Sitoh to defend Potong Pasir seat
Incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Potong Pasir Sitoh Yih Pin confirmed he will be defending his hard-won Single Member Constituency (SMC) in the upcoming General Election.
But the People's Action Party politician admitted that he does not dare to dream about a bigger margin this time round.
Mr Sitoh, 51, was victorious on his third attempt in 2011, after Singapore People's Party (SPP) chief Chiam See Tong left the ward he held for 27 years since 1984.
The challenger beat Mr Chiam's wife Lina, who is also SPP's chairman, by a mere 114 votes, garnering 50.4 per cent of the vote.
"When you have won by 114 votes the last time and you lost twice, you take nothing for granted. You have asked to put a percentage (to this). I would say it is a 50-50 chance."
Mr Sitoh was announcing his candidacy at the Kallang River ABC Park, opposite the PAP branch office in Potong Pasir yesterday.
"I work as hard as I can and I hope our voters, our 17,389 voters, can give us another opportunity to serve them," he said.
Mr Sitoh also said he would be sharing his manifesto soon and only revealed, after some cajoling from reporters, that he is promising residents a new internal bus service in the estate.
Having worked the ground in Potong Pasir for the last 15 years, Mr Sitoh said he has got to know and respect Mr Chiam.
"I am aware he likes the bee chiang kueh (peanut pancake in Teochew) here. The last time he came, I bought peanut pancake and we shared it."
The SMC is likely to see a three-cornered fight as Mrs Chiam has said she wants to wrest back the seat while former National Solidarity Party secretary-general Tan Lam Siong has declared his intention to run as an independent candidate.
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