GE2025: Poh Li San urges Sembawang West SMC residents to vote for 'steady, trusted leadership' in PAP rally
SINGAPORE: Candidate for Sembawang West SMC Poh Li San urged residents to back 'steady, trusted leadership', promising to double down on key priorities if elected.
Speaking at a rally held at Evergreen Primary School on Wednesday evening (Apr 30), Ms Poh said: 'If you give me the honour of continuing to serve you, here's what we will do together: We will double down on what matters most.'
She promised voters that the estate will be renewed and modernised, that she will expand support for seniors, strengthen mental wellness programmes and enhance inclusivity and accessibility.
'We will do all this while being physically responsible, transparent and always present for the people we serve,' she added.
Ms Poh, who was elected in GE2020 as part of a five-member team in Sembawang GRC, has taken care of the Sembawang West division for the past five years.
When electoral boundaries were redrawn prior to GE2025, Sembawang West was carved out as an SMC, where she is now contesting. She faces Singapore Democratic Party secretary-general Dr Chee Soon Juan in the ward, which has 24,153 voters.
Speaking in Malay, Mandarin and English, Ms Poh listed the improvements in Sembawang West in the last five years, saying that she had personally met and assisted more than 10,000 residents, and raised residents' concerns in parliament.
'I will continue to speak up for our residents, especially on securing jobs in a more challenging economic environment and keeping a lid on the cost of living to help residents better cope with cost pressures,' she said.
She also reminded residents that she will have the support of the other Sembawang candidates if they are all elected.
At Wednesday's rally, Sembawang GRC candidates - Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Ms Mariam Jaafar and Mr Vikram Nair - also spoke. New faces Gabriel Lam and Ng Shi Xuan round out the team.
Mr Ong, the first speaker at the rally, said that Dr Chee said he decided to contest in Sembawang West as part of the SDP's 'northern strategy', while Ms Poh has approached the campaign with the 'residents at heart'.
'If he wins, you are the 'beach head' for him to conquer other places in the north,' Mr Ong said. 'Li San has no such strategic motive. She is simply here to serve you.'
A surprise guest, former minister Khaw Boon Wan, also made an appearance to support Ms Poh, but he did not speak.
Echoing other PAP candidates, Ms Poh warned of uncertain and challenging times ahead, saying: 'This is not the time for rhetoric or reinvention. This is the time for steady, trusted leadership.'
She added: 'This election is not about who speaks the loudest, it is not about personalities. It is about people, it is about purpose. And it is about progress - real, visible, meaningful progress.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Paper
an hour ago
- New Paper
Nee Soon mosque reopens on Hari Raya Haji after $15m facelift
The $15 million facelift to spruce up Masjid Darul Makmur has not only refreshed an icon in Nee Soon, but the process has also strengthened the local community spirit, said Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim. At the mosque's reopening on June 7 - Hari Raya Haji - Associate Professor Faishal noted that the Muslim community had put up with inconveniences during the two-year renovation, which included having to conduct their religious rites at a temporary site. Agreeing, Nee Soon GRC MP Syed Harun Alhabsyi, who was also at the event, said the upgrading involved a lot of logistics, as well as support from the Singapore Land Authority and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis). Prof Faishal said: "This is the pride of Nee Soon residents, whereby with the strong community spirit, with the right support from grassroots organisations and government agencies, I think we can achieve better," he said. Darul Makmur mosque was first opened in 1987. After it closed in April 2023 for upgrading, the former North View Secondary School in Yishun Ring Road was designated as a temporary prayer site for congregants. The completion of upgrading works means the mosque can now accommodate 4,000 worshippers, up from 3,000 previously. Barrier-free access with ramps and a new lift were also added. Speaking to the media after Hari Raya Aidiladha prayers, Prof Faishal urged the Malay/Muslim community here to continue to feel blessed in Singapore, where there is harmony and they can perform their religious rites with peace of mind anywhere in the country. "This is something not available in many parts of the world," said Prof Faishal, who was an MP for Nee Soon GRC from 2011 to 2025. He was fielded in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC at the recent general election, which the PAP retained in a walkover. Echoing a sermon delivered earlier by Mufti Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, he also urged the community to have the notion of gratitude, and to continue playing its part in Singapore's quest to develop as a nation. As part of Singapore's humanitarian efforts for Gaza, more than 10 tonnes of korban meat will be channelled to Palestinians there, said Prof Faishal. Meanwhile, the meat that will be sent to Singapore will be distributed to the less privileged in the community, including zakat beneficiaries, families of incarcerated individuals, and migrant transient workers. Korban refers to the Islamic ritual of slaughtering farm animals such as sheep and lambs, followed by the distribution of the meat to worshippers and the needy. Prof Faishal noted that this year's Hari Raya Haji korban had 5,700 orders for overseas livestock on SalamSG, a platform for key mosque programmes. This is about a 20 per cent increase from 2024. Prof Faishal Ibrahim (right) greets congregants before the Hari Raya Aidiladha prayer at the recently upgraded Masjid Darul Makmur. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG The livestock will be slaughtered in Australia before the meat is chilled, packed and sent to Singapore - an arrangement that began in 2020 due to the pandemic. At the event, Prof Faishal also gave an update on Singaporean pilgrims in Mecca. He said all of them are doing well amid the intense heatwave. "I urge them to keep looking out for one another. I also urge them to look at their health, and also ensure that they drink lots of water and also (have a) good rest," he said. (From left) Nee Soon GRC MP Syed Harun Alhabsyi; Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim; executive chairman of Masjid Darul Makmur Mohd Fairus Abdul Manaf; and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam greet a congregant after Hari Raya Aidiladha prayers. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG Temperatures in Mecca exceeded 40 deg C this week as more than a million Muslim pilgrims poured into the holy city for the annual haj. In 2024, at least 1,300 pilgrims died after temperatures soared to 51.8 deg C. "We pray that they continue to remain safe and able to do their religious deeds... I look forward to welcoming them when they come back," said Prof Faishal. Besides Prof Faishal and Dr Syed Harun, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam also attended the mosque's reopening. In the afternoon, Prof Faishal observed a live korban at Pertapis Halfway House in Geylang, where more than 120 goats were sacrificed. The korban meat was distributed to 500 lower-income families at the event, with each household receiving 2kg of meat. The beneficiaries also received other essential items and cash vouchers.
Straits Times
17 hours ago
- Straits Times
What's in a name? Proposal to rename Taiwan's Zhongzheng Roads reignites transitional justice debate
The controversy stems from the complicated legacy of Taiwan's longest-serving head of state, Chiang Kai-shek, who had used Zhongzheng as his adopted name. ST PHOTO: YIP WAI YEE – With more than 300 roads across the island carrying this name, Zhongzheng Road is Taiwan's most common – and most contentious – street name. And they may all disappear, if the government's proposal to rename every Zhongzheng Road goes to plan. When Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior resurfaced the initiative on June 2, it sparked immediate backlash from local officials who condemned it as a waste of money. In New Taipei city alone, officials estimate that it could cost upwards of NT$60 million (S$2.57 million) to rename all 22 Zhongzheng Roads across the city's 18 administrative districts to replace not just the major street signs but also individual home address plaques. The ministry, however, has defended the move as a human rights issue and must be taken seriously. 'The government cannot pretend to look at transitional justice only when there is money to do so, as that attitude does not reflect Taiwan's democracy and rule of law,' Minister of the Interior Ms Liu Shyh-fang told reporters. The controversy stems from the complicated legacy of Taiwan's longest-serving head of state, Chiang Kai-shek, who had used Zhongzheng as his adopted name. As the leader of the then-ruling Kuomintang (KMT) on mainland China, Chiang fought a civil war with the Communist Party of China after World War II and lost, fleeing with his government to Taiwan in 1949 where he ruled as President until his death in 1975. His authoritarian rule under martial law was controversial and while democratic reforms were undertaken by his son Chiang Ching-kuo, the current ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) under its transitional justice policy has been taking measures to right historical injustices of the authoritarian era. Changing the name of the Zhongzheng Roads is one of these moves. The hundreds of Zhongzheng Roads across the island had been named after Chiang following a postwar push by the KMT government to replace any old symbols of Japanese colonialism. Until 1945, Taiwan had been under Japanese rule for 50 years. One of the busiest Zhongzheng Roads in the southern city of Tainan, for example, formerly bore the Japanese name Suehirocho. The name has a Singapore connection. When Chinese philanthropists founded Chung Cheng High School - Zhongzheng Zhongxue in Mandarin - on Kim Yan Road in 1939, they had named it after Chiang, which was an 'indication that the Chinese community in Singapore was actively engaged with affairs in China then', according to the National Heritage Board . China at the time was fighting a war with Japan that began in 1937 and ended in 1945. But while some in Taiwan today see Chiang as a strong leader who fought against the communists and oversaw the island's path to economic prosperity, he is equally despised as a dictator who ruled with an iron fist. 'For some Taiwanese, anything related to Chiang is a reminder of a painful authoritarian past,' said Assistant Professor Ma Chun-wei, a political science analyst from New Taipei's Tamkang University. While some in Taiwan today see Chiang as a strong leader who fought against the communists and oversaw the island's path to economic prosperity, he is equally despised as a dictator who ruled with an iron fist. ST PHOTO: YIP WAI YEE Complicated legacy Taiwan transitioned to a democracy from the late 1980s and ranks among Asia's freest societies today, but it continues to wrestle with its authoritarian past. For its part, the modern KMT has taken steps to atone for its history. While serving as justice minister, former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou helped establish a foundation in 1995 to raise awareness of the White Terror years – a period of martial law covering almost four decades of brutal political purges from 1949 to 1987. But it was only after President Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP took office in 2016 that transitional justice work was made a top priority. In 2018, her administration set up an commission to review and redress injustices committed during the territory's authoritarian rule. Part of that involved exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals and going after assets illegally obtained by the KMT during its authoritarian rule. Among the commission's top recommendations was also the physical removal of all 'authoritarian symbols', including any road signs named after Chiang. In 2022, for instance, a section of Zhongzheng Road in Tainan city's West Central District was renamed Thng Tik-Tsiong Boulevard, in honour of the human rights lawyer who was executed by KMT troops in 1947. Other symbols include the many busts and statues of Chiang scattered across the island – the most prominent of which is the towering statue inside Taipei's National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, where millions of tourists flock every year to take selfies and watch the changing of the guard. Over the years, the government has made sporadic attempts to remove these symbols, albeit with limited success. Taiwan's main airport Taoyuan International Airport, for instance, was formerly known as the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, or Zhongzheng International Airport in Chinese. It was given its current name in 2006. And while hundreds of Chiang's statues have since been removed from Taiwan's schools, parks and other public spaces, there are still some 760 statues dotted around the island as of April 2024. Efforts to dismantle all of the symbols have consistently faced roadblocks, including protests from those who say that the move amounts to erasing history. 'Even among KMT supporters today, Chiang is no longer revered, but they cannot deny his contributions to Taiwan's development,' said Prof Ma. For now, the Ministry of the Interior said that it would engage officials from local governments – which would be in charge of executing the road sign changes – before proceeding further. But it would continue to promote its plan in line with transitional justice efforts, said Minister Liu. 'I understand many people are still sorting through their feelings about the past – and historical representations of it – which is why we will keep our communication on the issue open and clear,' she said on June 4. 'However, our position on the issue has not changed, and we will continue to promote the removal of the vestiges of authoritarianism,' she said, adding that the ministry provides subsidies for the renaming of street names. Several municipal government officials, many of them from the opposition KMT, have voiced objections to the ministry's proposal. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an, who is Chiang Kai-shek's great-grandson, accused the ruling party of politicising issues and not doing actual work. Meanwhile, New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih, also from the KMT, condemned the ministry's proposal as 'meaningless'. 'What people need is help to solve their problems. Does it make sense for the government to spend money on things like this?' he said. Ms Victoria Lin, a resident living on Zhongzheng Road in New Taipei's Zhonghe District, opposes the renaming of her road for a more pragmatic reason. 'Do you know how much trouble it will be to have to change my home address with the banks and all that?' said the 39-year-old, who works in real estate. Yip Wai Yee is The Straits Times' Taiwan correspondent covering political, socio-cultural and economic issues from Taipei. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
18 hours ago
- Straits Times
Nee Soon mosque reopens on Hari Raya Haji after $15m facelift
Congregants during Hari Raya Aidiladha prayers at the recently upgraded Masjid Darul Makmur in Yishun on June 7. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG SINGAPORE - The $15 million facelift to spruce up Masjid Darul Makmur has not only refreshed an icon in Nee Soon, but the process has also strengthened the local community spirit, said Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim. At the mosque's reopening on June 7 - Hari Raya Haji - Associate Professor Faishal noted that the Muslim community had put up with inconveniences during the two-year renovation, which included having to conduct their religious rites at a temporary site. Agreeing, Nee Soon GRC MP Syed Harun Alhabsyi, who was also at the event, said the upgrading involved a lot of logistics, as well as support from the Singapore Land Authority and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis). Prof Faishal said: 'This is the pride of Nee Soon residents, whereby with the strong community spirit, with the right support from grassroots organisations and government agencies, I think we can achieve better,' he said. Darul Makmur mosque was first opened in 1987. After it closed in April 2023 for upgrading, the former North View Secondary School in Yishun Ring Road was designated as a temporary prayer site for congregants. The completion of upgrading works means the mosque can now accommodate 4,000 worshippers, up from 3,000 previously. Barrier-free access with ramps, as well as a new lift, were also added. Speaking to the media after Hari Raja Aidiladha prayers, Prof Faishal urged the Malay/Muslim community here to continue to feel blessed in Singapore, where there is harmony and they can perform their religious rites with peace of mind anywhere in the country. 'This is something not available in many parts of the world,' said Prof Faishal, who was an MP in Nee Soon from 2011 to 2025. He was fielded in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC at the recent general election, which the PAP retained in a walkover. Echoing a sermon delivered earlier by Mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, he also urged the community to have the notion of gratitude, and to continue playing its part in Singapore's quest to develop as a nation. As part of Singapore's humanitarian efforts for Gaza, more than 10 tonnes of korban meat will be channeled to Palestinians there, said Prof Faishal. Meanwhile, the meat that will be sent to Singapore will be distributed to the less privileged in the community, including zakat beneficiaries, families of incarcerated individuals and migrant transient workers. Korban refers to the Islamic ritual of slaughtering farm animals such as sheep and lambs, followed by the distribution of the meat to worshippers and the needy. Prof Faishal noted that this year's Hari Raya Haji korban had 5,700 orders for overseas livestock on SalamSG, a platform for key mosque programmes. This is about a 20 per cent increase from 2024. Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (right) greets congregants before the Hari Raya Aidiladha prayer at the recently upgraded Masjid Darul Makmur. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG The livestock will be slaughtered in Australia before the meat is chilled, packed and sent to Singapore – an arrangement that began in 2020 due to the pandemic. At the event, Prof Faishal also gave an update on Singaporean pilgrims in Mecca. He said all of them are doing well amid the intense heatwave. 'I urge them to keep looking out for one another. I also urge them to look at their health, and also ensure that they drink lots of water and also (have a) good rest,' he said. (From left) Nee Soon GRC MP Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi; Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim; Executive Chairman of Darul Makmur Mosque Mohd Fairus Abdul Manaf; and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam greet a congregant after Hari Raya Aidiladha prayers at the recently upgraded Masjid Darul Makmur. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG Temperatures in Mecca exceeded 40 deg C this week as more than a million Muslim pilgrims poured into the holy city for the annual haj. In 2024, at least 1,301 pilgrims died after temperatures soared to 51.8 deg C. 'We pray that they continue to remain safe and able to do their religious deeds... I look forward to welcoming them when they come back,' said Prof Faishal. Besides Prof Faishal and Dr Syed Harun, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam also attended the mosque's reopening. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
