PAP unveils three new faces to chair its Sengkang branches

Three new faces have been unveiled by the People's Action Party (PAP) to chair its party branches in Sengkang GRC, a sign that they could be the ruling party's candidates there in the next general election.

In a party statement issued by the chairman of the PAP HQ Executive Committee Chan Chun Sing yesterday, it was revealed that Associate Professor Elmie Nekmat, Ms Theodora Lai and Mr Ling Weihong will replace Mr Ng Chee Meng, Mr Amrin Amin and Mr Raymond Lye, who were part of the team that was fielded against the Workers' Party (WP) in GE2020.

Prof Elmie, 40, will be the branch chair of Sengkang Central, while Ms Lai, 36, will chair Sengkang North and Mr Ling, 41, Sengkang East.

Dr Lam Pin Min, branch chair of Sengkang West, will lead the PAP Sengkang GRC team.

Mr Ng, Mr Amrin and Mr Lye will continue to assist the new team. Mr Ng will also be the adviser to the GRC team.

"The party would like to thank the outgoing branch chairs for their service and contributions to Sengkang GRC, and we look forward to their future contributions in other capacities," said the statement.

In a Facebook post shortly after the announcement, Mr Ng said he was happy to share that the new trio will be stepping up to serve with Dr Lam leading them.

"I know them well, and I will support them in my new role as adviser," he wrote.

"I am confident that they will do their best for residents. I remain steadfast in my commitment to serving Singaporeans and will continue to contribute to the party where needed."

Mr Amrin also posted on Facebook yesterday, saying he was passing the baton to Prof Elmie.

"I hold him in high regard," wrote Mr Amrin.

"He's a grounded, hands-on academic. He's active in the community, putting what he learns to help others, translating to classroom teaching."

Mr Amrin also thanked Sengkang residents. He said: "People of Sengkang, thank you for your friendship and support. I'll continue to serve the community in whichever way I can."

Mr Lye welcomed Mr Ling to Sengkang East in a Facebook post, saying Mr Ling is a dedicated activist and volunteer.

He said: "I'm confident he will be more than able to continue the party's mission to look after and serve the residents of Sengkang in the next few years."

He also urged residents and the team to continue to support Mr Ling, and wished the new PAP team the best.

"I have a special thank you to the activists and volunteers I have had the privilege and honour of having worked with in Sengkang East branch for the past 16 years," he said.

"Even as a new chapter is written for the PAP in Sengkang, I will continue to serve the party and people where I am needed."

In GE2020, WP won the new Sengkang GRC with 52.12 per cent of the vote against a 47.88 per cent share for the PAP.

The WP got 60,217 votes, while the PAP received 55,319 votes.

The announcement yesterday comes after the WP faced a major blow last year when former MP for Sengkang GRC Raeesah Khan resigned from the party and Parliament after she admitted to making false allegations in Parliament.

The PAP has 93 branches across Singapore, and branch chairmen have traditionally been its elected MPs - except for those in opposition-held constituencies.

Speaking to the media after a grocery distribution event for underprivileged families in Sengkang GRC yesterday, Dr Lam said: "I think with our passion and enthusiasm to serve residents, we hope residents can see we are sincere in serving them and that they'll give us their trust and support."

He added that the introduction of the new team now would give them a long enough runway for interactions with residents before the next general election.

But the lack of heavyweights in the form of a current political office-holder among the new faces was apparent, drawing a question from the media about comments that the new team may be seen as a "suicide squad", sent to fight a losing battle.

But Dr Lam denied that.

"I won't say it's a suicide squad. All of us are in this together."

Political observers said the announcement of the new team members appears to be an early one that may have something to do with the recent saga involving Ms Khan, while residents who spoke to The Straits Times said they will be closely watching the actions of the politicians from both WP and PAP.

Asked for his comments on the incident involving Ms Khan, Dr Lam said it was "unfortunate".

"But whatever the reason is, as a new team in Sengkang, our main focus is to serve the residents," he said.