GE2025: PAR introduces two new faces among four more potential candidates
The new faces are Sarina Abu Hassan, a nurse at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, and Nadarajan Selvamani, who runs a private school.
They were presented during a walkabout at Jalan Batu Market and Food Centre, located in Mountbatten Single Member Constituency (SMC).
PAR secretary-general Lim Tean welcomed them into the fold, saying the two candidates 'couldn't have chosen a better party to come to'.
Also introduced were veteran campaigners Kumar Appavoo and Prabu Ramachandran, although Lim noted that the final line-up of constituencies is still pending confirmation.
Singaporeans will head to the polls on 3 May, with Nomination Day set for Wednesday.
Sarina Abu Hassan: Veteran Nurse with a Focus on Livelihood and Healthcare
Sarina, 54, has been in the nursing profession for 35 years and has previously done political work with other parties.
According to her biography provided by PAR, she is currently pursuing a diploma in nursing and is a mother of four.
She said she intends to focus her campaign on job security, sustainability, and the livelihood of Singaporeans, particularly in relation to the healthcare system and initiatives such as free food for schoolchildren.
'I hope I can make a difference,' she said.
'I hope that I can reach out and impart my knowledge and skills, with the experience I've gathered over the years with other political parties.'
She added that she did not want to 'miss this opportunity to stand as a candidate'.
Nadarajan Selvamani: Educator and Musician Championing Housing and Education
Nadarajan, 59, brings over two decades of experience in the education industry, having previously worked in the marine sector for eight years.
He is also a musician and has supported the Peoples Voice (PV) party in the past, assisting at polling stations and during election campaigns.
'They had enough candidates at that time. So now I wanted to give it a shot—maybe to enhance or help them, further support them,' he told reporters.
Nadarajan said he was drawn to PAR's causes and wants to focus on housing issues and the push for free education.
If elected, he said he hopes to reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to 5 per cent.
Returning Candidates: Prabu Ramachandran and Kumar Appavoo
Prabu, 37, a commercial banker, previously contested under the Reform Party (RP) and later with the Peoples Voice.
In the 2020 General Election, he was part of the PV team that contested in Pasir Ris–Punggol Group Representation Constituency (GRC) and garnered 12.17 per cent of the vote in a three-cornered fight.
The People's Action Party (PAP), led by then-Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, won the ward with 64.16 per cent of the vote, while the Singapore Democratic Alliance took 23.67 per cent.
Prabu emphasised the importance of having alternative voices in Parliament.
'It is responsible to vote for a plurality of voices in Parliament. Our country's structure allows us to hold the government accountable during the campaign period, but if we are not elected, we cannot do so throughout the next five years.'
Businessman Kumar Appavoo is also no stranger to elections.
He previously contested in West Coast GRC under RP in 2011, and in Radin Mas SMC in both 2015 and 2020 under RP's banner, losing all three attempts.
He advocates for a reduction in the cost of living and questioned whether the GST could be reduced to as low as 1 per cent.
PAR to Contest 7 Constituencies in GE2025
On Friday, PAR announced it will field 14 candidates across seven constituencies: Jalan Besar and Tanjong Pagar GRCs, and Mountbatten, Potong Pasir, Queenstown, Radin Mas, and Yio Chu Kang SMCs.
It will not contest Marymount, Jalan Kayu, and Kebun Baru SMCs.
Lim said this decision was made 'after careful deliberation and also taking into account the interest of the other parties and their movements'.
PAR, a coalition of RP, PV, and the Democratic Progressive Party, has not yet released its full manifesto.
However, Lim said the alliance would focus on five key issues for GE2025: the cost of living, affordability of public housing, job insecurity, institutional reforms, and 'taking back our Singapore identity and nation', a point he linked to immigration concerns.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AsiaOne
18 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Singapore urges 'restraint' in Thailand-Cambodia border dispute; calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Singapore News
Singapore has urged both Cambodia and Thailand to exercise restraint and cease hostilities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Thursday (July 24). "Singapore is deeply concerned by the clashes… We call on them to de-escalate tensions through diplomatic means and ensure the safety of all civilians," an MFA spokesperson said. Thailand and Cambodia have been in conflict for decades over jurisdiction of multiple points along their 817km border, specifically regarding the ownership of ancient temples Ta Moan Thom and Preah Vihear, Reuters reported on Friday. Both sides have blamed each other for starting the most recent clash on Thursday, which has escalated from gunfire to heavy shelling. Thailand has since bombed targets in Cambodia using an F-16 fighter jet following artillery volleys that have killed at least 11 civilians, according to Reuters. As at Friday morning, there are no reports of Singaporeans injured from the border clashes, the MFA spokesperson stated. "Singaporeans are advised to defer all travel to the border regions," the spokesperson added. "Singaporeans in Cambodia and Thailand are advised to monitor the news closely, heed the local government's advice and remain vigilant for personal safety." The ministry also advised Singaporeans travelling to Cambodia or Thailand to e-register with MFA if they have not already done so. Those in need of consular assistance should contact respective Singapore embassies in Phnom Penh or Bangkok. [[nid:720588]] 'Unconscionable' suffering in Gaza MFA also released a statement on the conflict in Gaza on Thursday, calling for an immediate ceasefire. "The prolonged suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza arising from the excessive Israeli military reaction to the terror attacks of Hamas since Oct 7, 2023 is unconscionable," an MFA spokesperson said. "Israel must comply with its international humanitarian obligations." The spokesperson also explained that the denial of humanitarian aid has caused mass starvation and a lack of medical services. Additionally, reports of people being shot while trying to access food are "shocking", the spokesperson said. "This is a violation of international humanitarian law. The Israeli government must immediately lift all restrictions on the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian assistance." The ministry also called for the resumption of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East as mandated by the UN. "All civilians must be protected, especially those accessing humanitarian supplies," the MFA spokesperson asserted. "Permanent forced displacement is a further violation of international humanitarian law. "Hamas must release all the remaining hostages — immediately and unconditionally." MFA also stressed that a negotiated two-state solution is the "only viable path" for both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace. "The current trajectory of events will only make this eventual goal even more difficult to achieve, and condemn both Israelis and Palestinians to an endless cycle of mutual hatred and violence." [[nid:720593]] khooyihang@
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
Commentary: As cyber threats grow, Singapore walks a careful line on identifying state actors
SINGAPORE: The recent disclosure that a cyber threat group, identified as UNC3886, was attacking critical infrastructure in Singapore took many by surprise. The announcement was made by Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam during a speech at the 10th anniversary of the country's Cyber Security Agency (CSA) last Friday (Jul 18). He warned that Singapore was actively dealing with a "highly sophisticated threat actor" capable of conducting espionage and 'major disruption to Singapore and Singaporeans'. UNC3886 has been described by Google-owned cybersecurity company Mandiant as a group with a China nexus. Understandably, the Chinese embassy in Singapore was dissatisfied that UNC3886 was described as being linked to China. One question that may intrigue readers more was why the minister did not link UNC3886 to a particular country. Was this a perfunctory attempt to publicly attribute a cyber threat, or was it a policy decision by Singapore based on careful strategic calculations? In his announcement, it was apparent that Mr Shanmugam deliberately focused on only naming the threat group, rather than directly pointing to any country. When he was asked the following day about UNC3886's alleged links to China, he said this was "speculative". "What Mandiant does is what Mandiant does ... Who they (UNC3886) are linked to and how they operate is not something I want to go into," he said. TECHNICAL VS POLITICAL ATTRIBUTION Past cases suggest that when it comes to cyberattacks, Singapore prefers technical attribution over political attribution. The former is based on forensic evidence of tactics, while the latter is based on intelligence to name and shame a country. Without direct state attribution, it is often the media and analysts who examine potential links and broader implications as part of their reporting and analysis. For example, when Singapore telecommunications company Singtel disclosed a malware attack in November 2024, it was a Bloomberg report that attributed it to Volt Typhoon, a group allegedly sponsored by China. Similarly, when Singapore blocked roughly 100 social media accounts for circulating disinformation in July 2024, including those linked to a right-wing group created by former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon, it made no mention of the United States. During peacetime, technical attribution offers a more pragmatic way to deter cyber threats. Cyberspace is a complex environment, and non-state threat groups, which may or may not act on the behest of a state, are the dominant actors there. This method allows authorities to expose threat groups without directly shaming the country from which they may be operating. Arguably, not shaming the country where the threat group operates from could risk emboldening future attacks and invite scrutiny from security partners who expect transparency. More importantly, it may make public education about the seriousness of cyber threats more challenging. The public may not understand the full context, for example, of the motivation or geopolitical implications of an attack. WHY NAMING WITHOUT SHAMING While Singapore avoids attributing cyber threats to specific states, naming and shaming is the preferred approach for many Western countries and some of their Asian allies, particularly those that view China as a preeminent threat. For countries not directly involved in adversarial relations or those that pursue a foreign policy of non-alignment, it may be more prudent to deter cyber threats without exacerbating geopolitical animosity. The cost of escalation may be too high a risk to bear. Moreover, it remains debatable whether naming and shaming helps to curb cyber threats in a meaningful way. In Singapore's context, there could also be other plausible strategic considerations. First, Singapore is a cosmopolitan country made up of locally born citizens, naturalised citizens and foreigners. Social cohesion is the glue that keeps its people together and maintains communal harmony. Publicly identifying another country as a threat carries the risk of fuelling racism and xenophobia, including Sinophobia. For example, in 2021, the fear that the Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) posed a threat to the livelihood of citizens raised the ugly head of xenophobia. Second, there is an observable trend in which Western cybersecurity companies often attribute cyber threat groups to China following incidents involving Western digital networks. Even if there is forensic evidence to link these groups to China, these companies often hold contracts with the US government, creating both commercial and political incentives to focus blame on China. If Singapore is seen as endorsing these companies' attributions, it risks making the impression that Singapore has shifted its foreign policy of non-alignment and is siding with the US in the strategic rivalry with China, which involves cyber contestation. Third, while Singapore and China may have differing views on certain issues, both countries at the political level are keen to deepen their bilateral relations. During an official visit to Beijing in September 2024, Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan described Singapore-China relations as a 'very bright spot' in a more volatile and less predictable world. Such a world is even less black and white, and similar to dealing with the US tariff threat, countries must find a balance between resisting compulsion and promoting cooperation. It is prudent not to let one issue define the overall state of bilateral relations. Furthermore, Singapore is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and China is a dialogue partner of ASEAN. One essential area where ASEAN and China are cooperating is the signing of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) 3.0 in October 2025, aimed at building economic resilience. ASEAN countries, therefore, need to consider both national and regional interests. In the same vein, the overall state of bilateral relations - as well as factors such as motivation, attack impact and international law - would determine how Singapore responds to cyber threats originating from other countries. The world is witnessing a growing militarisation of cyberspace where countries in the West, Middle East and Asia are developing military cyber capabilities. Some may be more willing to conduct offensive cyber operations if their interests with Singapore diverge. WHEN NAMING MIGHT BE NECESSARY However, these considerations do not necessarily preclude non-aligned countries like Singapore from naming and shaming any country as a cyber threat actor should the situation justify it. A careful examination of what constitutes Singapore's most vital national interests may provide insight into how and when such a shift in posture might occur. Plausible scenarios could include external military threats operating in both physical and cyberspace domains, as well as a cyberattack that is not for espionage purposes but creates a disruptive impact that endangers the lives of people in Singapore. For example, imagine a scenario where Singapore faces military coercion and concurrently a cyberattack by a state-linked threat actor that shuts down the digital infrastructure and electrical systems of hospitals nationwide, resulting in deaths. These are extreme scenarios that, hopefully, Singapore will never have to deal with but must prepare for in the unlikely event that they occur.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
No idle punt: Why Singapore called out cyber saboteur UNC3886 by name
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Singapore's naming of cyber threat group signals to state actors that their infiltration is known and is being countered. Cyber attacks on civilian infrastructure aren't unprecedented, says the writer. When the Government revealed that the country's critical infrastructure was under attack from cyber threat group UNC3886, Singaporeans responded by snapping up those 4-D betting numbers. From a glass-half-full perspective this, at least, showed that the message was heard. This was 'peak Singapore' behaviour, as one commentator put it on X.
