A multi-cornered GRC fight for SM Teo again, now in Pasir Ris-Punggol
For the second time in the 32-year history of the GRC scheme, a multi-cornered fight is taking place - and again, it involves Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean.
The first time was when he was a newcomer to politics and now, as leader of a People's Action Party (PAP) team with three new faces.
The five-member team is defending Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC against the teams from the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) and the Peoples Voice (PV).
Asked about the three-cornered fight, Mr Teo, 65, replied: "Well, I had been in (a) four-cornered (fight) before."
That was in 1992, when he was a new face in the PAP team that won Marine Parade GRC in a by-election, garnering 72.94 per cent of the votes.
Mr Teo added: "We welcome all those who are contesting, but we hope that the voters will see that we can offer them a better tomorrow, and a stable and secure future."
The GRC was previously a six-member constituency but Punggol West has been carved out for this election to form a single-member constituency, where incumbent Sun Xueling is seeking re-election in the July 10 polls.
With her departure, Dr Janil Puthucheary, 47, remains Mr Teo's sole running mate from the 2015 election, following labour chief and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Ng Chee Meng's move to helm the PAP team for the newly-formed Sengkang GRC.
Two MPs have stepped down: Mr Zainal Sapari, 54, National Trades Union Congress assistant secretary-general, and Mr Teo Ser Luck, 52, an entrepreneur. The team's new faces are Mr Mohamed Sharael Taha, 39; Ms Yeo Wan Ling, 44; and Mr Desmond Tan Kok Ming, 50.
Mr Sharael is a vice-president at Singapore Aero Engine Services, while Mr Tan was a former brigadier-general in the Singapore Armed Forces and former chief executive director at the People's Association. Ms Yeo, who used to work for the Economic Development Board, runs social enterprise Caregiver Asia.
The SDA team features two new faces - operations manager Kelvin Ong, 34, and electrical engineer Kuswadi Atnawi, 57. They join Mr Desmond Lim Bak Chuan, 53, Mr Harminder Pal Singh, 48, and Mr Abu Mohamed, 69.
The PV slate comprises Mr Gilbert Goh, who contested in 2011 in Tampines GRC on the National Solidarity Party's ticket. He ran in Ang Mo Kio GRC in the last election on the Reform Party's ticket.
His running mates are personal driver Lim Kay Cheow Jireh, who also goes by the name Simon Lim; business financial manager Prabu Ramachandran; lecturer Mohamed Nassir Ismail; and preschool educator Vigneswari V. Ramachandran.
PIONEER SMC
In the single-seat constituency of Pioneer SMC, Mr Patrick Tay, a two-term PAP MP for West Coast GRC, is contesting the seat formerly held by Mr Cedric Foo.
Mr Tay, 48, faces the Progress Singapore Party's (PSP) Lim Cher Hong, 42, an author and chartered financial consultant. Independent candidate Cheang Peng Wah, a business consultant who declined to give his age, is also contesting the seat. - THE STRAITS TIMES
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