SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) on Monday (Apr 21) announced that Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean will not be contesting the new Pasir Ris-Changi GRC, with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah helming the team instead.
Ms Indranee was a Member of Parliament in Tanjong Pagar GRC for 24 years. She is also Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for National Development.
The four-member team will be completed by Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Desmond Tan, former Pasir Ris-Punggol MP Sharael Taha, and new face Ms Valerie Lee,39.
While Mr Teo, who anchored Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC after the previous election, confirmed he will not be fielded in Pasir Ris-Changi, he said he remains “available to contribute” in any way PAP secretary-general Lawrence Wong sees fit.
“I would like to thank all our residents, all our volunteers, all our partners in Pasir Ris for your kindness, your friendship and your support for the past 28 years,” Mr Teo said.
“It has been my privilege and an honour to have served the residents of Pasir Ris and to have got to know so many of you children and also your grandchildren.”
Mr Teo said he has “full confidence” that the current slate is a “strong team” that is ready to serve. “So, please give your support to the team,” he said.
As for Ms Indranee, she said that today’s introduction is “both poignant yet exciting at the same time”.
She added that it would miss the uncles and aunties (in Tanjong Pagar), but she assured the public that the party will field a solid team there, and being a candidate in Pasir-Ris Changi “brings a new opportunity to serve”.
At Pasir Ris-Changi, if elected, Ms Indranee said that she would like to focus on three areas – cost of living, families as well as infrastructure.
“I am already involved in addressing (cost of living issues) at the national level, because of my work in the Ministry of Finance. I would like to do more of this at the local level.”
Ms Lee, 39, head of corporate affairs for Singapore and Southeast Asia at Sembcorp Industries, was previously spotted on the ground in West Coast GRC and East Coast GRC.
She was previously the chairman of The Frontier Community Club Management Committee in Pioneer SMC, and was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2023.
Ms Lee was also formerly the director of Singtel’s energy business, and deputy director of SP Group’s commercial energy platform.
She is the mother of a two-year-old, and said during the press conference that she had two miscarriages previously.
She said on Monday: “This experience has really grown in ways that I didn't expect, but it also made me more determined than ever to be a voice for those who often feel unheard in the journey of starting a family and subsequently maintaining one.
“Through my years of volunteering, I've come to the conclusion that the best ideas don't come from the top, but from the ground up, from Singaporeans themselves. And I love bringing those ideas to life,” added Ms Lee.
With the formation of a new Punggol GRC following last month’s Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report, the remaining districts in the now-defunct Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC were merged with adjacent areas from East Coast GRC. Together with the Loyang and Flora estates, they formed Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.
The Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) has said it will contest the GRC, with party chairman Desmond Lim saying it will focus its resources there. SDA has been contesting Pasir Ris-Punggol in every election since 2006 without success.
At the last election in 2020, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC hosted a three-way contest between the PAP, SDA and People's Voice (PV). The PAP won with 64.16 per cent of the vote, while PV lost its deposit.
The People’s Alliance for Reform coalition, which comprises three parties including PV, did not include Pasir Ris-Changi in the seven constituencies it said it would contest.
For this year’s election, Pasir Ris-Changi GRC will see 100,639 voters, with the East Coast wards - covering areas in Changi, Loyang as well as Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong - comprising 12,871 voters.
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Ms Indranee was a Member of Parliament in Tanjong Pagar GRC for 24 years. She is also Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for National Development.
The four-member team will be completed by Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Desmond Tan, former Pasir Ris-Punggol MP Sharael Taha, and new face Ms Valerie Lee,39.
While Mr Teo, who anchored Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC after the previous election, confirmed he will not be fielded in Pasir Ris-Changi, he said he remains “available to contribute” in any way PAP secretary-general Lawrence Wong sees fit.
“I would like to thank all our residents, all our volunteers, all our partners in Pasir Ris for your kindness, your friendship and your support for the past 28 years,” Mr Teo said.
“It has been my privilege and an honour to have served the residents of Pasir Ris and to have got to know so many of you children and also your grandchildren.”
Mr Teo said he has “full confidence” that the current slate is a “strong team” that is ready to serve. “So, please give your support to the team,” he said.
As for Ms Indranee, she said that today’s introduction is “both poignant yet exciting at the same time”.
She added that it would miss the uncles and aunties (in Tanjong Pagar), but she assured the public that the party will field a solid team there, and being a candidate in Pasir-Ris Changi “brings a new opportunity to serve”.
At Pasir Ris-Changi, if elected, Ms Indranee said that she would like to focus on three areas – cost of living, families as well as infrastructure.
“I am already involved in addressing (cost of living issues) at the national level, because of my work in the Ministry of Finance. I would like to do more of this at the local level.”
VALERIE LEE
Ms Lee, 39, head of corporate affairs for Singapore and Southeast Asia at Sembcorp Industries, was previously spotted on the ground in West Coast GRC and East Coast GRC.
She was previously the chairman of The Frontier Community Club Management Committee in Pioneer SMC, and was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2023.
Ms Lee was also formerly the director of Singtel’s energy business, and deputy director of SP Group’s commercial energy platform.
She is the mother of a two-year-old, and said during the press conference that she had two miscarriages previously.
She said on Monday: “This experience has really grown in ways that I didn't expect, but it also made me more determined than ever to be a voice for those who often feel unheard in the journey of starting a family and subsequently maintaining one.
“Through my years of volunteering, I've come to the conclusion that the best ideas don't come from the top, but from the ground up, from Singaporeans themselves. And I love bringing those ideas to life,” added Ms Lee.
With the formation of a new Punggol GRC following last month’s Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report, the remaining districts in the now-defunct Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC were merged with adjacent areas from East Coast GRC. Together with the Loyang and Flora estates, they formed Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.
The Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) has said it will contest the GRC, with party chairman Desmond Lim saying it will focus its resources there. SDA has been contesting Pasir Ris-Punggol in every election since 2006 without success.
At the last election in 2020, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC hosted a three-way contest between the PAP, SDA and People's Voice (PV). The PAP won with 64.16 per cent of the vote, while PV lost its deposit.
The People’s Alliance for Reform coalition, which comprises three parties including PV, did not include Pasir Ris-Changi in the seven constituencies it said it would contest.
For this year’s election, Pasir Ris-Changi GRC will see 100,639 voters, with the East Coast wards - covering areas in Changi, Loyang as well as Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong - comprising 12,871 voters.
This article will be updated. Please refresh for the latest.
Continue reading...