The People’s Action Party (PAP) has revealed its team for Tampines GRC in the coming General Election.
Leading the team is Masagos Zulkifli, who is the Minister for Social and Family Development. Mr Masagos entered politics in 2006 and he has been serving in the Tampines GRC since then.
Joining him are familiar faces Baey Yam Keng and Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon, along with two political newcomers.
Meet the newcomers
David Neo, 47, previously served as Singapore’s Chief of Army for nearly three years and held the rank of major-general in the Singapore Armed Forces. He was the first commando officer to assume the post.
He led the Army 2040 transformation initiative and he also oversaw the resumption of large-scale training and live-firing exercises after the COVID-19 pandemic and led operations including the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Meanwhile, the other newcomer, Charlene Chen, 43, teaches marketing at Nanyang Technological University and serves as deputy director of industry relations and consulting at the Nanyang Centre for Marketing and Technology.
Before joining the Tampines GRC team, the mother to two children was an active volunteer at the Meet-The-People Session in PAP’s Buona Vista Branch. She is now the second adviser to the grassroots organisations in Tampines GRC.
What about Desmond Choo?
Desmond Choo, who previously served as part of the Tampines GRC team, will now be contesting in the newly created Tampines Changkat SMC. This new ward was carved out due to population growth and new housing developments in the area.
He’s not new to the residents there. Mr Desmond has been serving the Changkat area for more than 10 years, To him, it’s not just a constituency but home.
“Changkat to me has always been more than a constituency. It is our home, a place where we have built a caring, resilient community,” he said.
Mr Choo is currently the Mayor of North East District and an Assistant Secretary-General at the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), where he works on labour policies to support workers.
He assured residents that Tampines Changkat SMC will share “deep ties” with Tampines GRC, and will continue to collaborate and share resources.
“I believe that my service to Tampines Changkat is about trust, and trust is earned door by door, day by day,” he said, adding that he plans to push for better childcare leave for working families and fairer wages.
While it is not yet known who Mr Choo will face in the contest, an opposition challenge is widely expected. All parliamentary seats have been contested since the 2015 General Election.
