SINGAPORE, April 23 — With less than a day before nomination proceedings close for Singapore’s general election, the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) and opposition Workers’ Party (WP) have yet to confirm where several of their senior figures will stand.
The PAP has named its line-up for 28 of the 33 constituencies in the May 3 polls but has yet to confirm candidates for East Coast, Punggol and Tanjong Pagar group representation constituencies (GRCs), among others.
According to The Straits Times (ST), the party’s silence has fuelled speculation of last-minute tactical shifts.
“This will be backed up by its new recruits, some of whom seem to be relatively accomplished professionals and others who have had time volunteering with it,” said Dr Gillian Koh, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, on the WP’s possible strategy.
Observers are closely watching whether Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat will remain in East Coast GRC, move to a new constituency or retire from politics.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah’s move from Tanjong Pagar to the new Pasir Ris-Changi GRC has added to speculation that Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean could be deployed to Punggol.
PAP has also not confirmed its candidates for Queenstown and Radin Mas single-member constituencies.
The party is expected to face contests in all 97 seats, with 10 opposition parties likely to field candidates by noon today.
The WP has introduced 14 new candidates but has confirmed only two of their placements so far.
It has not revealed its full slates beyond Aljunied and Sengkang GRCs and Hougang SMC, which it currently holds.
Speculation is mounting over whether WP leaders such as secretary-general Pritam Singh, chairwoman Sylvia Lim, vice-chairman Faisal Manap and policy research head Gerald Giam may contest in East Coast or Punggol GRCs.
Nomination proceedings at Yusof Ishak Secondary School in Punggol — the centre for East Coast, Punggol, Sengkang and Pasir Ris-Changi GRCs — are expected to draw intense scrutiny.
In the 2020 election, DPM Heng’s surprise candidacy in East Coast GRC was revealed just minutes before nominations closed.
In that contest, the PAP won the GRC with 53.39 per cent of the vote against the WP.
There is speculation that Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong will shift from Marine Parade to East Coast, as his Joo Chiat ward falls under the latter following boundary changes.
Dr Koh said Tong would “most certainly anchor” East Coast GRC.
“The question is whether DPM Heng will remain there to be a co-anchor or be mobilised elsewhere,” she added.
Hazlina Abdul Halim, senior vice-president at advisory firm Teneo, is also expected to run in East Coast, replacing outgoing Minister Maliki Osman.
Cheryl Chan, another incumbent, has also announced her retirement.
Other incumbents in the constituency are Tan Kiat How and Jessica Tan.
The WP could field senior counsel Harpreet Singh Nehal in East Coast.
“I don’t want to be parachuted anywhere safe,” Harpreet Singh told ST in an April 11 interview.
Punggol GRC is also in the spotlight, with SM Teo seen walking the ground with PAP new face Foo Cexiang, and incumbents Janil Puthucheary, Sun Xueling and Yeo Wan Ling.
Dr Koh said SM Teo has the “gravitas to carry the ground” in Punggol.
Former Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong has been leading WP teams in Punggol in recent months.
In Aljunied and Tampines GRCs, WP has yet to confirm full line-ups, though the PAP has done so.
Aljunied will see the PAP field Chan Hui Yuh, Faisal Abdul Aziz, Daniel Liu, Adrian Ang and Jagathishwaran Rajo.
WP new face Kenneth Tiong, a tech start-up director, will contest in Aljunied, but the rest of the team is unannounced.
Dr Koh said there is a possibility WP’s top leaders may be redeployed elsewhere, supported by new candidates.
In Tampines, the PAP team will be led by Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli.
He will run with David Neo, Charlene Chen, Koh Poh Koon and Baey Yam Keng.
WP may field Andre Low, Jasper Kuan, Jimmy Tan or even Faisal Manap in Tampines.
Dr Koh said the WP could still make a strong showing there, despite the National Solidarity Party expressing interest in contesting the seat.
WP chief Pritam Singh had said on April 19 that the party does not attend coordination talks or make way for other opposition parties.
Professor Eugene Tan of Singapore Management University said both parties are likely holding back line-ups for tactical reasons.
“The fact that the PAP has not revealed its full complement and line-ups for a few GRCs, and the WP is unlikely to even reveal who is contesting where before Nomination Day, will likely mean that there will be last-minute tactical changes,” he said.
Dr Koh said this strategy could backfire for newcomers, as they have less time to engage with residents.
Kong Hwa School and Deyi Secondary School will also be nomination centres to watch.
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng will lead the PAP’s Marine Parade-Braddell Heights team, joined by new face Diana Pang, Faishal Ibrahim, Seah Kian Peng and Tin Pei Ling.
The WP has yet to confirm its line-up there, but Nathaniel Koh, Fadli Fawzi and newcomer Jackson Au have been active on the ground.
In Jalan Kayu SMC, labour chief Ng Chee Meng will seek a return to Parliament after losing Sengkang GRC in 2020.
WP is expected to field a challenger in the single seat carved from Ang Mo Kio GRC.
Professor Tan said a stronger WP showing could mark a shift in Singapore’s political landscape.
He noted the election will take place against the backdrop of global uncertainty and economic pressures.
At the launch of the PAP manifesto on April 17, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said, “This SG60 election is ultimately about our future.”
