NSP first major opposition party to reveal new candidates

Clivebenss SG

By Sara Grosse | Posted: 10 March 2011 1925 hrs

SINGAPORE: The National Solidarity Party (NSP) was the first major opposition party to reveal its new batch of candidates - four of them previously Reform Party members.

They are former government scholars Mr Tony Tan and his wife Ms Hazel Poa, both 41.

The other two are 41-year old process manager Mr Jeisilan Sivalingham and 48-year old lawyer Ms Jeannette Chong.

The other new candidate is 37-year old Ms Nor Lella Mardiiiah Mohamed, a business consultant.

The NSP said Mr Tan, Ms Poa, Mr Jeisilan and Ms Nor Lella Mardiiiah are to be fielded at Moulmein-Kallang GRC.

It added that Ms Chong is a potential candidate for Mountbatten SMC.

- CNA/cc

Clivebenss SG

By Shivali Nayak, Multimedia Journalist

NATIONAL Solidarity Party (NSP) has spelt out its interest in contesting the newly-formed Moulmein-Kallang GRC in a potential three-cornered fight with Workers' Party (WP) for the upcoming General Elections.

The smallest of the existing 15 GRCs, Moulmein-Kallang GRC was carved out from the now-defunct Jalan Besar GRC.NSP Secretary General Goh Meng Seng hopes that the Workers' Party will reconsider its position to avoid the two parties fighting each other against the incumbent People's Action Party (PAP).

Mr Goh's sentiments were echoed by NSP President Sebastian Teo: 'NSP has contested in Jalan Besar for the last two terms. NSP has in fact put in a lot of resources and effort to this constituency and we have stepped up our ground activity since 2008 to prepare for this coming elections. We should be given first priority to field our candidates in this GRC.'

Mr Teo and Mr Goh were speaking at a press conference where the party also announced new candidates at the party's headquarters in Jalan Besar. The 5 new faces revealed include 4 former Reform Party members. They are businesswoman Hazel Poa, 41, process manager for a multinational company, Jeisilan Sivalingam, 41, lawyer Jeannette Chong Aruldoss, 48 and businessman Tony Tan, 41. The fifth candidate is business consultant Nor Lella, 37.

Former government scholars Ms Poa and Mr Tan, a husband-wife team, were wooed by other parties before they joined the NSP. All candidates are relatively new to politics, with each possessing between one and a half years to 5 years of political experience. While Ms Chong is tipped to aim for the Mountbatten SMC ticket, the remaining four are likely to be fielded in Moulmein-Kallang.

NSP said it will field up to 20 candidates in the upcoming General Elections and plans to contest Tampines and Jurong GRCs. Most of them will be new faces and will be revealed in the next few weeks.