SINGAPORE: The Singapore People’s Party ( SPP ) hopes to avoid a three-cornered fight at familiar battleground Potong Pasir, but People’s Alliance for Reform ( PAR ) secretary-general Lim Tean said his party “very much plans to contest there” too.  ,
In a Facebook post on Mar 11, Mr Lim announced that the PAR will contest in two Group Representation constituencies ( GRC ) and eight Single Member Constituencies ( SMC), one of which is Potong Pasir SMC.
The SMC, which is a former stronghold of opposition veteran Chiam See Tong, is one that SPP is going to contest in the upcoming General Election, said its secretary-general Steve Chia during a walkabout in Toa Payoh on Saturday ( Mar 29 ).  ,
“SPP has been contesting Potong Pasir all these years, ever since Mr Chiam See Tong, Mrs ( Lina ) Chiam, Jose Raymond”, he said. ” This coming election, we will still be contesting in Potong Pasir, we cannot let the people of Potong Pasir down” . ,
He said that he had spoken with Mr Lim in the last week to show his group that SPP is “very company with our prospect contesting in Potong Pasir”.
Responding to queries from CNA, Mr Lim said that Potong Pasir is still one of PAR’s” best interests”.  ,
” We pretty much prepare to battle it”, said Mr Lim, chairman of Peoples Voice, which is a part celebration of the Line.  ,
Asked to respond to Mr Lim’s stance, Mr Chia said:” I have never heard from him instantly ( since the last conversation ), so we definitely have to meet once before election day to finalise and connect down”.
When queried if giving way to PAR to contest in Potong Pasir is an option, Mr Chia said:” I won’t commit to the media on that” . ,
Mr Lim likewise told CNA that he is happy that Mr Chia “wants to prevent a three-cornered battle”.  ,
” I am cheerful we may come to an agreement.
” Line has a very strong candidate for Potong Pasir who may fight the PAP, and the important thing is for the antagonism to get up Potong Pasir after 14 long ages, “he added.  ,
Mr Chiam, who turned 90 earlier this month, held his seat in Potong Pasir for 27 years. First under the Singapore Democratic Party banner from 1984, and then under the SPP banner from 1997 to 2011, when his wife, Mrs Chiam, lost the seat to People Action Party’s ( PAP ) Sitoh Yih Pin in the 2011 General Election.  ,
Mr Sitoh would hold the seat for the next two polls, most recently defeating SPP candidate Jose Raymond in the 2020 General Election, winning 60.67 per cent of the votes.  ,