GE2025: PAP looks set to face 4-way fight for Tampines GRC against WP, NSP, PPP
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Tampines GRC looks set to be hotly contested in the upcoming general election.
PHOTOS: SHINTARO TAY, THE WORKERS' PARTY
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SINGAPORE – Tampines GRC looks set to be hotly contested at the upcoming general election, with three opposition parties staking their claim to the constituency held by the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
The Workers’ Party (WP) has been walking the area over the past two years, at least, and party sources told The Straits Times that it intends to contest Tampines.
The National Solidarity Party (NSP), which contested the five-person group representation constituency in the last three general elections, held walkabouts there as recently as Jan 6 and Feb 9. It told ST it would press on with its work there, which has not stopped since 2020 and has intensified of late.
Now, the People’s Power Party (PPP) is entering the fray, with its secretary-general Goh Meng Seng announcing on Feb 23 at the party’s latest outing in Tampines Street 81 that he intends to field a team in Tampines, as it is the constituency with the “highest possible chance of winning for (the party)”.
He said this just hours after PPP announced late on Feb 22 its withdrawal from an opposition alliance
When asked for comment on a possible multi-cornered fight in Tampines, Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli said he would deal with it “when the time comes”.
Mr Masagos, an MP for Tampines GRC and the PAP’s anchor minister in the constituency, said the team remains focused on serving residents.
Two new faces have been spotted with the PAP team in Tampines GRC. They are Dr Charlene Chen, an academic, and Mr Gabriel Lam, chief operating officer of moving company Shalom Movers.
WP’s new faces for Tampines GRC
For WP, the four individuals tipped to be fielded as candidates in Tampines are Mr Jimmy Tan, 53, who is self-employed; Mr Jasper Kuan, 46, a payment expert; Mr Andre Low, 33, a dispute lawyer turned consultant; and Ms Afifah Khalid, 42, an associate director in the financial services industry.
They were photographed with former party chief Low Thia Khiang and other party leaders on two occasions in 2024, as part of WP’s Hammer newsletter outreach activities in April and November.
Former Workers’ Party chief Low Thia Khiang (centre) with the four tipped to be candidates in Tampines: Mr Andre Low (second from left), Mr Jasper Kuan (fourth from left), Ms Afifah Khalid (third from right) and Mr Jimmy Tan (second from right).
PHOTO: THE WORKERS' PARTY
Mr Andre Low is a Raffles Institution alumnus who graduated with first-class honours from University College London’s law school and pursued a Master of Business Administration at business school Insead after pivoting to the start-up scene. He now works at one of the Big Three consulting firms.
His LinkedIn profile showed that he was an aide to Sengkang GRC MP Louis Chua for three years from July 2020. He helped with weekly Meet-The-People Sessions, as well as policy research and grassroots engagement.
Mr Andre Low is part of the four-person executive committee in the WP’s media team, where he leads strategy and messaging, and manages the party’s web and experimental digital engagement.
Mr Kuan, who does business development work in the payment industry, was once Hougang MP Dennis Tan’s legislative assistant. He has been involved in party activities since the 2020 General Election.
Mr Jimmy Tan joined WP as a volunteer in 2017, and is WP chief Pritam Singh’s legislative assistant.
ST has contacted WP for comment.
Banking on boundary changes
In 2020, a PAP team led by Mr Masagos retained Tampines GRC with 66.4 per cent of the vote against an NSP team helmed by president Reno Fong.
National Solidarity Party chief Spencer Ng (second from right) and president Reno Fong (third from right) conducted an outreach session at Tampines Round Market and Food Centre on Feb 9.
PHOTO: NATIONAL SOLIDARITY PARTY
The GRC has been operating with one fewer representative since July 2023, after Ms Cheng Li Hui vacated her seat
On rebuilding trust with residents after Ms Cheng’s resignation, Mr Masagos, who is also Second Minister for Health and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, said the first thing the team did “was get everyone together and say ‘don’t forget, we still need to serve our residents’”.
“I think we have come a long way. In life, things happen, and you don’t walk with your tail between your legs as if things have gone really bad,” he said.
The other Tampines GRC MPs are Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State for Manpower, and Sustainability and the Environment; Mr Desmond Choo, Mayor of North East District; and Mr Baey Yam Keng, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, and Sustainability and the Environment.
Tampines MPs planting a tree with the People’s Action Party’s new face, Dr Charlene Chen (far right), at the launch of the five-year masterplan titled “Building Our Tampines Home Together, Now And Always” on Feb 22.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Mr Goh said he will “definitely” work out with the other opposition parties how to avoid a multi-cornered fight in Tampines.
He is anticipating significant changes to its boundaries when the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee releases its report, given the constituency’s expanded size.
Since the last election, nine polling districts have been added
The only other GRC with more polling districts added since the 2020 election is the neighbouring Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, where 10 were added, giving it 65 districts.
Asked whether PPP has been in talks with the other opposition parties eyeing Tampines GRC, Mr Goh said he had already spoken to NSP and both parties are in negotiations. He added that he has not spoken to WP, as it has not publicly said it intends to contest there.
Mr Goh told reporters during his Tampines walkabout on Feb 23 that he intends to contest Tampines GRC and introduced the media to the party’s chairman, Mr Derrick Sim.
Mr Sim, a 45-year-old financial planner, called himself the “Tampines boy”. He said he has lived in the Tampines Central ward for more than 35 years.
Tampines Central is overseen by the PAP’s Dr Koh.
Mr Sim told the media that he is a former police officer. He said he was inspired to join the PPP when he heard about vaccine injuries during the Covid-19 pandemic and that he is not vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Up till Feb 22, the PPP was in an alliance with PV, the Reform Party and the Democratic Progressive Party. They had intended to contest under the People’s Alliance for Reform banner.
Lim, who heads the alliance established in 2023, was sentenced to six weeks’ jail
Mr Goh and Lim separately contested Tampines GRC under the NSP banner previously, in the 2011 and 2015 elections, respectively.
The common thread in both their previous candidacies in Tampines is NSP’s Mr Fong, who stayed put in the constituency, while Mr Goh and Lim branched out to contest under the parties they each founded.
In 2020, Mr Goh fought in MacPherson and finished with 28.26 per cent of the vote, and Lim led a team from PV to contest the four-person Jalan Besar GRC and garnered 34.64 per cent of the vote.
Mr Goh said: “The voters staying in Tampines are hoping for me to return as I met them on the ground.”
NSP secretary-general Spencer Ng said NSP welcomes all parties to contest the election “in the true spirit of democracy”.
“It does not matter whether it’s a straight fight or multi-cornered fights. What matters most to us are our voters’ concerns, and how we can help to address them and build a more perfect home and country,” he said.
Wong Pei Ting is a correspondent at The Straits Times. She covers politics and social affairs.
Additional reporting by Tham Yuen-C, David Sun and Vanessa Paige Chelvan.
