SINGAPORE, July 9 — The People’s Action Party (PAP) has fielded six new Malay candidates to join eight seniors in the general election, polling for which is tomorrow.
The youngest, Nadia Ahmad Samdin, 30, is in PAP secretary-general Lee Hsien Loong’s team which is defending the Ang Mo Kio GRC (group representation constituency).
Like their seniors, all the six new faces are contesting in GRCs, not in SMCs (single-member constituency).
Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim has been fielded in the Chua Chu Kang GRC; Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah, Jalan Besar GRC; Mohd Fahmi Aliman, Marine Parade GRC; Sharael Taha, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and Mariam Jaafar, Sembawang GRC.
Wan Rizal has been fielded in place of former Jalan Besar GRC Member of Parliament Yaacob Ibrahim who has called it a day after 23 years in politics.
Sharael Taha and team, led by Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, face a three-cornered fight in the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC with the other contestants being from the Peoples Voice and Singapore Democratic Alliance.
Wan Rizal and Sharael Taha, as well as the junior candidates, have to put in much effort although all the GRCs are incumbent seats of the PAP.
Meanwhile, one of their seniors, Shamsul Kamar, is tasked with four other PAP candidates to wrest the Al Junied GRC, an incumbent seat of the Workers’ Party.
Shamsul, an advisor to grassroots organisations in Al Junied, and his team garnered only 49.1 per cent of the votes against their opposition in the last general election.
The other two seniors include Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources and Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs of the caretaker government; and Dr Maliki Osman, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Foreign Affairs. Masagos and Dr Maliki are contesting in the Tampines GRC and East Coast GRC, respectively.
The rest are Saktiandi Supaat who is standing in the Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC; Rahayu Mahzam, Jurong GRC; Zaqy Mohamad, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC; Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Nee Soon GRC; and Amrin Amin, Sengkang GRC. — Bernama
