By Imelda Saad | Posted: 25
March 2011 2001 hrs
SINGAPORE : The guessing game is on about who will
be fielded where as election fever heats up.
On Thursday, the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) unveiled its
slate of candidates for East Coast Group Representation
Constituency (GRC), ahead of Nomination Day.
East Coast GRC is one of the largest, with more than 125,000
registered electors. Two veteran politicians from the GRC, Senior
Minister S Jayakumar and Speaker of Parliament, Abdullah Tarmugi,
said they will be retiring from politics.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Swee Say - from
Holland-Bukit Timah GRC - and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for
National Development, Mohamad Maliki Osman - from Sembawang GRC -
will move to the constituency.
Mr Lim said: "Last night, when I disclosed my redeployment to my
core grassroots leaders in Buona Vista, I think obviously one area
of key concern is when would they know who is my replacement at
Buona Vista. Because they are all very anxious to start running
with this new candidate. So I am confident that the party, within
the next few days, will come to a decision.
"So we are looking forward to this new face appearing at Buona
Vista so that we can give him a warm welcome and then we can start
running with him."
The current Buona Vista ward in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC has however
been moved to Tanjong Pagar GRC, following the redrawing of
electoral boundaries.
Mr Lim, who is seen as the "anchor minister" at East Coast,
outlined his priorities.
He said: "One is to continue to strengthen and to enhance the
living environment in the GRC and at the same time, strengthen the
social interaction among the residents within the community.
"My second priority is that within in my team...I think if you look
at the composition of my team, I am the oldest in my team. I am
50-plus, whereas the other four members are much younger than me.
So obviously, my priority will be in terms of creating more
opportunities in the coming term, so that my younger colleagues in
the team will have more room, more space, to develop because at the
end of the day, yes, we want to make sure that we have the best
team in place, to serve East Coast GRC, but equally, if not more
important, is also to strengthen the present team so that in time,
in the many years to come, the team that is serving the East Coast
GRC will grow stronger and stronger."
The change leaves Holland-Bukit Timah with a four-member team -
comprising Vivian Balakrishnan, Christopher De Souza, Yu-Foo Yee
Shoon and Liang Eng Hwa - which could remain intact, as the new
electoral boundary has whittled it down from a five-member
GRC.
But veteran politician Yu-Foo Yee Shoon could step down, having
served six terms in Parliament.
However, she would not be drawn into any speculation. She said: "I
will leave it to my GRC and its MPs to come together to announce my
plans."
The PAP usually retires about a third of its serving MPs in each
election.
In 2006, 24 stepped down.
In Sembawang GRC, its anchor minister said there may be new faces
in the team since Dr Maliki will go to East Coast.
Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, who is also an MP at
Sembawang, is widely expected to helm the newly-formed Nee Soon
GRC.
Khaw Boon Wan, MP for Sembawang GRC, said: "We would need two new
members and let us wait for these candidates to be announced, and
out of those new candidates, I am sure two good ones will be
assigned to Sembawang."
Another GRC likely to see changes is Marine Parade, helmed by
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.
In his first foray in new media, Mr Goh posted on the GRC's
Facebook page: "Expect two new faces to understudy MPs in the GRC
soon."
A possible new candidate is 27-year-old business consultant Tin Pei
Ling. Her name was flagged in another post, indicating she could be
part of the PAP's Marine Parade team.
As for Single-Member Constituencies, Joo Chiat is likely to get a
new PAP candidate.
Incumbent MP Chan Soo Sen is expected to step down after three
terms in Parliament.
Marine Parade MP Seah Kian Peng is tipped to take over.
He is however remaining tight-lipped, and instead said he has been
focused on his own current ward in Braddell Heights.
It is unusual for the PAP to announce its line-up ahead of
Nomination Day, and this does give the opposition something to chew
on. In response, the Workers' Party's Chairman Sylvia Lim said the
PAP's East Coast line-up will not change the party's strategy, and
added her party will only confirm its line-up on Nomination
Day.
- CNA/ms
