Singapore People’s Party to contest Bishan-Toa Payoh, Potong Pasir in upcoming election

SINGAPORE - The Singapore People’s Party (SPP) will be returning to its familiar grounds of Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Potong Pasir SMC in the upcoming general election.

Speaking to the media during a walkabout in Toa Payoh Lorong 4 on March 29, SPP secretary-general Steve Chia said the candidates the party intends to field in the two constituencies have been confirmed, but the party will be announcing them only after Parliament is dissolved.

He said: “As all of you know, we contested in Bishan-Toa Payoh and Potong Pasir in the last election and previous elections, too. So again, in this 2025 General Election, we are going back to contest in (these constituencies).

“And we hope to win back the hearts of the people in these two constituencies, and hopefully, win back a seat in Parliament, and this is what we hope to achieve.”

Mr Chia said that in the following weeks, the party will be doing a lot of groundwork and meeting and talking to residents. Its members will tell residents about the party’s manifesto and the issues that the party wants to raise in Parliament.

Members of the party, including party chairman Melvyn Chiu and treasurer Williiamson Lee, walked around various areas in Toa Payoh on the morning of March 29, and were seen speaking to shopkeepers and residents.

Founded in 1994, SPP has contested Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC at the last three general elections.

In the most recent one in 2020, an SPP team comprising Mr Chia, Mr Chiu, Mr Lee and Mr Osman Sulaiman garnered 32.77 per cent of the vote. They lost to their PAP opponents – Dr Ng Eng Hen, Mr Chee Hong Tat, Mr Chong Kee Hiong and Mr Saktiandi Supaat – who won 67.23 per cent of the vote.

Over in Potong Pasir, then SPP chairman Jose Raymond lost to incumbent Potong Pasir MP Sitoh Yih Pin of the PAP, who won 60.67 per cent of the vote. Mr Raymond, who received 39.33 per cent, announced his retirement from politics later that year.

In the last six general elections, SPP has contested Potong Pasir four times. On the other two occasions, it ran in the constituency under the Singapore Democratic Alliance, a coalition of political parties in Singapore.

The constituency was a stronghold of former SPP secretary-general and veteran opposition politician Chiam See Tong, who is now 90. He was the MP for the area from 1984 to 2011.

Providing an update on Mr Chiam’s health, Mr Chia said he is “as good as he can be for his age” and the party wants to “claim back the legacy”.

Mr Chia said he has had discussions on avoiding a three-cornered fight in Potong Pasir with Mr Lim Tean, the secretary-general of opposition coalition People’s Alliance for Reform. Mr Lim also heads Peoples Voice, a party within the alliance.

Noting SPP’s history in the area, Mr Chia said: “We cannot let the people of Potong Pasir down… I have already spoken to them, telling them we are very firm in our (candidate) contesting in Potong Pasir.”

Mr Chiu said the party intends to tackle many bread-and-butter issues in 2025, with a focus on the rising cost of living.

He said: “During our walkabout, we have spoken to many residents, and a lot of them have said that they can do very little with $50 to $100. They bring $50 to the market, and they don’t go home with many groceries.

“So, cost of living is a big concern for them, and also the rise in rental prices – they are driving a lot of small businesses out.”

He said many shopkeepers the party has spoken to have said they are giving up their stalls because of rising rents, since it does not make sense to spend a full day in the shop and make little to no profit. Some have made losses.

He said these are the issues that the party intends to bring to Parliament, should its members get elected.