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Lee Li Lian named as Workers' Party candidate in Punggol East

The Workers' Party (WP) has unveiled Ms Lee Li Lian as its candidate for the Punggol East by-election.

Ms Lee, 34, was the party's candidate in the ward in the 2011 general election. The sales trainer garnered 41 per cent of the vote, ultimately losing to the People's Action Party's Michael Palmer.

Party leaders announced that Ms Lee would be contesting Punggol East at a press conference held at their Syed Alwi Road headquarters on Monday morning,

While many had expected the party to field one of its two Non-Constituency MPs for the by-election, WP veterans were said to favour Ms Lee as the candidate, citing her prior knowledge of the ward and hard work on the ground.

Now, less than two years after her last battle, Ms Lee will be up against a new PAP opponent after former MP and Speaker Michael Palmer resigned due to an extramarital affair. She also faces the prospect of another multi-cornered fight, with the Singapore Democratic Party, Reform Party and SDA all staking a claim on the ward.

Ms Lee, who is married with no children, joined the WP in 2006. She is the legislative assistant of Aljunied GRC MP Pritam Singh and a former president of the WP youth wing. She holds a degree in marketing from Curtin University of Technology, Australia.

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