GE2025: RDU’s Ravi Philemon says PAP strategy to field four new faces in Nee Soon is ‘puzzling’

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SINGAPORE–Mr Ravi Philemon, secretary-general of the opposition Red Dot United (RDU), said on April 25 it is “puzzling” that the PAP is fielding four new faces in its contest for Nee Soon GRC.

A refreshed PAP slate led by Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, 66, with four new faces is competing against a team from RDU led by Mr Philemon, 56, at the upcoming polls.

The four political newcomers for PAP in Nee Soon GRC are Mr Jackson Lam, 40, the head of a pest control and cleaning company; former nominated MP Syed Harun Alhabsyi, 40; Ms Lee Hui Ying, 36, director of communications at Temasek Foundation; and Ms Goh Hanyan, 39, a former director at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information.

First-term MPs Derrick Goh and Carrie Tan have stepped down. Two-term MP Louis Ng, who had been an MP in the area since 2015, is also retiring from politics.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, who had been an MP for Nee Soon GRC since 2011, has been

moved to Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.

“It is puzzling to us to see that (the PAP’s manifesto) is Residents First,” said Mr Philemon, referencing the title of PAP’s manifesto for Nee Soon GRC.

The PAP’s manifesto for the area was

launched by Mr Shanmugam and his team on April 24.

“There were two first-term MPs who the people barely got to know in the past five years, who have been taken out,” Mr Philemon added. He was speaking to the media outside Springleaf MRT station just before he led a walkabout around the area.

On April 21, Mr Shanmugam had introduced the line-up for the PAP team contesting Nee Soon GRC at a press briefing. During that event, he said that the new team brings with it a range of experiences, and includes potential office-holders and candidates with plenty of grassroots experience.

But Mr Philemon said that the people of Nee Soon “do not know” who the four new faces are.

“We see… four new faces coming in, and nobody knows (them) well. Some of them claim that they have grassroots experience, and they have walked the ground, and so on and so forth,” he said.

“We do acknowledge that grassroots experience is very important, but still they are fresh faces. The people do not know who they are. They have not shown who they are. And so, it is a tough call for the people to make,” Mr Philemon added.

Noting that it is unclear if Mr Shanmugam will retire when the next general election comes, Mr Philemon said: “When he has to retire... the slate of four (new faces) they have in Nee Soon, would any one of them be able to step into his shoes? These are important questions to ask.”

The RDU slate for Nee Soon GRC is led by Mr Philemon and includes party chairman David Foo, 60, and three first-timers – Dr Syed Alwi Ahmad, a 57-year-old private school teacher who is RDU’s head of policy and its Malay bureau; Mr Pang Heng Chuan, 56, a tech start-up business director; and Ms Sharon Lin, 40, a senior consultant in the IT sector.

Meanwhile, the RDU team contesting Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC also went on a walkabout on April 25.

Entrepreneur Liyana Dhamirah, 38, said the party wants voters to know that RDU is a responsible opposition party with a plan for managing a town council should it be elected.

Speaking to the media after a coffee-shop visit at 282A Toh Guan Road, she added: “If we are elected, for town council management, we would like to propose it to be one team… together with Jurong Central SMC.”

Besides her, the RDU’s Jurong East-Bukit Batok slate comprises marketing agency director Marcus Neo, 33, director of a waste management company Osman Sulaiman, 50, contemporary artist Ben Puah, 48, and principal software engineer Harish Mohanadas, 39.

RDU is fielding former SAF officer Kala Manickam in the neighbouring Jurong Central SMC.

Asked what the party’s plan is if RDU manages to win either the group representation constituency or the single-member constituency, Ms Liyana said: “That will happen when the time comes, and we will have the necessary conversations as well.”

Mr Neo said the party will put Singaporeans first and will work with the PAP, or any other party, to get the town council running.

“We are not here for adversarial politics, right? Our secretary-general Ravi Philemon has made it very clear to the press as well, we will work together with the PAP, or whatever party, to get the town council running for the betterment of Singaporeans,” he said.