PM Lee says outcome of polls will impact Republic's response to crisis and its future
By Royston Sim, Deputy Political Editor, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
Singapore will see all seats contested for the second general election in a row, in a contest that takes place amid a global pandemic and a time of crisis.
Nomination Day saw a total of 192 candidates file papers to contest all 93 seats in 17 group representation constituencies and 14 single-member constituencies.
The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) is the only party fighting for every seat, while the leading opposition Workers' Party (WP) is fielding 21 candidates this time around, fewer than the 28 in 2015.
The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has the largest contingent among the opposition, with 24 candidates in its maiden outing.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday described the July 10 polls as a "crisis election" - one that can change the course of history.
"As our manifesto puts it, what's at stake is our lives, our jobs, our future. Everything depends on which government you choose and the mandate that you give it," he said.
While there can be a "flight to safety" by the electorate, he acknowledged that this "is not the happiest of times", with people hard hit by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Noting that every constituency is being contested this time, he said: "So this is not a by-election, it's a general election for the most important issues concerning the country at a moment of crisis, and I think everybody needs to understand that."
While the PAP has called on voters to give it a strong mandate, WP chief Pritam Singh said his party will face an uphill battle, especially in the light of restrictions on campaigning due to COVID-19.
In a clear drawing of battle lines, Mr Singh again warned of the possibility of a clean sweep by the ruling party, while PSP leaders called on voters to bring an end to the PAP's "super majority" in Parliament.
In response to suggestions that the election might see the PAP wiping out the opposition, PM Lee pointed out that the Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) scheme guarantees there will be a "significant opposition presence" in Parliament.
The scheme - amended in 2016 - provides for at least 12 opposition MPs with full voting rights in the House, up from nine, even in the event that the PAP wins all seats. There were six elected opposition MPs and three NCMPs in the 13th session of Parliament.
The ruling party kept some cards close to its chest till yesterday, springing last-minute surprises by deploying key fourth-generation ministers in constituencies that are expected to be hotly contested.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat moved from his Tampines stronghold to anchor the PAP team in East Coast GRC. His team will go up against the WP, which won 45.2 per cent of the vote in the 2011 General Election and 39.3 per cent in 2015.
Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee left Jurong GRC to join the PAP team in West Coast GRC, helmed by Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran. They will go head to head against the PSP's "A team" led by former PAP stalwart Tan Cheng Bock, whose former Ayer Rajah seat is now part of West Coast GRC.
On deploying two ministers in West Coast, PM Lee said the party tries to spread them out, "but sometimes we have two in one place".
Analysts also expect to see keen battles between the PAP and WP teams in Aljunied GRC and the new Sengkang GRC.
Among the SMC contests, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) sprang a surprise of its own by fielding party chairman Paul Tambyah in Bukit Panjang against three-term PAP MP Liang Eng Hwa.
Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC will see a three-cornered fight between the PAP, Peoples Voice and Singapore Democratic Alliance - the first multi-cornered fight in a GRC since the 1992 by-election in Marine Parade GRC. There will be a three-way battle in Pioneer SMC as well.
There are 2.65 million voters registered to vote in the election.
Parties began campaigning in earnest yesterday, doing walkabouts and holding online sessions. The SDP held its first e-rally last night on Facebook.
With no physical rallies allowed in this election, parties will hold webinars and e-rallies during the campaign to try to win the hearts and minds of voters.
By Royston Sim, Deputy Political Editor, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
Nomination Day saw a total of 192 candidates file papers to contest all 93 seats in 17 group representation constituencies and 14 single-member constituencies.
The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) is the only party fighting for every seat, while the leading opposition Workers' Party (WP) is fielding 21 candidates this time around, fewer than the 28 in 2015.
The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has the largest contingent among the opposition, with 24 candidates in its maiden outing.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday described the July 10 polls as a "crisis election" - one that can change the course of history.
"As our manifesto puts it, what's at stake is our lives, our jobs, our future. Everything depends on which government you choose and the mandate that you give it," he said.
While there can be a "flight to safety" by the electorate, he acknowledged that this "is not the happiest of times", with people hard hit by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Noting that every constituency is being contested this time, he said: "So this is not a by-election, it's a general election for the most important issues concerning the country at a moment of crisis, and I think everybody needs to understand that."
While the PAP has called on voters to give it a strong mandate, WP chief Pritam Singh said his party will face an uphill battle, especially in the light of restrictions on campaigning due to COVID-19.
In a clear drawing of battle lines, Mr Singh again warned of the possibility of a clean sweep by the ruling party, while PSP leaders called on voters to bring an end to the PAP's "super majority" in Parliament.
In response to suggestions that the election might see the PAP wiping out the opposition, PM Lee pointed out that the Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) scheme guarantees there will be a "significant opposition presence" in Parliament.
The scheme - amended in 2016 - provides for at least 12 opposition MPs with full voting rights in the House, up from nine, even in the event that the PAP wins all seats. There were six elected opposition MPs and three NCMPs in the 13th session of Parliament.
The ruling party kept some cards close to its chest till yesterday, springing last-minute surprises by deploying key fourth-generation ministers in constituencies that are expected to be hotly contested.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat moved from his Tampines stronghold to anchor the PAP team in East Coast GRC. His team will go up against the WP, which won 45.2 per cent of the vote in the 2011 General Election and 39.3 per cent in 2015.
Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee left Jurong GRC to join the PAP team in West Coast GRC, helmed by Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran. They will go head to head against the PSP's "A team" led by former PAP stalwart Tan Cheng Bock, whose former Ayer Rajah seat is now part of West Coast GRC.
On deploying two ministers in West Coast, PM Lee said the party tries to spread them out, "but sometimes we have two in one place".
Analysts also expect to see keen battles between the PAP and WP teams in Aljunied GRC and the new Sengkang GRC.
Among the SMC contests, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) sprang a surprise of its own by fielding party chairman Paul Tambyah in Bukit Panjang against three-term PAP MP Liang Eng Hwa.
Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC will see a three-cornered fight between the PAP, Peoples Voice and Singapore Democratic Alliance - the first multi-cornered fight in a GRC since the 1992 by-election in Marine Parade GRC. There will be a three-way battle in Pioneer SMC as well.
There are 2.65 million voters registered to vote in the election.
Parties began campaigning in earnest yesterday, doing walkabouts and holding online sessions. The SDP held its first e-rally last night on Facebook.
With no physical rallies allowed in this election, parties will hold webinars and e-rallies during the campaign to try to win the hearts and minds of voters.
Singapore GE2020: Tactical surprises signal keen contests as parties vie for votes
Parties make plain they will be fighting to win every vote in all the seats they are contesting
By Zakir Hussain, News Editor, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
One would have thought an election campaign held in the midst of COVID-19 would be calmer. The run-up to GE2020 so far has been anything but that.
The major parties had kept their cards close to their chest, leaving candidate introductions till after Parliament was dissolved and the Writ of Election issued.
Restrictions on mass campaigns have made social media a key battleground in what some see as an Internet election. One of its first casualties was People's Action Party (PAP) candidate Ivan Lim, who withdrew his candidacy last Saturday, following a concerted online campaign against him over his alleged past behaviour.
Since then, several other candidates, from both the PAP and the opposition, have come under criticism for their past comments and actions.
In a departure from the past few general elections, the PAP did not publicly confirm its line-ups in constituencies where it expects a tough fight - till it was time to file nomination papers yesterday.
Many voters take national issues into account at the ballot box, and this time round, the pandemic as well as concerns over jobs and the handling of the economy will remain on top of voters' minds.
But representing neighbourhoods matters as well - explaining why the PAP strengthened certain line-ups and kept its cards close to its chest to prevent any late switchovers from its opponents.
It kept its key masterstrokes till the very end: In East Coast GRC, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat helms the PAP team against a team from the Workers' Party (WP) which has - as a party - been targeting the GRC since GE2006.
In West Coast GRC, Communications and Information Minister S. Iswaran is joined by Social and Family Development Minister Desmond Lee as they face a challenge from former PAP stalwart Tan Cheng Bock, who was MP for Ayer Rajah from 1980 to 2006 and is adept at electoral campaigning.
As Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted in a post-nomination press conference at PAP headquarters: "These are tactical deployments which we do have to keep to ourselves until we judge the moment is right."
The PAP was not the only party to do so.
The WP, traditionally the largest opposition player, did the same with the 21 candidates it fielded in four GRCs and two single-member constituencies (SMCs), announcing only its Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC line-ups before yesterday.
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), which fielded 11 candidates in two GRCs and three SMCs, similarly kept its late switches a secret - moving chairman Paul Tambyah to Bukit Panjang single-seat, as well as more recognisable members Benjamin Pwee and Tan Jee Say to Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC and Holland-Bukit Timah GRC respectively.
Dr Tan's Progress Singapore Party (PSP) was registered last year but is the opposition party that is fielding the largest number of candidates this election - 24 - in four GRCs and five SMCs.
It also announced where it is contesting in advance, although questions were raised over whether Mr Lee Hsien Yang would eventually be fielded. He wasn't.
The stakes are high - for both the ruling party and the opposition parties.
Yes, during a crisis there can be a flight to safety, PM Lee noted.
But the PAP is aware that this is not the happiest of times, he added.
"People are feeling the pain and the uncertainty because of the crisis, some acutely. The opposition is making the most of that," he said.
"They're well organised and prepared and will not roll over or go away. The PAP will have to fight for every vote and win every heart."
WP chief Pritam Singh made a similar point to reporters in the party's Hougang stronghold yesterday, saying: "The WP is always up against an opponent which is much more well resourced, and which always fights hard in every election. Obviously I want our candidates to do well, and to fight equally hard."
Several other opposition leaders have said the crisis could see votes swing in favour of the PAP.
Mr Singh had, in launching his party's manifesto on Sunday, also spoke of the risk of a "wipeout" of an elected opposition presence in Parliament.
Others have therefore sought to argue on the need for checks and balances, and one call making the rounds - on social media - is "32 seats to save Singapore", referring to the number of opposition MPs needed to deny the government a two-thirds majority, which is required to amend the Constitution. It is also a figure that could alarm voters in the middle.
For its part, the PAP is keen to drive home the point that there will be a guaranteed minimum of 12 opposition MPs through the Non-Constituency MP scheme - with full voting rights, including on motions of confidence.
PM Lee stressed yesterday: "Whatever happens… there's no possibility of the opposition being shut out from Parliament."
Expect this to be an argument reiterated - as well as countered - over the coming days, with the possibility of further tactical surprises.
On the one hand, a strong government has enabled Singapore to respond swiftly to COVID-19 and marshal close to $100 billion over four Budgets to manage the healthcare response and save jobs.
On the other, more alternative voices and checks will help strengthen Singapore's resilience and response to future crises like the present.
This will be the first election without physical rallies. But expect the messages to be driven home with vigour - whether on nightly TV programmes starting with party political broadcasts tomorrow and constituency political broadcasts over five days starting from Friday, or over online rallies by parties making their pitch to voters.
Parties make plain they will be fighting to win every vote in all the seats they are contesting
By Zakir Hussain, News Editor, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
One would have thought an election campaign held in the midst of COVID-19 would be calmer. The run-up to GE2020 so far has been anything but that.
The major parties had kept their cards close to their chest, leaving candidate introductions till after Parliament was dissolved and the Writ of Election issued.
Restrictions on mass campaigns have made social media a key battleground in what some see as an Internet election. One of its first casualties was People's Action Party (PAP) candidate Ivan Lim, who withdrew his candidacy last Saturday, following a concerted online campaign against him over his alleged past behaviour.
Since then, several other candidates, from both the PAP and the opposition, have come under criticism for their past comments and actions.
In a departure from the past few general elections, the PAP did not publicly confirm its line-ups in constituencies where it expects a tough fight - till it was time to file nomination papers yesterday.
Many voters take national issues into account at the ballot box, and this time round, the pandemic as well as concerns over jobs and the handling of the economy will remain on top of voters' minds.
But representing neighbourhoods matters as well - explaining why the PAP strengthened certain line-ups and kept its cards close to its chest to prevent any late switchovers from its opponents.
It kept its key masterstrokes till the very end: In East Coast GRC, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat helms the PAP team against a team from the Workers' Party (WP) which has - as a party - been targeting the GRC since GE2006.
In West Coast GRC, Communications and Information Minister S. Iswaran is joined by Social and Family Development Minister Desmond Lee as they face a challenge from former PAP stalwart Tan Cheng Bock, who was MP for Ayer Rajah from 1980 to 2006 and is adept at electoral campaigning.
As Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted in a post-nomination press conference at PAP headquarters: "These are tactical deployments which we do have to keep to ourselves until we judge the moment is right."
The PAP was not the only party to do so.
The WP, traditionally the largest opposition player, did the same with the 21 candidates it fielded in four GRCs and two single-member constituencies (SMCs), announcing only its Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC line-ups before yesterday.
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), which fielded 11 candidates in two GRCs and three SMCs, similarly kept its late switches a secret - moving chairman Paul Tambyah to Bukit Panjang single-seat, as well as more recognisable members Benjamin Pwee and Tan Jee Say to Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC and Holland-Bukit Timah GRC respectively.
Dr Tan's Progress Singapore Party (PSP) was registered last year but is the opposition party that is fielding the largest number of candidates this election - 24 - in four GRCs and five SMCs.
It also announced where it is contesting in advance, although questions were raised over whether Mr Lee Hsien Yang would eventually be fielded. He wasn't.
The stakes are high - for both the ruling party and the opposition parties.
Yes, during a crisis there can be a flight to safety, PM Lee noted.
But the PAP is aware that this is not the happiest of times, he added.
"People are feeling the pain and the uncertainty because of the crisis, some acutely. The opposition is making the most of that," he said.
"They're well organised and prepared and will not roll over or go away. The PAP will have to fight for every vote and win every heart."
WP chief Pritam Singh made a similar point to reporters in the party's Hougang stronghold yesterday, saying: "The WP is always up against an opponent which is much more well resourced, and which always fights hard in every election. Obviously I want our candidates to do well, and to fight equally hard."
Several other opposition leaders have said the crisis could see votes swing in favour of the PAP.
Mr Singh had, in launching his party's manifesto on Sunday, also spoke of the risk of a "wipeout" of an elected opposition presence in Parliament.
Others have therefore sought to argue on the need for checks and balances, and one call making the rounds - on social media - is "32 seats to save Singapore", referring to the number of opposition MPs needed to deny the government a two-thirds majority, which is required to amend the Constitution. It is also a figure that could alarm voters in the middle.
For its part, the PAP is keen to drive home the point that there will be a guaranteed minimum of 12 opposition MPs through the Non-Constituency MP scheme - with full voting rights, including on motions of confidence.
PM Lee stressed yesterday: "Whatever happens… there's no possibility of the opposition being shut out from Parliament."
Expect this to be an argument reiterated - as well as countered - over the coming days, with the possibility of further tactical surprises.
On the one hand, a strong government has enabled Singapore to respond swiftly to COVID-19 and marshal close to $100 billion over four Budgets to manage the healthcare response and save jobs.
On the other, more alternative voices and checks will help strengthen Singapore's resilience and response to future crises like the present.
This will be the first election without physical rallies. But expect the messages to be driven home with vigour - whether on nightly TV programmes starting with party political broadcasts tomorrow and constituency political broadcasts over five days starting from Friday, or over online rallies by parties making their pitch to voters.
Last-minute surprises set stage for several key GRC fights
PAP beefs up teams in hotly contested constituencies in the east and the west
By Low Lin Fhoong, Assistant Sports Editor, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
There were no horns, party umbrellas or whistles on Nomination Day owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the battle for Singapore's 17 group representation constituencies (GRCs) served up some twists and last-minute surprises yesterday as candidates from the 11 political parties in the fray headed to the nine nomination centres around the island.
While the line-ups went largely to plan, the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) chose to beef up its teams with two big moves in hotly contested constituencies in the east and the west.
All 17 GRCs will be contested this time, with all but one seeing straight fights. Many have retained their anchor ministers from the PAP, but three of the battlegrounds will see new ministers at the helm.
DPM HENG MOVES TO EAST COAST
The biggest surprise came in East Coast GRC, as Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, 59, who has been a Tampines GRC MP since 2011, moved there to lead the team in what has been tipped to be the toughest fight in this election.
The PAP team comprising Dr Maliki Osman, 54, Ms Cheryl Chan, 43, and Ms Jessica Tan, 54, and new face Tan Kiat How, 43, had arrived earlier at the St Anthony's Canossian Primary School nomination centre without a fifth member, as former minister Lim Swee Say, 65, has retired from politics.
Mr Heng was spotted at the centre only around 11.30am, half an hour before nominations closed, before his candidature was confirmed.
In his speech to voters, he said: "COVID-19 has plunged the world into a period of profound uncertainty with a major crisis on many fronts - healthcare, economic, social and geopolitical. The People's Action Party has a plan to enable us to overcome this crisis, has a plan to emerge stronger from this."
Mr Heng added in a Facebook post: "We cannot afford a gap in East Coast in these uncertain times. We need a full team that can take care of the residents and position them to come out of this crisis stronger than before."
The PAP will face the Workers' Party (WP) team of Mr Kenneth Foo, 43, Mr Abdul Shariff Aboo Kassim, 54, Mr Terence Tan, 49, Mr Dylan Ng, 45, and Ms Nicole Seah, 33.
The WP has contested in East Coast GRC in the last three elections and party chief Pritam Singh, who is standing in Aljunied GRC, said Mr Heng's move was "an important signal that they (PAP) take our challenge in East Coast very seriously". "I would say we take their challenge equally seriously and that's why we've put together a strong slate of candidates in the East Coast team," he added.
JOURNEY TO THE WEST
Another minister who made a big move was Social and Family Development Minister Desmond Lee, 43, who moved from Jurong GRC. He joined the West Coast GRC team led by Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran, 58, and comprising Ms Foo Mee Har, 54, Mr Ang Wei Neng, 53 - who also moved from Jurong GRC - and new face Rachel Ong, 47.
The hotly contested battle will see the two ministers and their colleagues going up against the Progress Singapore Party's (PSP) "A team" headed by its chief Tan Cheng Bock, 80. The team includes PSP assistant secretary-general Leong Mun Wai, 60, and vice-chairman Hazel Poa, 50, a former secretary-general of the National Solidarity Party.
The other members are Mr Jeffrey Khoo, 51, Asia-Pacific chief marketing officer of global insurance and reinsurance broker Ed; and Mr Nadarajah Loganathan, 57, a retired senior Singapore Armed Forces officer and co-founder of a skills training firm.
Former parliamentary colleagues Mr Iswaran and Dr Tan face off in a constituency the former has served in since 1997. The latter is back on familiar stomping ground as he was the PAP's MP for Ayer Rajah from 1980 to 2006 before it was absorbed into West Coast GRC.
Mr Iswaran said: "We, as the team, have worked through the years to look after your needs, and care for you. Vote for us, your PAP team, so that we can continue to work together to protect our lives, our jobs and our future."
Dr Tan said he would not question why the PAP had moved Mr Lee to West Coast, adding: "In politics, it's that way... But if they say I must be somebody quite good, quite strong, so they are trying to (get) all their heavyweights (to) come to West Coast, well, that's good."
NO 'SUICIDE SQUAD' IN ALJUNIED
The site of a historic opposition victory by the WP in 2011, Aljunied GRC is set to be the scene of another fierce battle as the WP has fielded its strongest slate - Mr Singh, 43, party chairman Sylvia Lim, 55, Mr Faisal Manap, 45, all incumbent MPs, as well as Non-Constituency MP Leon Perera, 49, and former NCMP Gerald Giam, 42. They will face PAP candidates Victor Lye, 58, Chua Eng Leong, 49, Shamsul Kamar, 48, Alex Yeo, 41, and Chan Hui Yuh, 44.
After a near-loss in 2015 when the WP captured 50.95 per cent of the votes, the party is missing stalwart Low Thia Khiang and Chen Show Mao as both are stepping down.
It remains to be seen if the WP's popularity will be hit by its legal troubles, as the High Court last October found that Mr Singh, Ms Lim and Mr Low breached their duties to Aljunied-Hougang Town Council, which was said to have made millions of dollars in improper payments under their watch. The trio have appealed against the ruling.
Mr Singh said: "It's going to be a difficult election. There have been some commentaries in the media about the real risk of a wipeout.
"It took us 16 years (after independence) before one seat fell to opposition in 1981, and it took 23 years after the enactment of the GRC system for an opposition to break through in one GRC.
"It's an uphill battle and it's going to be a difficult fight. But we have to put people who are committed who can do the whole stretch."
While some commentators have called the PAP team a "suicide squad", Mr Lim Boon Heng, a former MP who is now an adviser for the GRC, disagreed. He said: "If it was a suicide squad, how did (the PAP team) pull off a marginal loss (in 2015)? It is about whether you have the heart to serve people."
NEW GROUND, NEW BATTLE
PAP beefs up teams in hotly contested constituencies in the east and the west
By Low Lin Fhoong, Assistant Sports Editor, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
There were no horns, party umbrellas or whistles on Nomination Day owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the battle for Singapore's 17 group representation constituencies (GRCs) served up some twists and last-minute surprises yesterday as candidates from the 11 political parties in the fray headed to the nine nomination centres around the island.
While the line-ups went largely to plan, the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) chose to beef up its teams with two big moves in hotly contested constituencies in the east and the west.
All 17 GRCs will be contested this time, with all but one seeing straight fights. Many have retained their anchor ministers from the PAP, but three of the battlegrounds will see new ministers at the helm.
DPM HENG MOVES TO EAST COAST
The biggest surprise came in East Coast GRC, as Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, 59, who has been a Tampines GRC MP since 2011, moved there to lead the team in what has been tipped to be the toughest fight in this election.
The PAP team comprising Dr Maliki Osman, 54, Ms Cheryl Chan, 43, and Ms Jessica Tan, 54, and new face Tan Kiat How, 43, had arrived earlier at the St Anthony's Canossian Primary School nomination centre without a fifth member, as former minister Lim Swee Say, 65, has retired from politics.
Mr Heng was spotted at the centre only around 11.30am, half an hour before nominations closed, before his candidature was confirmed.
In his speech to voters, he said: "COVID-19 has plunged the world into a period of profound uncertainty with a major crisis on many fronts - healthcare, economic, social and geopolitical. The People's Action Party has a plan to enable us to overcome this crisis, has a plan to emerge stronger from this."
Mr Heng added in a Facebook post: "We cannot afford a gap in East Coast in these uncertain times. We need a full team that can take care of the residents and position them to come out of this crisis stronger than before."
The PAP will face the Workers' Party (WP) team of Mr Kenneth Foo, 43, Mr Abdul Shariff Aboo Kassim, 54, Mr Terence Tan, 49, Mr Dylan Ng, 45, and Ms Nicole Seah, 33.
The WP has contested in East Coast GRC in the last three elections and party chief Pritam Singh, who is standing in Aljunied GRC, said Mr Heng's move was "an important signal that they (PAP) take our challenge in East Coast very seriously". "I would say we take their challenge equally seriously and that's why we've put together a strong slate of candidates in the East Coast team," he added.
JOURNEY TO THE WEST
Another minister who made a big move was Social and Family Development Minister Desmond Lee, 43, who moved from Jurong GRC. He joined the West Coast GRC team led by Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran, 58, and comprising Ms Foo Mee Har, 54, Mr Ang Wei Neng, 53 - who also moved from Jurong GRC - and new face Rachel Ong, 47.
The hotly contested battle will see the two ministers and their colleagues going up against the Progress Singapore Party's (PSP) "A team" headed by its chief Tan Cheng Bock, 80. The team includes PSP assistant secretary-general Leong Mun Wai, 60, and vice-chairman Hazel Poa, 50, a former secretary-general of the National Solidarity Party.
The other members are Mr Jeffrey Khoo, 51, Asia-Pacific chief marketing officer of global insurance and reinsurance broker Ed; and Mr Nadarajah Loganathan, 57, a retired senior Singapore Armed Forces officer and co-founder of a skills training firm.
Former parliamentary colleagues Mr Iswaran and Dr Tan face off in a constituency the former has served in since 1997. The latter is back on familiar stomping ground as he was the PAP's MP for Ayer Rajah from 1980 to 2006 before it was absorbed into West Coast GRC.
Mr Iswaran said: "We, as the team, have worked through the years to look after your needs, and care for you. Vote for us, your PAP team, so that we can continue to work together to protect our lives, our jobs and our future."
Dr Tan said he would not question why the PAP had moved Mr Lee to West Coast, adding: "In politics, it's that way... But if they say I must be somebody quite good, quite strong, so they are trying to (get) all their heavyweights (to) come to West Coast, well, that's good."
NO 'SUICIDE SQUAD' IN ALJUNIED
The site of a historic opposition victory by the WP in 2011, Aljunied GRC is set to be the scene of another fierce battle as the WP has fielded its strongest slate - Mr Singh, 43, party chairman Sylvia Lim, 55, Mr Faisal Manap, 45, all incumbent MPs, as well as Non-Constituency MP Leon Perera, 49, and former NCMP Gerald Giam, 42. They will face PAP candidates Victor Lye, 58, Chua Eng Leong, 49, Shamsul Kamar, 48, Alex Yeo, 41, and Chan Hui Yuh, 44.
After a near-loss in 2015 when the WP captured 50.95 per cent of the votes, the party is missing stalwart Low Thia Khiang and Chen Show Mao as both are stepping down.
It remains to be seen if the WP's popularity will be hit by its legal troubles, as the High Court last October found that Mr Singh, Ms Lim and Mr Low breached their duties to Aljunied-Hougang Town Council, which was said to have made millions of dollars in improper payments under their watch. The trio have appealed against the ruling.
Mr Singh said: "It's going to be a difficult election. There have been some commentaries in the media about the real risk of a wipeout.
"It took us 16 years (after independence) before one seat fell to opposition in 1981, and it took 23 years after the enactment of the GRC system for an opposition to break through in one GRC.
"It's an uphill battle and it's going to be a difficult fight. But we have to put people who are committed who can do the whole stretch."
While some commentators have called the PAP team a "suicide squad", Mr Lim Boon Heng, a former MP who is now an adviser for the GRC, disagreed. He said: "If it was a suicide squad, how did (the PAP team) pull off a marginal loss (in 2015)? It is about whether you have the heart to serve people."
NEW GROUND, NEW BATTLE
Newly formed Sengkang GRC is the scene of a fight between a PAP team led by labour chief Ng Chee Meng and the WP's He Tingru, 37. The constituency combines Sengkang Central ward from Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC with the former Punggol East SMC and part of the former Sengkang West SMC.
The PAP team consists of former Pasir Ris-Punggol MP Mr Ng, 51, Senior Minister of State for Transport and Health Lam Pin Min, 50, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and Health Amrin Amin, 41, and new face Raymond Lye, 54, a lawyer. They are up against Ms He, economist Jamus Lim, 44, equity research analyst Louis Chua, 33, and social activist Raeesah Khan, 26. Aside from Ms He, the other three are contesting their first election.
Mr Ng said: "We humbly ask for your support so that we, the PAP, can lead the country out of this crisis. Not just for ourselves, but for our children, our grandchildren. We want to ensure that every Singaporean has a good job, and can look forward to better jobs for the future."
He added that his team wanted to build Sengkang town into "the most liveable place for all of us". Mr Amrin said "this time of crisis is not a time for experiment(ing)" and pointed to the PAP's track record.
Dr Lim, an associate professor of economics, said the WP would share its plans to build a thriving and inclusive society in Sengkang. "We have listened as you shared with us your stories, your fears and concerns, and your dreams and hopes. This in turn has informed our ideas, plans and policies," he added.
The WP won Punggol East SMC in a 2013 by-election but lost it in 2015 to the PAP's Mr Charles Chong, 67, who won 51.76 per cent of votes against the WP's Ms Lee Li Lian, 41.
TANJONG PAGAR GRC
There was a small disagreement when the PAP team led by Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah found a small error in the forms of its opponents from the PSP.
The PSP slate, led by its organising secretary Michael Chua, did not fill out the name of the constituency in one of its forms. Amendments could not be made as the deadline for making changes had passed, but officials accepted the papers as the PAP team decided not to raise any objections.
The PAP slate comprises Mr Chan, 50; Ms Indranee, 57; Ms Joan Pereira, 52; and two first-timers - Mr Alvin Tan, 40, LinkedIn's Asia-Pacific head of public policy and economics; and former public servant Eric Chua, 41.
On the PSP's team are Mr Chua, 55; lawyer Wendy Low, 43; technologist Harish Pillay, 60; senior trainer Abas Kasmani, 67; and new face Terence Soon, 29, a Singapore Airlines pilot.
Ms Indranee said the PAP team decided to waive its right to object as it did not want to be returned to power because of a technicality.
"If we are returned, we want to be returned because our voters have said they've given us the right and the privilege to return."
Asked about the mistake, PSP's Mr Chua said his team could have also found fault with the PAP's forms, which listed its candidate Mr Eric Chua's occupation as "retired SCDF officer".
"That is not an occupation," said Mr Michael Chua. "So I think in that spirit of competition, we really want to give Singapore a choice of two very good teams, and for them to cast a vote for the future. It's not about paperwork, and these very minor technicalities."
On this, a spokesman for the PAP team said "no such issue was raised at the nomination centre, as should be done under the rules if there was indeed an issue".
"The PAP team remains focused on the contest so the voters can decide who will represent them."
Marymount and Bukit Panjang among single seats to watch
By David Lee, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
The 14 single-member constituencies in the coming general election will see a mix of fresh faces and experienced hands fighting for votes.
At Marymount SMC, which was carved out from Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, People's Action Party (PAP) new face Gan Siow Huang is a surprise choice as the earlier talk was that incumbent Bishan-Toa Payoh MP Chong Kee Hiong might stand there.
But Ms Gan, 45, Singapore's first female brigadier-general, submitted papers instead and will face off against Progress Singapore Party's (PSP) Dr Ang Yong Guan, a retired army colonel.
Dr Ang, a 65-year-old psychiatrist, contested as a member of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2011 election. Three years later, he became a founding member and chairman of the Singaporeans First party, and was a candidate at the 2015 election.
In April, he made an appearance in a video released on the PSP Facebook page.
In a speech after nominations closed, Ms Gan, who is deputy chief executive of the National Trades Union Congress' Employment and Employability Institute, noted that Marymount may be a new SMC, but many residents have lived there for a long time.
"We have built one of the best and most beautiful towns in Singapore. We have forged strong community bonds through the years. Vote for PAP, so that we can continue to serve you," she said.
In his address, Dr Ang called on residents to vote for the PSP and to deny the PAP a two-thirds majority.
"Send 32 of us, PSP plus alternative parties... into Parliament. For country, for people - you deserve better," he said.
When new electoral boundaries were announced earlier this year, Singapore saw an increase from 13 to 14 SMCs.
Four of them are new ones: Kebun Baru, Marymount, Punggol West and Yio Chu Kang.
At Yio Chu Kang SMC, which was part of the Ang Mo Kio GRC, PAP's Mr Yip Hon Weng said he is looking forward to a "good fight" against PSP's Ms Kayla Low, a fellow 43-year-old newcomer.
Addressing the constituency after nominations closed, Mr Yip, the former group chief of the Silver Generation Office at the Agency for Integrated Care, said: "I will listen to your cares, needs and concerns... I will work with you to build Yio Chu Kang into a place we can be proud of, into a home (where) we can happily raise our families."
Ms Low, a chartered accountant, said she was committed to serving Singapore and Yio Chu Kang residents if elected, with the guidance of PSP founder and secretary-general Tan Cheng Bock.
All in, the PSP will be contesting five single seats, the SDP three, and the Workers' Party two, with four other parties contesting one each.
The SDP slate includes its chairman Paul Tambyah who, in a late tactical switch, is being fielded in the Bukit Panjang single seat.
The professor of medicine at the National University of Singapore will face the PAP's Mr Liang Eng Hwa, who was from Holland-Bukit Timah GRC and replaces the departing Dr Teo Ho Pin.
Professor Tambyah, 55, had been widely expected to contest as part of the SDP's team in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC again.
After nominations closed, he revealed that he had considered the move for "at least a few weeks", and was ultimately convinced by the positive response he received on the ground during his walkabouts.
At the 2015 General Election, Mr Liang, a 56-year-old managing director at DBS Bank, was part of the PAP team that defeated Prof Tambyah's SDP side with a vote share of 66.6 per cent.
SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan, 57, is also gunning for a single seat, taking on the PAP's incumbent Murali Pillai in Bukit Batok in what looks set to be a fiery rematch of the 2016 by-election.
The two had contested in the constituency after the departure of the PAP's Mr David Ong over allegations of an extramarital affair.
Mr Murali, a 52-year-old lawyer, won the seat with a share of 61.2 per cent.
Another SMC to watch is Punggol West, where Workers' Party fresh face Tan Chen Chen, 38, will face off against the PAP's Ms Sun Xueling, the incumbent in the seat hived off from Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
The 40-year-old Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and National Development will be looking to win her second term.
Earlier, Peoples Voice leader Lim Tean had indicated the party's interest in Punggol West, but it did not field a candidate ultimately.
While three-cornered fights failed to materialise in Punggol West and Bukit Panjang, where perennial independent candidate Ooi Boon Ewe was spotted on Nomination Day, there will still be one multiway SMC contest - in Pioneer.
The PAP's Mr Patrick Tay, 48, and the PSP's Mr Lim Cher Hong, 42, already had their hats in the ring, while 65-year-old retired financial accountant Victor Ronnie Lai emerged as a possible independent candidate.
But Mr Lai belatedly decided not to contest, and it was left to business consultant Cheang Peng Wah to become the sole independent candidate in this general election.
Mr Cheang, who declined to give his age, told reporters: "You see the fourth-generation ministers - I don't think they are up to the mark yet. Why? Maybe because the opposition is not strong enough yet.
"They are not surrounded by wolves, lions or tigers. So with our help, we can help them get more steel within them to make Singapore better."
By David Lee, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
The 14 single-member constituencies in the coming general election will see a mix of fresh faces and experienced hands fighting for votes.
At Marymount SMC, which was carved out from Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, People's Action Party (PAP) new face Gan Siow Huang is a surprise choice as the earlier talk was that incumbent Bishan-Toa Payoh MP Chong Kee Hiong might stand there.
But Ms Gan, 45, Singapore's first female brigadier-general, submitted papers instead and will face off against Progress Singapore Party's (PSP) Dr Ang Yong Guan, a retired army colonel.
Dr Ang, a 65-year-old psychiatrist, contested as a member of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2011 election. Three years later, he became a founding member and chairman of the Singaporeans First party, and was a candidate at the 2015 election.
In April, he made an appearance in a video released on the PSP Facebook page.
In a speech after nominations closed, Ms Gan, who is deputy chief executive of the National Trades Union Congress' Employment and Employability Institute, noted that Marymount may be a new SMC, but many residents have lived there for a long time.
"We have built one of the best and most beautiful towns in Singapore. We have forged strong community bonds through the years. Vote for PAP, so that we can continue to serve you," she said.
In his address, Dr Ang called on residents to vote for the PSP and to deny the PAP a two-thirds majority.
"Send 32 of us, PSP plus alternative parties... into Parliament. For country, for people - you deserve better," he said.
When new electoral boundaries were announced earlier this year, Singapore saw an increase from 13 to 14 SMCs.
Four of them are new ones: Kebun Baru, Marymount, Punggol West and Yio Chu Kang.
At Yio Chu Kang SMC, which was part of the Ang Mo Kio GRC, PAP's Mr Yip Hon Weng said he is looking forward to a "good fight" against PSP's Ms Kayla Low, a fellow 43-year-old newcomer.
Addressing the constituency after nominations closed, Mr Yip, the former group chief of the Silver Generation Office at the Agency for Integrated Care, said: "I will listen to your cares, needs and concerns... I will work with you to build Yio Chu Kang into a place we can be proud of, into a home (where) we can happily raise our families."
Ms Low, a chartered accountant, said she was committed to serving Singapore and Yio Chu Kang residents if elected, with the guidance of PSP founder and secretary-general Tan Cheng Bock.
All in, the PSP will be contesting five single seats, the SDP three, and the Workers' Party two, with four other parties contesting one each.
The SDP slate includes its chairman Paul Tambyah who, in a late tactical switch, is being fielded in the Bukit Panjang single seat.
The professor of medicine at the National University of Singapore will face the PAP's Mr Liang Eng Hwa, who was from Holland-Bukit Timah GRC and replaces the departing Dr Teo Ho Pin.
Professor Tambyah, 55, had been widely expected to contest as part of the SDP's team in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC again.
After nominations closed, he revealed that he had considered the move for "at least a few weeks", and was ultimately convinced by the positive response he received on the ground during his walkabouts.
At the 2015 General Election, Mr Liang, a 56-year-old managing director at DBS Bank, was part of the PAP team that defeated Prof Tambyah's SDP side with a vote share of 66.6 per cent.
SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan, 57, is also gunning for a single seat, taking on the PAP's incumbent Murali Pillai in Bukit Batok in what looks set to be a fiery rematch of the 2016 by-election.
The two had contested in the constituency after the departure of the PAP's Mr David Ong over allegations of an extramarital affair.
Mr Murali, a 52-year-old lawyer, won the seat with a share of 61.2 per cent.
Another SMC to watch is Punggol West, where Workers' Party fresh face Tan Chen Chen, 38, will face off against the PAP's Ms Sun Xueling, the incumbent in the seat hived off from Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
The 40-year-old Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and National Development will be looking to win her second term.
Earlier, Peoples Voice leader Lim Tean had indicated the party's interest in Punggol West, but it did not field a candidate ultimately.
While three-cornered fights failed to materialise in Punggol West and Bukit Panjang, where perennial independent candidate Ooi Boon Ewe was spotted on Nomination Day, there will still be one multiway SMC contest - in Pioneer.
The PAP's Mr Patrick Tay, 48, and the PSP's Mr Lim Cher Hong, 42, already had their hats in the ring, while 65-year-old retired financial accountant Victor Ronnie Lai emerged as a possible independent candidate.
But Mr Lai belatedly decided not to contest, and it was left to business consultant Cheang Peng Wah to become the sole independent candidate in this general election.
Mr Cheang, who declined to give his age, told reporters: "You see the fourth-generation ministers - I don't think they are up to the mark yet. Why? Maybe because the opposition is not strong enough yet.
"They are not surrounded by wolves, lions or tigers. So with our help, we can help them get more steel within them to make Singapore better."
A crisis election that will shape Singapore's future, says PM Lee
Amid COVID-19, people's lives, jobs and future hinge on choice of govt, strength of mandate
By Lim Yan Liang, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
This is a crisis election, and the path Singapore takes from here will depend on the government the people choose and the mandate it is given, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday.
While some expect a flight to safety and familiarity in times of crisis, PM Lee said he did not agree with this view. The People's Action Party (PAP), he said, does not take for granted that voters will naturally keep voting for the ruling party.
Like Singapore's first general election in 1959, or the polls in 2001 that took place after the Sept 11 terrorist attacks, this year, it is an "election during a crisis", he added.
Said PM Lee: "These are elections that focus everyone's minds, and they can also change the course of history."
Speaking at a virtual press conference after nomination proceedings, he said: "As our manifesto puts it, what's at stake is our lives, our jobs and our future.
"Everything depends on which government you choose, and the mandate you give it."
The PAP expects a tough fight this time because the pandemic has caused great economic pain for many people, PM Lee added.
"This is not the happiest of times; people are feeling the pain and the uncertainty because of the crisis, some acutely," he said. "The opposition is making the most of that."
With all 93 seats at stake in this election, there is also no by-election effect, where the Government is guaranteed to be returned to power come Polling Day, said PM Lee.
"This is not a by-election - it's a general election for the most important issues concerning the country at a moment of crisis," he told reporters at Deyi Secondary School nomination centre earlier in the day.
"Everybody needs to understand that; everybody must have that in mind when they assess their votes."
The PAP will give its all for this contest and "fight for every vote and win every heart", he added.
Asked what he would deem a strong mandate for the PAP, PM Lee said a good outcome hinges not just on the vote share come July 10, but also on whether Singaporeans are happy with the outcome of the election.
Such an outcome would enable the country to come together after election night, to support the Government and its plans in the face of an ongoing crisis, he added.
A strong mandate would therefore be "measured qualitatively, and not just by numbers", said PM Lee, who last week called for the strong backing of the people to put in place a capable government that can see Singapore through today's tumultuous times.
"You want to have a good vote, of course, but how you interpret it also depends on the mood during the campaign and the vibes, whether people feel that this is a good outcome and they are happy with it," he said.
The alternative, he added, would be if voters see the outcome and think they should have voted differently.
PM Lee said: "If you have an election at the end of which you have, let's say, even a very overwhelming majority, but the minority who voted against you are extremely, intensely unhappy with the outcome, the country is divided, there is a lack of trust, mutual lack of respect - which is what's happened in many Western countries, like in the US - I think that's a bad outcome."
He added that the PAP secured a good mandate in 2015, and he hoped Singaporeans will again make a "resounding, clear choice".
In a televised nationwide broadcast on Tuesday last week, PM Lee explained why the election had to be called now. He said holding hustings at a time when things are relatively stable would "clear the decks", and give the new government a fresh, full five-year mandate.
PM Lee said that if the election outcome is where, at the end, everybody feels "this is good... this is our team, we voted for him collectively (though) I may or may not have voted for him, but I will support him because that is the outcome", then "I think that is a good outcome for Singapore".
Amid COVID-19, people's lives, jobs and future hinge on choice of govt, strength of mandate
By Lim Yan Liang, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
While some expect a flight to safety and familiarity in times of crisis, PM Lee said he did not agree with this view. The People's Action Party (PAP), he said, does not take for granted that voters will naturally keep voting for the ruling party.
Like Singapore's first general election in 1959, or the polls in 2001 that took place after the Sept 11 terrorist attacks, this year, it is an "election during a crisis", he added.
Said PM Lee: "These are elections that focus everyone's minds, and they can also change the course of history."
Speaking at a virtual press conference after nomination proceedings, he said: "As our manifesto puts it, what's at stake is our lives, our jobs and our future.
"Everything depends on which government you choose, and the mandate you give it."
The PAP expects a tough fight this time because the pandemic has caused great economic pain for many people, PM Lee added.
"This is not the happiest of times; people are feeling the pain and the uncertainty because of the crisis, some acutely," he said. "The opposition is making the most of that."
With all 93 seats at stake in this election, there is also no by-election effect, where the Government is guaranteed to be returned to power come Polling Day, said PM Lee.
"This is not a by-election - it's a general election for the most important issues concerning the country at a moment of crisis," he told reporters at Deyi Secondary School nomination centre earlier in the day.
"Everybody needs to understand that; everybody must have that in mind when they assess their votes."
The PAP will give its all for this contest and "fight for every vote and win every heart", he added.
Asked what he would deem a strong mandate for the PAP, PM Lee said a good outcome hinges not just on the vote share come July 10, but also on whether Singaporeans are happy with the outcome of the election.
Such an outcome would enable the country to come together after election night, to support the Government and its plans in the face of an ongoing crisis, he added.
A strong mandate would therefore be "measured qualitatively, and not just by numbers", said PM Lee, who last week called for the strong backing of the people to put in place a capable government that can see Singapore through today's tumultuous times.
"You want to have a good vote, of course, but how you interpret it also depends on the mood during the campaign and the vibes, whether people feel that this is a good outcome and they are happy with it," he said.
The alternative, he added, would be if voters see the outcome and think they should have voted differently.
PM Lee said: "If you have an election at the end of which you have, let's say, even a very overwhelming majority, but the minority who voted against you are extremely, intensely unhappy with the outcome, the country is divided, there is a lack of trust, mutual lack of respect - which is what's happened in many Western countries, like in the US - I think that's a bad outcome."
He added that the PAP secured a good mandate in 2015, and he hoped Singaporeans will again make a "resounding, clear choice".
In a televised nationwide broadcast on Tuesday last week, PM Lee explained why the election had to be called now. He said holding hustings at a time when things are relatively stable would "clear the decks", and give the new government a fresh, full five-year mandate.
PM Lee said that if the election outcome is where, at the end, everybody feels "this is good... this is our team, we voted for him collectively (though) I may or may not have voted for him, but I will support him because that is the outcome", then "I think that is a good outcome for Singapore".
4G leaders stepped up, and did very well in COVID-19 crisis, says PM Lee
By Danson Cheong, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
The PAP's fourth-generation leaders have acquitted themselves well in leading the fight against COVID-19, and shown Singaporeans what they can do, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday.
PM Lee, the PAP's secretary-general, asked Singaporeans to support the party in the upcoming general election, so that the 4G team would have a "good start to establish themselves and take Singapore the next step forward".
Asked for his assessment of the 4G leadership's handling of the pandemic at a virtual press conference after the nomination of candidates for the coming election, PM Lee said it was a "serious fight", and the 4G leaders had stepped up and kept Singapore safe.
"I would say that in handling COVID-19, the 4G leaders have done very well," said PM Lee.
"They've been on the front line. They've been chairing the ministerial task force. They've been directing the whole-of-government response, the public communications, the presentation, the explanations, the mobilisation of our people to understand, to accept the very many intrusive and inconvenient measures which we have to take to keep ourselves safe from COVID-19."
The pandemic was a baptism of fire for the 4G leadership who helmed the country's response. Some observers have noted that the opposition could find fault with their handling of the crisis and turn it into an election issue.
The Government's multi-ministry task force directing Singapore's response against the disease is co-chaired by National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, and advised by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.
Various other 4G leaders, including Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo and Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, have taken charge of other aspects of the nation's response.
PM Lee said the coming GE will be an "important step" in the PAP's renewal process.
He added that a good result for the PAP would be an endorsement for the 4G team, the party's strategies, and its renewal process.
PM Lee has stated his intention for his successor to take over in the next term of government, before he turns 70 in 2022.
This is the ninth election that PM Lee will be contesting since he was elected in 1984.
But when asked if the disruption caused by COVID-19 would cause a change in that timeline, he replied: "I very much hope that COVID-19 will not disturb my plans, but COVID-19 is a very wily and dangerous virus, and we will have to see how things develop on that front."
By Danson Cheong, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
The PAP's fourth-generation leaders have acquitted themselves well in leading the fight against COVID-19, and shown Singaporeans what they can do, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday.
PM Lee, the PAP's secretary-general, asked Singaporeans to support the party in the upcoming general election, so that the 4G team would have a "good start to establish themselves and take Singapore the next step forward".
Asked for his assessment of the 4G leadership's handling of the pandemic at a virtual press conference after the nomination of candidates for the coming election, PM Lee said it was a "serious fight", and the 4G leaders had stepped up and kept Singapore safe.
"I would say that in handling COVID-19, the 4G leaders have done very well," said PM Lee.
"They've been on the front line. They've been chairing the ministerial task force. They've been directing the whole-of-government response, the public communications, the presentation, the explanations, the mobilisation of our people to understand, to accept the very many intrusive and inconvenient measures which we have to take to keep ourselves safe from COVID-19."
The pandemic was a baptism of fire for the 4G leadership who helmed the country's response. Some observers have noted that the opposition could find fault with their handling of the crisis and turn it into an election issue.
The Government's multi-ministry task force directing Singapore's response against the disease is co-chaired by National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, and advised by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.
Various other 4G leaders, including Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo and Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, have taken charge of other aspects of the nation's response.
PM Lee said the coming GE will be an "important step" in the PAP's renewal process.
He added that a good result for the PAP would be an endorsement for the 4G team, the party's strategies, and its renewal process.
PM Lee has stated his intention for his successor to take over in the next term of government, before he turns 70 in 2022.
This is the ninth election that PM Lee will be contesting since he was elected in 1984.
But when asked if the disruption caused by COVID-19 would cause a change in that timeline, he replied: "I very much hope that COVID-19 will not disturb my plans, but COVID-19 is a very wily and dangerous virus, and we will have to see how things develop on that front."
Move to East Coast GRC to avoid succession gap, says Heng Swee Keat
He is very attached to Tampines but wants to do his part in East Coast to ensure a full team
By Linette Lai, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat's decision to leave his Tampines stronghold to lead the People's Action Party's five-member team in East Coast GRC was made to avoid a "succession gap" in uncertain times.
He said the move was decided on after discussions with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Mr Heng, in a Facebook post, set out the reasons for springing one of the biggest surprises on the morning of Nomination Day yesterday.
He said: "The question was: Should I move to East Coast? I thought long and hard about it. After serving for almost a decade, I am very attached to Tampines and the people there."
Mr Heng, the PAP's first assistant secretary-general, said: "If I move, I can do my part in East Coast. We cannot afford a gap in East Coast in these uncertain times. We need a full team that can take care of the residents and position them to come out of this crisis stronger than before."
He added that Tampines GRC, where Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli will replace him as anchor minister, has a "very good team".
Mr Heng said he and Mr Masagos have been working very closely on many projects and each time, Mr Masagos has delivered.
"In fact, we were in the midst of making many plans. I'm glad that many of the plans we did it together, so I'm confident that Masagos and his team will be able to deliver if our Tampines residents continue to give their support to our team," he added.
Mr Heng's replacement in his Tampines Central ward is Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Koh Poh Koon, who has moved to Tampines from Ang Mo Kio GRC.
At a PAP press conference yesterday, after the candidate slates were finalised, PM Lee was asked if he had dispatched Mr Heng to a constituency with fiercer competition to give him a chance to prove himself as a leader.
PM Lee said: "I don't think this is a manhood thing. He doesn't have to go there and prove that he is in the fiercest battle. It helps to have won a good fight, but he goes where it makes the most contribution to the overall campaign."
He was also asked if fielding Mr Heng in East Coast was a risky move. PM Lee said: "I think in an election, you fight to win, but you are never absolutely certain that you will win. We send somebody where we think he has a good chance of winning, and I'm quite sure that Swee Keat will put his all to make sure that he gets a good outcome in East Coast."
Mr Masagos said the Tampines team had its own "mini crisis" in 2016, when Mr Heng had a stroke and other members of the team had to help out. The team also took on some of Mr Heng's responsibilities after his recovery, when he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and his workload increased.
Mr Masagos said: "I'm very honoured that he has entrusted us to run Tampines, and we will build on the good work he has left behind."
Mr Heng said he is leaving Tampines with "mixed feelings".
However, he said he is pleased that he and his team were able to deliver on many of the things promised to residents over the last two election cycles.
He said: "I feel comfortable that it is a team that can continue to serve Tampines residents very well.
In his Facebook post, Mr Heng said his new East Coast team is looking forward to working with residents to build on the residents' spirit of mutual care and support, and to emerge stronger from the crisis. "There is so much to learn, and I will work hard to learn it."
In East Coast GRC, Mr Heng will replace former manpower minister Lim Swee Say, who is retiring from politics.
In his post, Mr Heng paid tribute to Mr Lim for his contributions to Singapore and his work in his old constituency.
Mr Lim was best known for championing workers during his time as labour chief and manpower minister, and brought a "very balanced tripartite perspective to any discussion", he wrote.
Mr Heng recounted a dinner with Mr Lim 18 months ago, where the former minister, "in his usual way... spoke at length about everything he was passionate about".
This included Mr Lim's concerns and hopes for East Coast residents. The discussion, Mr Heng said, helped him to better understand the people in the constituency.
He said: "I look forward to meeting the residents of East Coast that our team speaks so fondly of. I hope to learn about your worries as well as your hopes. I hope to earn your confidence. If you entrust us with your vote, my team and I will do our best for you and for Singapore, to work with everyone to navigate Singapore out of this unprecedented crisis."
In a Facebook video message, Mr Lim, who first contested in East Coast in 2011, urged voters there to give his successor and his team their full support. He said he was hoping he would be succeeded by someone who was "young, smart and caring". When he learnt Mr Heng was coming to East Coast, he was "overjoyed".
Said Mr Lim: "All these years, I've always been impressed by his ability to see far, to think deep, to come up with bold and innovative policies. He not only knows a lot, but he cares a lot."
He is very attached to Tampines but wants to do his part in East Coast to ensure a full team
By Linette Lai, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
He said the move was decided on after discussions with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Mr Heng, in a Facebook post, set out the reasons for springing one of the biggest surprises on the morning of Nomination Day yesterday.
He said: "The question was: Should I move to East Coast? I thought long and hard about it. After serving for almost a decade, I am very attached to Tampines and the people there."
Mr Heng, the PAP's first assistant secretary-general, said: "If I move, I can do my part in East Coast. We cannot afford a gap in East Coast in these uncertain times. We need a full team that can take care of the residents and position them to come out of this crisis stronger than before."
He added that Tampines GRC, where Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli will replace him as anchor minister, has a "very good team".
Mr Heng said he and Mr Masagos have been working very closely on many projects and each time, Mr Masagos has delivered.
"In fact, we were in the midst of making many plans. I'm glad that many of the plans we did it together, so I'm confident that Masagos and his team will be able to deliver if our Tampines residents continue to give their support to our team," he added.
Mr Heng's replacement in his Tampines Central ward is Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Koh Poh Koon, who has moved to Tampines from Ang Mo Kio GRC.
At a PAP press conference yesterday, after the candidate slates were finalised, PM Lee was asked if he had dispatched Mr Heng to a constituency with fiercer competition to give him a chance to prove himself as a leader.
PM Lee said: "I don't think this is a manhood thing. He doesn't have to go there and prove that he is in the fiercest battle. It helps to have won a good fight, but he goes where it makes the most contribution to the overall campaign."
He was also asked if fielding Mr Heng in East Coast was a risky move. PM Lee said: "I think in an election, you fight to win, but you are never absolutely certain that you will win. We send somebody where we think he has a good chance of winning, and I'm quite sure that Swee Keat will put his all to make sure that he gets a good outcome in East Coast."
Mr Masagos said the Tampines team had its own "mini crisis" in 2016, when Mr Heng had a stroke and other members of the team had to help out. The team also took on some of Mr Heng's responsibilities after his recovery, when he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and his workload increased.
Mr Masagos said: "I'm very honoured that he has entrusted us to run Tampines, and we will build on the good work he has left behind."
Mr Heng said he is leaving Tampines with "mixed feelings".
However, he said he is pleased that he and his team were able to deliver on many of the things promised to residents over the last two election cycles.
He said: "I feel comfortable that it is a team that can continue to serve Tampines residents very well.
In his Facebook post, Mr Heng said his new East Coast team is looking forward to working with residents to build on the residents' spirit of mutual care and support, and to emerge stronger from the crisis. "There is so much to learn, and I will work hard to learn it."
In East Coast GRC, Mr Heng will replace former manpower minister Lim Swee Say, who is retiring from politics.
In his post, Mr Heng paid tribute to Mr Lim for his contributions to Singapore and his work in his old constituency.
Mr Lim was best known for championing workers during his time as labour chief and manpower minister, and brought a "very balanced tripartite perspective to any discussion", he wrote.
Mr Heng recounted a dinner with Mr Lim 18 months ago, where the former minister, "in his usual way... spoke at length about everything he was passionate about".
This included Mr Lim's concerns and hopes for East Coast residents. The discussion, Mr Heng said, helped him to better understand the people in the constituency.
He said: "I look forward to meeting the residents of East Coast that our team speaks so fondly of. I hope to learn about your worries as well as your hopes. I hope to earn your confidence. If you entrust us with your vote, my team and I will do our best for you and for Singapore, to work with everyone to navigate Singapore out of this unprecedented crisis."
In a Facebook video message, Mr Lim, who first contested in East Coast in 2011, urged voters there to give his successor and his team their full support. He said he was hoping he would be succeeded by someone who was "young, smart and caring". When he learnt Mr Heng was coming to East Coast, he was "overjoyed".
Said Mr Lim: "All these years, I've always been impressed by his ability to see far, to think deep, to come up with bold and innovative policies. He not only knows a lot, but he cares a lot."
'Significant opposition presence' in Parliament guaranteed
By Grace Ho, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
By Grace Ho, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
A "significant opposition presence" is guaranteed in Parliament, regardless of what happens in the general election, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
In a virtual press conference yesterday, he noted that the expanded Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) scheme now guarantees there will be 12 opposition members in Parliament - up from nine - even in the event that the People's Action Party (PAP) wins all the seats.
"NCMPs do have full voting rights, exactly the same as elected MPs. They can vote on Budgets, they can vote on constitutional amendments, they can even vote on motions of confidence," he said. "So whatever happens, a significant opposition presence is guaranteed. There is no possibility of the opposition being shut out from Parliament."
Given this, said PM Lee, Singaporeans should not vote for "compromise candidates" that would weaken the national team.
They should scrutinise the candidates and parties carefully, vote for the candidate or GRC team whom they think can do the best job for them in their constituency, and whose party will serve Singapore best if elected, he added.
Asked if he agreed with parties that have stressed the importance of sending elected opposition members to Parliament, he acknowledged that opposition parties would want to try "very hard" to win elected seats and not just have "high, good, losing results" in all the constituencies.
"But as far as the Constitution is concerned, as far as Parliament's operations are concerned, there is no difference between NCMPs and elected MPs in terms of their rights and privileges," he said. "They are the same, and we expect the (NCMPs) to participate as actively as elected MPs," he said, adding that the Workers' Party NCMPs have been especially active in Parliament, even at the risk of overshadowing the elected MPs at times.
This is a point that other PAP ministers have raised during this election season.
On Monday, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah said it is not necessary for opposition candidates to be elected to have a say in Parliament, as the NCMP scheme guarantees there will be at least 12 opposition MPs in the House.
Commenting on opposition party deployments after the close of nomination proceedings, PM Lee said these did not come as a surprise.
"(The opposition parties) have been active for the last few months, and we have seen which constituencies they have been interested in, where they have been campaigning harder. And what they have done is generally in line with what the tea leaves have shown," PM Lee said.
He added: "The opposition are well organised and prepared, and will not roll over... The PAP will have to fight for every vote and win every heart."
Uphill battle but WP candidates are no pushovers, says Pritam Singh
WP chief expects them to fight hard even as COVID-19 makes election more challenging
By Audrey Tan, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
The election will be an uphill battle for the Workers' Party (WP) but its candidates will prove that they are no pushovers, said party secretary-general Pritam Singh yesterday, after the party completed the nomination process for its 21 candidates.
Asked about his expectations for the general election, he said the party expects it to be difficult - with COVID-19 making campaigning even more challenging - and again raised the possibility of a clean sweep by the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).
"The WP is always up against an opponent which is much more well resourced, and which always fights hard in every election," he said.
"So, obviously I want our candidates to do well and to fight equally hard."
The WP is fielding 21 candidates in six constituencies for this general election.
It sprang no surprises on Nomination Day, having earlier announced the number of candidates and constituencies it was contesting.
It is contesting Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC, where it is the incumbent, as well as East Coast, Marine Parade and Sengkang GRCs and Punggol West SMC.
The list of WP candidates includes several who are taking part in the election for the first time.
In Sengkang GRC, for example, three of its four candidates are new faces. Only lawyer He Tingru, 37, has stood for election previously, as part of the WP team contesting in Marine Parade GRC in 2015.
The other members of its Sengkang team are economist Jamus Lim, 44; equity research analyst Louis Chua, 33; and social activist Raeesah Khan, 26.
But Mr Singh, 43, said the party has full confidence in the younger candidates.
"I think they will do well for the Workers' Party and I think they will prove to voters that they're no pushovers," he said.
"They will be prepared to fight for the interests of Singapore and Singaporeans, not just in Parliament, but in the constituency and in their town councils as well."
During the interview in Hougang - which Mr Singh said was chosen as the venue because it was where the "new spirit of the Workers' Party bloomed" - the WP chief said that restrictions on campaigning due to the coronavirus crisis will make this general election more difficult for opposition parties.
"It's always an uphill battle but now, I think, in the situation of COVID-19, it will probably be more challenging for us," he told reporters.
"We have to devote resources not just on the ground, which is still the main thrust of our campaign, but also... on social media."
His comments came after the WP rolled out a number of slickly produced campaign videos on social media that introduced party members and highlighted its achievements in some of the constituencies where it is contesting the upcoming polls.
On the PAP's move to field Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat in East Coast GRC, Mr Singh said it is "an important signal that (they) are sending, that they take our challenge in East Coast very seriously".
He added: "I would say we take their challenge equally seriously, and that's why we've put together a strong slate of candidates in the East Coast team."
Meanwhile, Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) Dennis Tan, 49, the party's candidate for Hougang SMC, addressed the argument that the opposition did not need to fear a wipeout as the enhanced NCMP scheme guarantees at least 12 opposition MPs in Parliament.
The PAP's Ms Indranee Rajah made this point on Monday during an interview, saying that NCMPs had the same voting rights as MPs.
While Mr Tan acknowledged that NCMPs have the same speaking rights as elected MPs, he said the NCMP scheme is not a solution for having a vibrant opposition.
"It will create a problem for all opposition party members. It will prevent us from sinking roots into the constituency, because... we are not allowed to hold events, for example."
If people keep thinking that the NCMP scheme is a solution, he said, there is a strong chance that opposition parties will never be in sync with the constituencies.
Mr Tan added: "So one day, whether in the near or further future, if the PAP were to fail, if the PAP were to do very badly, how is another party going to take over as government?"
Last night, in a message to voters uploaded on its website, the opposition party said it was pro-Singapore - and was rational, responsible and respectable.
Signed by Mr Singh, it also stressed the value of having an opposition in Parliament. For example, it cited how the victory of the WP in the 2011 General Election forced PAP MPs and ministers to walk the ground more frequently.
Mr Singh added: "An elected opposition is necessary to keep the ruling party on its toes and to challenge the PAP for the betterment of Singapore."
WP chief expects them to fight hard even as COVID-19 makes election more challenging
By Audrey Tan, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
The election will be an uphill battle for the Workers' Party (WP) but its candidates will prove that they are no pushovers, said party secretary-general Pritam Singh yesterday, after the party completed the nomination process for its 21 candidates.
Asked about his expectations for the general election, he said the party expects it to be difficult - with COVID-19 making campaigning even more challenging - and again raised the possibility of a clean sweep by the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).
"The WP is always up against an opponent which is much more well resourced, and which always fights hard in every election," he said.
"So, obviously I want our candidates to do well and to fight equally hard."
The WP is fielding 21 candidates in six constituencies for this general election.
It sprang no surprises on Nomination Day, having earlier announced the number of candidates and constituencies it was contesting.
It is contesting Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC, where it is the incumbent, as well as East Coast, Marine Parade and Sengkang GRCs and Punggol West SMC.
The list of WP candidates includes several who are taking part in the election for the first time.
In Sengkang GRC, for example, three of its four candidates are new faces. Only lawyer He Tingru, 37, has stood for election previously, as part of the WP team contesting in Marine Parade GRC in 2015.
The other members of its Sengkang team are economist Jamus Lim, 44; equity research analyst Louis Chua, 33; and social activist Raeesah Khan, 26.
But Mr Singh, 43, said the party has full confidence in the younger candidates.
"I think they will do well for the Workers' Party and I think they will prove to voters that they're no pushovers," he said.
"They will be prepared to fight for the interests of Singapore and Singaporeans, not just in Parliament, but in the constituency and in their town councils as well."
During the interview in Hougang - which Mr Singh said was chosen as the venue because it was where the "new spirit of the Workers' Party bloomed" - the WP chief said that restrictions on campaigning due to the coronavirus crisis will make this general election more difficult for opposition parties.
"It's always an uphill battle but now, I think, in the situation of COVID-19, it will probably be more challenging for us," he told reporters.
"We have to devote resources not just on the ground, which is still the main thrust of our campaign, but also... on social media."
His comments came after the WP rolled out a number of slickly produced campaign videos on social media that introduced party members and highlighted its achievements in some of the constituencies where it is contesting the upcoming polls.
On the PAP's move to field Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat in East Coast GRC, Mr Singh said it is "an important signal that (they) are sending, that they take our challenge in East Coast very seriously".
He added: "I would say we take their challenge equally seriously, and that's why we've put together a strong slate of candidates in the East Coast team."
Meanwhile, Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) Dennis Tan, 49, the party's candidate for Hougang SMC, addressed the argument that the opposition did not need to fear a wipeout as the enhanced NCMP scheme guarantees at least 12 opposition MPs in Parliament.
The PAP's Ms Indranee Rajah made this point on Monday during an interview, saying that NCMPs had the same voting rights as MPs.
While Mr Tan acknowledged that NCMPs have the same speaking rights as elected MPs, he said the NCMP scheme is not a solution for having a vibrant opposition.
"It will create a problem for all opposition party members. It will prevent us from sinking roots into the constituency, because... we are not allowed to hold events, for example."
If people keep thinking that the NCMP scheme is a solution, he said, there is a strong chance that opposition parties will never be in sync with the constituencies.
Mr Tan added: "So one day, whether in the near or further future, if the PAP were to fail, if the PAP were to do very badly, how is another party going to take over as government?"
Last night, in a message to voters uploaded on its website, the opposition party said it was pro-Singapore - and was rational, responsible and respectable.
Signed by Mr Singh, it also stressed the value of having an opposition in Parliament. For example, it cited how the victory of the WP in the 2011 General Election forced PAP MPs and ministers to walk the ground more frequently.
Mr Singh added: "An elected opposition is necessary to keep the ruling party on its toes and to challenge the PAP for the betterment of Singapore."
Not new for West Coast to have two ministers, says Iswaran
PAP seeks a strong team, he says, suggesting move is not a response to challenge from PSP
By Lim Min Zhang and Fabian Koh, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
West Coast GRC has had two ministers since 2011, and the People's Action Party's (PAP) objective, as always, has been to put forward a strong team to best serve residents, Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran said yesterday.
Speaking during a virtual press conference after the West Coast GRC slate was confirmed, he suggested, when asked, that it was not the case that fielding two ministers there was a reaction to the challenge posed by the opposition Progress Singapore Party (PSP).
There has always been two office-holders at the minimum, said Mr Iswaran.
"That was the situation even when we moved from a five-man to a four-person GRC, and now we have enlarged it again to a five-person GRC," he said.
"So, I think one should look at it for what it is, which is basically that we are putting forward a strong team, a team that can deliver on the ground, and a team that can work with the Government to take care of the needs of our residents."
Mr Iswaran, along with Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee, will helm the PAP's West Coast team.
Two-term MP Foo Mee Har, 54; Mr Ang Wei Neng, 53, who, like Mr Lee, moved over from Jurong GRC; and new face Rachel Ong, 47, make up the rest of the team. They face a PSP team led by former PAP stalwart Tan Cheng Bock, 80.
When asked if he felt that the PAP moved Mr Lee because of the threat posed by his PSP, Dr Tan said: "In politics, it is that way... I am not going to question why they do that.
"But if they say I must be somebody quite good, quite strong, so they are trying to put all their heavyweights (in) West Coast... Well, that is good."
He said he has a "very strong team for West Coast", with experience in their fields. For ex-ample, he noted that his team has knowledge in environment and climate change, finance and skills development.
His second-in-command Leong Mun Wai, 60, said that all members of the team have strong track records in their respective fields, and they are coming in with ideas and policies to chart "a new direction" for Singapore.
When asked during the press conference, Mr Iswaran declined to assess the contesting PSP team.
"We are making the case that collectively, with the backing of our party, we are the best team for (voters), and for their children and future, and we want to persuade them that they should put their trust in us. Then I think we have to let the voters decide. It is not for us to rate one another or to rate ourselves," he said.
Responding to a question on what he can bring to the GRC, Mr Lee, who is expected to take over Mr Patrick Tay's Boon Lay ward if elected, said there was no real boundary between his former ward in Jurong Spring and Boon Lay, adding that the demographic profiles of both estates are similar.
He said the programmes he helped to develop in Jurong Spring, from strengthening social safety nets to infrastructure development, were those he hoped to bring to West Coast GRC.
Another question posed to the PAP candidates was how they would address voters' concerns about losing an MP with whom they had built up trust over the years, as the PAP moves or renews its teams.
Mr Lee said that rapport takes time to build, and new candidates have "an important responsibility to build that trust and rapport".
Mr Iswaran said that the party also has a very strong team of activists that help it stay connected to the people.
"So, when we come in as new elected members or new candidates, we are always building on what has already been done by our predecessors, working in partnership with our activists who have been nurturing those relationships on the ground, and benefiting from the backing of the party."
PAP seeks a strong team, he says, suggesting move is not a response to challenge from PSP
By Lim Min Zhang and Fabian Koh, The Straits Times, 1 Jul 2020
West Coast GRC has had two ministers since 2011, and the People's Action Party's (PAP) objective, as always, has been to put forward a strong team to best serve residents, Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran said yesterday.
Speaking during a virtual press conference after the West Coast GRC slate was confirmed, he suggested, when asked, that it was not the case that fielding two ministers there was a reaction to the challenge posed by the opposition Progress Singapore Party (PSP).
There has always been two office-holders at the minimum, said Mr Iswaran.
"That was the situation even when we moved from a five-man to a four-person GRC, and now we have enlarged it again to a five-person GRC," he said.
"So, I think one should look at it for what it is, which is basically that we are putting forward a strong team, a team that can deliver on the ground, and a team that can work with the Government to take care of the needs of our residents."
Mr Iswaran, along with Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee, will helm the PAP's West Coast team.
Two-term MP Foo Mee Har, 54; Mr Ang Wei Neng, 53, who, like Mr Lee, moved over from Jurong GRC; and new face Rachel Ong, 47, make up the rest of the team. They face a PSP team led by former PAP stalwart Tan Cheng Bock, 80.
When asked if he felt that the PAP moved Mr Lee because of the threat posed by his PSP, Dr Tan said: "In politics, it is that way... I am not going to question why they do that.
"But if they say I must be somebody quite good, quite strong, so they are trying to put all their heavyweights (in) West Coast... Well, that is good."
He said he has a "very strong team for West Coast", with experience in their fields. For ex-ample, he noted that his team has knowledge in environment and climate change, finance and skills development.
His second-in-command Leong Mun Wai, 60, said that all members of the team have strong track records in their respective fields, and they are coming in with ideas and policies to chart "a new direction" for Singapore.
When asked during the press conference, Mr Iswaran declined to assess the contesting PSP team.
"We are making the case that collectively, with the backing of our party, we are the best team for (voters), and for their children and future, and we want to persuade them that they should put their trust in us. Then I think we have to let the voters decide. It is not for us to rate one another or to rate ourselves," he said.
Responding to a question on what he can bring to the GRC, Mr Lee, who is expected to take over Mr Patrick Tay's Boon Lay ward if elected, said there was no real boundary between his former ward in Jurong Spring and Boon Lay, adding that the demographic profiles of both estates are similar.
He said the programmes he helped to develop in Jurong Spring, from strengthening social safety nets to infrastructure development, were those he hoped to bring to West Coast GRC.
Another question posed to the PAP candidates was how they would address voters' concerns about losing an MP with whom they had built up trust over the years, as the PAP moves or renews its teams.
Mr Lee said that rapport takes time to build, and new candidates have "an important responsibility to build that trust and rapport".
Mr Iswaran said that the party also has a very strong team of activists that help it stay connected to the people.
"So, when we come in as new elected members or new candidates, we are always building on what has already been done by our predecessors, working in partnership with our activists who have been nurturing those relationships on the ground, and benefiting from the backing of the party."
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