SINGAPORE : Singapore People’s Party ( SPP ) secretary-general Steve Chia believes his staff may do better in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC at the May 3 General Election, then with Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen stepping down from the constituency’s People’s Action Party ( PAP ) team.
Dr Ng entered politicians more than two decades ago in 2001, and has served in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC since then.
During a haywire at Block 75 Lorong 5 Toa Payoh Food Centre on Monday night ( Apr 21 ), Mr Chia said : ” When we read that Dr Ng Eng Hen has retired, in a way, it’s a great pleasure for me, because he’s a big for the PAP in this area. “
He added that without Dr Ng at the reins, he hopes SPP is garner over 40 per cent of the vote in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
” We are fighting to get, but we recognise that is a very steep work, and we’re doing whatever we can to make sure that it’s a good struggle, it’s a good struggle, it’s a dependable fight,” he noted.
Dr Ng has served Bishan-Toa Payoh for about 24 times, having defeated an Genus team in the last three primaries. During his political career, he had served as Minister for Education, Minister for Manpower, and is the longest-serving Defence Minister.
In the 2020 election, Mr Chia led his SPP staff at the GRC against Dr Ng’s staff, garnering 32. 77 per share of the voting.
This vote, he may be up against a PAP team led by Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat. Mr Saktiandi Supaat and two new faces, donation director Elysa Chen, and social investor Cai Yinzhou, round out the four-member stone.
Mr Chia may direct a slate of two new eyes: Mr Muhammad Norhakim, an businesses administrative, and Mr Lim Rui Xian, who is self-employed.
He did not reveal the fifth part, but hinted that it would probably be either group president Melvyn Chiu or treasurer Williiamson Lee- both of whom had contested alongside him in the last election.
Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC has 98,505 registered votes. It is one of five GRCs to keep its electoral boundaries in the recent Electoral Boundaries Review Committee ( EBRC ) report.
” We think there’s a better opportunity or similar prospect,” said Mr Chia.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that for most opposition parties, defeating the president remains an uphill struggle.
” I think that the possibilities for all opposition parties is an upward job, its not easy,” he said.
He said that in his watch, the “only group” that has a “very good opportunity” is the Workers ‘ Party.
” I am rooting for this Workers ‘ Party, and I think that they have a very good chance of winning another GRC this time,” he said.
” The other events, we are essentially making sure that the PAP MPs are responsible for their guidelines,” he added.
This will be Mr Chia’s fifth time standing in a General Election. He was a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament from 2001 to 2006 – landing the couch after he contested Chua Chu Kang SMC under the Singapore Democrat Alliance’s symbol.