GE2025: Prospective PAP candidates visit multiple constituencies 'quietly' to observe, do the work, says Chan Chun Sing
Education Minister and anchor minister for Tanjong Pagar GRC Chan Chun Sing was addressing questions about party new face Foo Cexiang's seemingly surprise addition to the slate, after he'd been largely seen in Punggol events leading up to Nomination Day.
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SINGAPORE: It is common for prospective candidates from the People's Action Party (PAP) to "quietly" visit and observe the work done in multiple constituencies "without an entourage", said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing after Nomination Day proceedings concluded on Wednesday (Apr 23).
The anchor minister for Tanjong Pagar GRC was addressing questions about the seemingly surprise move earlier in the day when party new face Foo Cexiang was revealed to be contesting Tanjong Pagar GRC, during a press conference formally introducing the constituency's slate alongside candidates for Queenstown and Radin Mas SMCs.
Mr Foo had been largely spotted at events in what was formerly Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC in the past few weeks, and was expected to be fielded in constituencies in the area.
Potential candidates visit multiple places "because we want to expose them to residents from different backgrounds", as this is "better for their deployment", said Mr Chan.
"As the prospective candidates pick up experiences, then it also allows us to have an assessment of which demographic that they can best relate to."
At the same time, they also get to learn about the different ways that every constituency operates.
Once prospective candidates have gained this exposure, there will be "different considerations" influencing their deployment, as the PAP fields candidates "across the entire island, unlike other parties", Mr Chan said.
"We have to make sure that the portfolio of candidates across the different parts of Singapore will be able to best serve the residents and respond to their needs in different parts of Singapore."
As such, the party doesn't only look at a prospective candidate's individual strengths, but how a potential team can complement each other. This will take into consideration their diversity of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, he added.
MEETING RESIDENTS BEHIND-THE-SCENES
In Mr Foo's case, he had been briefed by former Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Indranee Rajah to visit the constituency "quietly to do some of the work and observations", said Mr Chan, adding that the newcomer wasn't "entirely so new" as may be perceived.
Ms Indranee - Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Finance - has vacated her seat in Tanjong Pagar GRC after serving its residents since 2001. She is now helming PAP’s four-member team in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.
Mr Foo said Ms Indranee had told him to "take extra special care of all the residents" in Tanjong Pagar GRC, and so he had already started meeting residents without the media's knowledge.
"Indeed, I’ve spent quite a large amount in the previous few weeks leading up to today in Punggol. But actually, prior to that and even interspersed during some of these periods, I’ve also had the chance to go around to different areas of Singapore, including Tanjong Pagar GRC where I also attended a couple of community events," he told reporters.
"But that was then, I think, without the scrutiny of the media. Actually there were occasions where you were around – I was behind the camera. But that was a chance for me to meet the residents on a more personal context."
Mr Chan pointed out that Mr Foo had also "quietly met up with our activists", and that "the work we do is not just about an individual".
He said party activists will get to know Mr Foo and will help him get to know the residents "as soon as possible".
Aside from Mr Foo, the PAP's five-member slate for Tanjong Pagar GRC led by Mr Chan also includes Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan, Ms Joan Pereira and Ms Rachel Ong.
Of the five, Ms Ong and Mr Foo are first-timers in the constituency that’s known to be a PAP stronghold.
Ms Ong previously oversaw the Telok Blangah ward in what was West Coast GRC before the electoral boundaries were redrawn.
The team will go up against the People's Alliance for Reform's (PAR) Prabu Ramachandran, a commercial banker, along with activist Han Hui Hui, educational director Nadarajan Selvamani, safety officer Rickson Giauw Joon Chai, and senior logistics assistant Soh Lian Chye.
Tanjong Pagar GRC will have 139,688 voters in the 2025 General Election.
Its electoral boundaries have changed after absorbing areas in Dover and Telok Blangah from the former West Coast GRC, and carving out some Queenstown estates that form the new Queenstown SMC.
At the 2020 election, PAP faced off against the Progress Singapore Party in Tanjong Pagar GRC. PAP secured 63.1 per cent of the vote, down from 77.71 per cent in the 2015 election.
QUEENSTOWN, RADIN MAS SMC
The other incumbent Tanjong Pagar MP - aside from Ms Indranee - standing as a candidate in another constituency this election is Mr Eric Chua.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth is contesting the new Queenstown SMC. He previously oversaw the Queenstown ward in Tanjong Pagar GRC, after making his political debut in the 2020 general election.
He will challenge PAR's Mahaboob Batcha - who's making his electoral debut - at the polls on May 3.
Under the redrawn electoral boundaries, some estates in Queenstown have been carved out of Tanjong Pagar GRC to form the new SMC with 28,857 electors.
Meanwhile in Radin Mas SMC, PAP's incumbent MP Melvin Yong is set to defend his seat against PAR’s Kumar Appavoo and independent candidate Darryl Lo Kar Keong.
Mr Yong was first elected into parliament in 2015 as an MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, representing the Moulmein-Cairnhill division. In the 2020 election, he secured Radin Mas SMC with 74.01 per cent of the vote.
Under the redrawn electoral boundaries, Radin Mas SMC has expanded after taking in the Eastern-most polling district in the former West Coast GRC, comprising estates in Harbourfront and Sentosa. It has 25,497 electors.
FOO CEXIANG
Before standing in the 2025 General Election as a PAP candidate, Mr Foo was a director at the Transport Ministry overseeing the private and future mobility division before he resigned at the start of April.
"As a new face to the team, but also to the PAP overall, I'm part of the refresh," the 40-year-old told reporters at Wednesday afternoon's press conference.
"However, I think an important part of the refresh is to cherish - to cherish what has been good, to cherish what has been working, and also certainly to cherish all our residents here, including the seniors."
As a father of three daughters, Mr Foo said he hopes to work closely with residents who are also young parents themselves "to have more programmes and activities in the community, so that their children have a place to come together, to live and play together as well".
He added that his goal over the next few days would be to hear in-depth from "as many of the residents, especially those in Tanjong Pagar-Tiong Bahru ward" - formerly Ms Indranee's ward.
"Now that I'm standing as a candidate, I hope they'll be able to share even more with me, so that I can represent them properly."
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