NSP returns to old Tampines battleground, hints at A-team for coming election

The National Solidarity Party members talking to residents during the walkabout in Tampines. ST PHOTO: LIM YAN LIANG
The National Solidarity Party members talking to residents during the walkabout in Tampines. ST PHOTO: LIM YAN LIANG

SINGAPORE - The National Solidarity Party (NSP) returned to its old battleground of Tampines on Saturday, and hinted at what will be its A-team for the coming election.

Fifteen party members and volunteers turned up for the two-hour walkabout in Tampines East. Acting Secretary-General Hazel Poa and President Sebastian Teo were flanked by branding consultant Mohamed Fazli Talip, 34, and Cambridge-educated lawyer Lim Tean, 50.

Mr Lim, who was a practicing lawyer for 17 years, said he has been an NSP member for the past four years. Previously a partner at law firm Rajah and Tann, he left and founded energy resources company Feres in 2007.

Both members were introduced during the walkabout at Tampines St 21 neighbourhood centre as "potential candidates for the NSP".

Party leaders declined comment on who will stand in the three constituencies that NSP has indicated it will contest - Tampines and Sembawang GRCs and Pioneer SMC - until the ruling party shows its hand.

"We would prefer for the PAP to reveal its candidates for the constituencies that we are interested in first, before we announce our candidates," said Ms Poa.

"It's always advantageous to know who you will be running against first before we decide on our final line-up."

But she added that Tampines will be "an area of focus" for the NSP, and that the line-up will be revealed by end August.

The party has contested in Tampines at every election since 1988, except in 1997 when it pulled out after a candidate was disqualified.

In 2001 and 2006, it fought there under the Singapore Democratic Alliance banner, which it was then a part of.

It had its best showing in Tampines in 2011, when it got 42.8 per cent of the vote.

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