per cent increase from the 2020 election, when the PAP went up against the PSP.
The other four members, Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, Ms Goh Hanyan, Mr Jackson Lam and Ms Lee Hui Ying, welcomed handshakes and selfies, and already had residents coming to them to share their woes.
As Ms Goh approached him, one resident who was just about to dig into his bowl of noodles excitedly said: “PAP! I will always support you!”
Another, 24-year-old first-time voter Mr Wong, said that the PAP’s vote share in the constituency was “not surprising at all”.
“Everyone used to think that Yishun was haunted or it wasn’t a good place to live in because of all the bad news, but things are slowly changing,” he said, adding that he had seen infrastructure and cleanliness improvements in his estate over the last few years.
Speaking to CNA, Dr Syed Harun said that the team is “already getting the work done” and has gathered feedback from residents over the last two weeks.
PAP's Nee Soon GRC member Syed Harun Alhabsyi mingling with supporters at 101 Yishun Ave 5 on 4 May, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Abel Khoo)
“We do find that there are many things that we can continue to improve upon, and we will be working towards that. So at this point of time, it’s about meeting residents.”
“We met a large swath of the residents already, but it’s really about looking to the last mile to be able to deliver a good service for the residents, and to be able to speak to the mandate and support that they’ve given us through this election,” Dr Syed Harun said.
The former Nominated Member of Parliament said he would be holding his first Meet-The-People Session on Monday, and added that all candidates “bring their own strengths to the team”.
“There might be some minor changes with regards to how I carry myself with my residents, how I interact with my residents,” he said. “It’s really about bringing our own personalities to the fore so that the residents also get to know us a bit better, and the sincerity in which we work to be able to improve their lives.”
Fellow Nee Soon MP-elect Jackson Lam told CNA that many residents have voiced out the municipal issues they face in their estate, and he has encouraged them to come for the Meet-The-People Sessions to share more.
He added that his top priority would be to go around meeting more residents and understanding their concerns before he further helps them.
"We were very humbled by the huge support by the huge from our residents, the trust they have given us. I think moving forward, (the) work actually starts today," Mr Lam said.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC teammates were also up early to thank residents for their support.
The team arrived at Marsiling market at around 9am, with a lady running up to him to shake his hand and to give him a hug.
A crowd also surrounded Mr Wong and his team at Yew Tee Square, with many wanting to take photos with him.
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National Development Minister Desmond Lee led his five-person team as they greeted patrons of a coffee shop in Jurong West hours after winning the newly formed West Coast-Jurong West Group Representation Constituency (GRC).
The team won 60.01 per cent of votes against a Progress Singapore Party (PSP) team led by chairman Tan Cheng Bock.
The team comprises former Jurong GRC MP Shawn Huang, former West Coast GRC MP Ang Wei Neng and electoral debutants Cassandra Lee and Hamid Razak.
As Mr Lee made his rounds around the coffee shop, some residents having their breakfast eagerly waited for him to approach their table for handshakes, while other passers-by made a beeline towards him to congratulate him for the team’s win.
Although this was just the first stop of the day, Mr Lee patiently listened as residents took turns to speak to him, occasionally wiping the sweat off his face from the morning heat with a towel.
He extended his arm multiple times to help them hold their phones up as they took selfies, and encouraged his teammates to squeeze in for the shots.
An elderly resident told Dr Hamid in Mandarin that he was very intelligent for being able to speak the language, while his teammates laughed and nodded in agreement.
National Development Minister Desmond Lee mingling with supporters at Boon Lay Place Food Village on 4 May, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Abel Khoo)
Speaking to members of the media before a walkabout at their second stop, Boon Lay Food Village, Mr Lee said that it was “very humbling” to have the strong support of the residents compared to five years ago.
The PSP in 2020 came within a few percentage points of victory in what was the tightest race of the polls that year, albeit in the now-defunct West Coast GRC.
In 2020, the PAP retained West Coast GRC with 51.68 per cent of the vote, while the PSP secured two Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) seats as the best-performing losing team.
“In parliament, my colleagues and I have worked for them, spoken about issues that matter to them, answered questions that residents are concerned about. On the ground, through Meet-The-People Sessions, home visits, many projects that we’ve done to continue to connect with residents,” Mr Lee said.
“So certainly (there is) a strong sense of responsibility to continue to support the residents who have entrusted us with the support they gave us yesterday.”
Mr Lee said that the team will continue working on measures to help residents with issues such as the cost of living and job security, explaining how it has worked with Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) to better support fresh graduates from institutes of higher learning, as well as middle aged and older workers in the west of Singapore.
“We sense a greater anxiety amongst people living here about job security, and therefore we redouble our efforts with strong partnerships with e2i, find jobs and so on, to better enhance support for different groups of Singaporeans living here in West Coast and Jurong West,” he said.
There are also many estates in the constituency that will be undergoing upgrading and enhancement works with the help of residents’ inputs to ensure the amenities are “meaningful to them”, he added.
When asked how the team is going to celebrate their win before the new week begins, Mr Lee said: “I wouldn’t say celebrate, it’s letting it seep into us the enormity of this responsibility and the tremendous trust that residents have given to us.”
A lion dance troupe greets PAP's West Coast-Jurong West GRC candidates during their walkabout at 505 Jurong West Market & Food Centre on 4 May, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Abel Khoo)
Before the team arrived at the third location, 505 Jurong West Market & Food Centre, there was already excited chatter about their visit, and a crowd started forming at the entrance.
The team had barely stepped out of the car when the crowd erupted in cheers and a lion dance troupe started beating on drums and crashing cymbals.
Mr Lee could barely walk three steps before being stopped for pictures, and some parents carried their children onto seats so they could catch a glimpse of the candidates.
“Mr Lee is very good at the groundwork. He has been involved in a lot of community events and the people here like him very much,” said Mr Martin Lim.
“Many amenities have been rebuilt and he takes the time to understand what his residents want,” the workforce trainer said, proudly adding that he has had a number of conversations with the minister at community events.
Mr Lim said that in the next five years, he hopes to see his MPs speak out more on the foreign workforce policy.
“Many people are not doing well in their careers and feel competition from foreigners. MPs shouldn’t stay silent and raise these issues in parliament,” the 60-year-old said.
When asked why the PSP did not win as high a vote share as they did in 2020, Mr Lim said that many residents felt like Dr Tan was not on the ground enough this time.
“Tan Cheng Bock is only an observer, but Desmond Lee has been on the ground putting in effort to connect with the residents. A person talking versus a person that’s doing. The voters can see the difference,” he said.
Another resident having his morning coffee shared a similar sentiment.
“Age is catching up with Tan Cheng Bock and he should stick to retirement rather than entering politics,” said Mr Vincent Gomez.
Despite the “predictable” results, Mr Gomez, also 60, said he felt “happy and excited” about the PAP’s win in the GRC.
“They’re a very strong team and there have been many infrastructure improvements. There are enough food places here. You’ll never go hungry.”
“EAST SIDE, BEST SIDE”
PAP’s East Coast GRC team’s community thank-you drive on May 4, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Christine Tan)
The mood was jubilant across various spots in East Coast GRC as some residents were eager to catch a glimpse of the PAP’s victory parade there.
This year, the PAP improved on its 2020 performance in East Coast GRC, retaining it with 58.76 per cent of the vote. In the previous contest, it secured 53.39 per cent of the vote.
On board an open-top bus were familiar faces and fresh ones – Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How and Deputy Speaker Jessica Tan, alongside newly elected MPs Dinesh Vasu Dash and Hazlina Abdul Halim.
The team soaked in the morning sun, smiling and waving PAP flags from the bus’ rooftop deck.
From passing cars, drivers rolled down their windows to return the waves. Some even honked several times in a playful tune.
At bus stops and along pedestrian paths, residents also smiled and waved as the bus travelled past them, with occasional “east side, best side” cheers.
PAP’s East Coast GRC team on a walkabout at 85 Fengshan Centre on May 4, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Christine Tan)
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the victory parade, Mr Tong said that the immediate plan is to look at his team’s respective divisions to ensure alignment, as they are bringing together five wards, including Joo Chiat, which he describes as the “new kid on the block.”
“Integrating Joo Chiat is an obvious priority. It’s the new kid on the block, in a way, joining the rest of East Coast.
“But beyond that, we also need to assess what’s working across the constituency, both from an infrastructure perspective and in terms of softer, social programmes,” he said, citing support for seniors and caregivers as an example.
Focusing on the youth will also be a priority, said Mr Tong.
“(We need to ensure) they have opportunities to get exposure and they feel that they are empowered to take control of their own future.”
Some of the places the entourage stopped at were 85 Market in Fengshan, Bedok town centre, an open-air car park in Joo Chiat and Block 35 Chai Chee Road.
The stops were brief as they had a tight schedule to adhere to, but they had the chance to have friendly interactions with residents who were happy to meet them.
Information technology professional Derek Ho, 57, was at a market in Bedok with his wife and daughter when he ran into Mr Tong and his team, stopping to shake their hands.
He said that he had been up until 4am watching the election results, and he had expected a tough fight for East Coast GRC, like in the 2020 election.
“But the PAP team won comfortably. I think this shows that they have done a good job serving residents here.”
“ALREADY GETTING THE WORK DONE”
PAP's Nee Soon GRC candidate Jackson Lam mingling with supporters at 101 Yishun Ave 5 on 4 May, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Abel Khoo)
Although Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam had concluded his celebratory walkabout before the afternoon sun kicked in, the four other members of the newly elected Nee Soon GRC team still managed to draw an eager and exuberant crowd at Chong Pang City at around noon.
The Nee Soon PAP team secured 73.81 per cent of the vote against Red Dot United. This is nearly a 12 per cent increase from the 2020 election, when the PAP went up against the PSP.
The other four members, Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, Ms Goh Hanyan, Mr Jackson Lam and Ms Lee Hui Ying, welcomed handshakes and selfies, and already had residents coming to them to share their woes.
As Ms Goh approached him, one resident who was just about to dig into his bowl of noodles excitedly said: “PAP! I will always support you!”
Another, 24-year-old first-time voter Mr Wong, said that the PAP’s vote share in the constituency was “not surprising at all”.
“Everyone used to think that Yishun was haunted or it wasn’t a good place to live in because of all the bad news, but things are slowly changing,” he said, adding that he had seen infrastructure and cleanliness improvements in his estate over the last few years.
Speaking to CNA, Dr Syed Harun said that the team is “already getting the work done” and has gathered feedback from residents over the last two weeks.
PAP's Nee Soon GRC member Syed Harun Alhabsyi mingling with supporters at 101 Yishun Ave 5 on 4 May, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Abel Khoo)
“We do find that there are many things that we can continue to improve upon, and we will be working towards that. So at this point of time, it’s about meeting residents.”
“We met a large swath of the residents already, but it’s really about looking to the last mile to be able to deliver a good service for the residents, and to be able to speak to the mandate and support that they’ve given us through this election,” Dr Syed Harun said.
The former Nominated Member of Parliament said he would be holding his first Meet-The-People Session on Monday, and added that all candidates “bring their own strengths to the team”.
“There might be some minor changes with regards to how I carry myself with my residents, how I interact with my residents,” he said. “It’s really about bringing our own personalities to the fore so that the residents also get to know us a bit better, and the sincerity in which we work to be able to improve their lives.”
Fellow Nee Soon MP-elect Jackson Lam told CNA that many residents have voiced out the municipal issues they face in their estate, and he has encouraged them to come for the Meet-The-People Sessions to share more.
He added that his top priority would be to go around meeting more residents and understanding their concerns before he further helps them.
"We were very humbled by the huge support by the huge from our residents, the trust they have given us. I think moving forward, (the) work actually starts today," Mr Lam said.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC teammates were also up early to thank residents for their support.
The team arrived at Marsiling market at around 9am, with a lady running up to him to shake his hand and to give him a hug.
A crowd also surrounded Mr Wong and his team at Yew Tee Square, with many wanting to take photos with him.
Continue reading...