GE2025: WP’s likely replacement for Raeesah Khan outlines plans for improvements in Sengkang
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Potential WP candidate Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik (in grey shirt) at a Sengkang GRC townhall meeting on March 29. He is a senior property manager at Aljunied-Hougang Town Council.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
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SINGAPORE – A potential candidate expected to fill the empty slot in the WP slate to contest Sengkang GRC has assured residents in Ms Raeesah Khan’s former ward of Compassvale that he will work to address lift issues in the estate.
In an Instagram post on April 1, Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik, a senior property manager at Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC), said he will work closely with the WP MPs in Sengkang GRC to identify and address the root causes of the lift problems.
Sharing photos of his house visits, he said Compassvale residents flagged concerns about lifts, which “are a crucial mode of vertical transport in Singapore, especially for the elderly”.
The public promise to Sengkang GRC’s residents is the strongest indication yet that Mr Abdul Muhaimin, 35, could be fielded in the four-member constituency at the upcoming general election.
Citing his experience in managing lifts in a town council for nearly a decade since August 2015, Mr Abdul Muhaimin said he understands what it takes to keep lifts running safely and reliably.
He said: “Asking the right questions, listening closely, and pushing for fixes – that’s how we lift Sengkang GRC up, together”.
Mr Abdul Muhaimin is no stranger to Compassvale as he has been helping out at monthly Meet-The-People Sessions in the ward under the mentorship of Aljunied GRC MP Faisal Manap.
Mr Faisal – WP’s vice-chairman – has been advising the Sengkang team after Ms Khan admitted to lying to Parliament resigned from her post
While the WP has not formally unveiled Mr Abdul Muhaimin as a candidate, a Facebook page identifying him as a politician was set up on April 1 shortly after an Instagram account that publicised his groundwork.
This comes after the Elections Department confirmed on March 27 that Sengkang GRC will need at least one candidate from the Malay community.
He has been seen at community events involving the Sengkang MPs since 2023, and his participation in walkabouts and house visits
On March 8, WP chief Pritam Singh posted a photo of Mr Abdul Muhaimin with Ms He, Prof Lim and Mr Chua outside Masjid Al-Mawaddah in Compassvale Bow, referring to the group as “Team Sengkang GRC”.
Most recently, he has been photographed greeting and serving residents with the Sengkang MPs at the constituency’s mass break-fast celebration and during a Hari Raya Puasa visit to Al-Mawaddah.
He was also spotted interacting with residents at a March 29 townhall meeting held
According to Mr Abdul Muhaimin’s social media profiles, he studied at Tampines Junior College and was appointed as a platoon commander during his national service in the Singapore Civil Defence Force.
After graduating from Nanyang Technological University with a degree in mechanical engineering in 2015, he joined the town council as an assistant lift manager.
Less than three years later, in 2018, he was tasked with managing other projects on top of his lift portfolio.
For the financial years of 2021 to 2023, AHTC was among 14 of Singapore’s town councils
To score the top rating for lift performance, town councils must ensure that there are fewer than two lift faults per 10 lifts per month, and less than one hour of downtime per lift each month.
Sengkang Town Council also hit the top banding in all areas for the financial years of 2021 and 2022, except for S&CC arrears management, for which it was marked down.
This improved the next financial year, making it the first time that all town councils scored full marks since the Government started issuing reports on town council management in 2010.
The Straits Times has contacted WP for further comment.
Correction note: The story has been edited for clarity.
Ang Qing is a correspondent covering local and international breaking news at The Straits Times, with a focus on the environment, crime, technology and social issues.
