Latest news with #JalanKayuSMC
Malay Mail
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Union chief Ng Chee Meng declines Cabinet post after backlash over past behaviour, dinner with money launderer Su Haijin
SINGAPORE, May 6 – Newly-elected PAP MP Ng Chee Meng has today apologised after several posts about his past conducts went viral following his Jalan Kayu SMC win in the general election over the weekend. Ng, who is also the National Trades Union Congress secretary-general, said he has asked Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong not to assign him any position in the government. 'The PM has agreed to consider this. My heart will always be for Singapore and Singaporeans,' he said in a statement here. The response came following online remarks about his conduct at a Ministry of Education dialogue in 2017, and a photo that has surfaced of him with convicted money launderer and Fujian gang member Su Haijin. 'I could have handled the situation better. I sincerely apologise. I have received and accepted the feedback, and will continue to do better,' he said. This comes as Ng had allegedly reacted angrily to a question from the audience, and that he had asked attendees if they read fiction or serious books. Ng also dismissed the dinner with Su, which he said took place some time back and he had no further interactions with the latter after police investigations and criminal charges were brought against him. 'As the secretary-general of NTUC, it is part of my work to engage with different companies and private-sector leaders. 'These engagements help me better understand the concerns and challenges in different industries,' he said. This follows a statement from the press secretaries of Ministers Ong Ye Kung and Chee Hong Tat, who said in a joint statement that the ministers do not know Su personally, and do not have any contact with him. Su, a Cypriot national, was among 10 foreigners arrested in a S$3 billion (RM9.8 billion) money laundering case on August 15, 2023. He was sentenced to 14 months' jail in April 2024, after admitting to one charge of resisting arrest and two money laundering charges. Another 11 charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.
The Star
04-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Singapore GE2025: Ruling party PAP gets 65.57 per cent of votes in landslide win
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Singaporeans have returned the PAP to power with 65.57 per cent of the popular vote, a commanding swing from its 61.24 per cent share in the last general election. Voters overwhelmingly endorsed the ruling party, which secured 87 of 97 seats in an election that took place against a backdrop of global uncertainty and trade wars. They gave Prime Minister Lawrence Wong the clear mandate that he had sought, in his first electoral contest as head of government and leader of the PAP. Constituencies tipped to be fierce battlegrounds – Punggol GRC, Tampines GRC and Jalan Kayu SMC – were in the PAP's grip by 11pm, when all sample count results were in. Contests in East Coast GRC and West Coast-Jurong West GRC that were expected to be close also ended in decisive wins for the PAP. At a press conference at 3am, PM Wong said the clear and strong mandate that Singaporeans have given the PAP was deeply humbling, and called the results 'a clear signal of trust, stability and confidence' by Singaporeans in their government. The immediate next task is to form the Cabinet, and PM Wong said he was grateful that all his key MPs had been voted in, and he could put together the best team to serve Singapore. 'I will announce the Cabinet line-up when ready.' While voters largely heeded PM Wong's call for a strong PAP team to steer Singapore through coming storms, they also helped the WP retain its 10 seats and strengthen its grip on Sengkang GRC and Hougang SMC. However, the WP's call for a more balanced Parliament – and that more opposition MPs would lead to better policies – did not seem to have resonated with voters, as the party failed to make inroads elsewhere. In Tampines, the only four-cornered fight in this election, the PAP secured 52.02 per cent of the vote against a WP team that garnered 47.37 per cent. In Punggol, which was a focal point of the hustings after Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong was deployed there, the PAP polled 55.17 per cent to clinch the new GRC against a WP team led by senior counsel Harpreet Singh. The other opposition parties failed to win any constituencies or send any candidates to Parliament as Non-Constituency MPs. The PSP failed to convert or retain its two NCMP seats. Its West Coast-Jurong West team, led by party chairman Tan Cheng Bock and NCMPs Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa, polled 39.99 per cent. This was a near-10 percentage point drop in votes from 2020, when the PSP came close to winning then West Coast GRC. Instead, the 'best loser' of this election was the WP's candidate in Jalan Kayu SMC Andre Low, who took 48.53 per cent of the votes against labour chief Ng Chee Meng. Mr Ng made a successful comeback after losing in Sengkang GRC in the 2020 election. The second NCMP came from the WP's Tampines team, which comprises WP vice-chair Faisal Manap, Institute of Mental Health senior principal clinical psychologist Ong Lue Ping, former diplomat Eileen Chong, start-up co-founder Michael Thng and industrial equipment supply firm co-founder Jimmy Tan. PM Wong said an issue that came up in the election was the desire for more alternative voices in Parliament, and that he respected Singaporeans with these views. While he understood the sentiments, he urged those who held them to consider the merits of having a strong team in the Government to work effectively for the country. The WP fielded a strong and young slate that gave the PAP a tough fight in several constituencies, and now have 10 elected seats as well as two NCMP seats, if they choose to accept them, he added. 'That's an increase from what they have today, so they will have an increased and continued strong presence in Parliament, as well as the opportunity to refresh some of the members in their slate,' he said. The WP did not hold its customary post-election press conference right away, but party chief Pritam Singh told supporters at Serangoon stadium at about 1am that it was always going to be a difficult election. 'The slate is wiped clean. We start work again tomorrow, and we go again,' he said to cheers. The PSP's Mr Leong, who is the party's chief, said the results were 'shocking' and that the party needed to regroup to fight another day. SDP chairman Paul Tambyah expressed disappointment at his party's showing, and attributed voters' flight to safety to 'the constant drumbeat of crisis'. He said the silver lining was Dr Chee Soon Juan's showing. The SDP chief took 46.81 per cent of votes in Sembawang West against the PAP's Poh Li San in his best electoral performance to date. This, however, was not enough for the SDP to secure a parliamentary presence. At the PAP press conference, PM Wong said he heard feedback from Singaporeans on key issues like cost of living and housing, and gave his assurance that the Government will redouble its efforts in the coming term to tackle these concerns. 'We have already started work on many of these issues and progress has been made, but we will work even harder with this mandate now to ensure concrete progress, and to see how we can achieve even better outcomes across all of these issues and on the economic challenges that are coming,' he said. He also highlighted the mixing of race and religion with politics as an issue that surfaced at the election. This was not just a matter of foreign interference, as there were also many negative comments by Singaporeans encouraging people to vote along racial lines, he added. PM Wong said: 'I am heartened that all political parties made clear their stance in this campaign to reject identity politics and reaffirm their commitment to multiculturalism, and the election results show that Singaporeans, by and large, reject identity politics and continue to support a multiracial and multi-religious society.' The PAP had asked Singaporeans to vote for the name on the ballot that could best represent them in Parliament, and that it was not time for political experimentation given external turbulence. In the end, the people chose stability and continuity over the opposition's call for greater checks and balances, and gave PM Wong and his 4G team an unequivocal mandate to tackle the coming storms. At the close of polls at 8pm, there were 2,429,281 votes cast in Singapore, including 42,829 rejected votes. This made up 92.47 per cent of the 2,627,026 registered voters in all contested electoral divisions. PM Wong said Singapore has always been and continues to be the underdog despite what it has achieved, and must now close ranks to face the challenges ahead together. 'Now that the election is over, we must put aside our differences and stand together as one Team Singapore to confront the storms ahead, and to secure a brighter future for ourselves, our families and Singapore.' Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said changes happening to the world are worrying, but that Singapore can come through with cooperation between the PAP and the people. 'With your trust and your full support and cooperation, we will do the best for our families, for our country and for our future,' SM Lee said. - The Straits Times/ANN
Straits Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
GE2025: PAP gets 65.57 per cent of votes in landslide win
Voters overwhelmingly endorsed the ruling party, which secured 87 of 97 seats in an election that took place against the backdrop of global uncertainty and trade wars. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM GE2025: PAP gets 65.57 per cent of votes in landslide win Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE - Singaporeans have returned the PAP to power with 65.57 per cent of the popular vote, a commanding swing from its 61.24 per cent share in the last general election. Voters overwhelmingly endorsed the ruling party, which secured 87 of 97 seats in an election that took place against the backdrop of global uncertainty and trade wars. They gave Prime Minister Lawrence Wong the clear mandate that he had sought, in his first electoral contest as head of government and leader of the PAP. Constituencies tipped to be fierce battlegrounds - Punggol GRC, Tampines GRC and Jalan Kayu SMC - were in the PAP's grip by 11pm, when all sample count results were in. Contests in East Coast GRC and West Coast-Jurong West GRC that were expected to be close also ended in decisive wins for the PAP. Addressing supporters in Yio Chu Kang stadium, PM Wong said the election result was 'a humbling experience'. 'We are grateful once again for your strong mandate, (and) we will honour the trust that you have given to us by working even harder for all of you,' said the prime minister, whose team in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC won with 73.46 per cent of the vote. While voters largely heeded PM Wong's call for a strong PAP team to steer Singapore through coming storms, they also helped the WP retain its 10 seats and strengthen its grip on Sengkang GRC and Hougang SMC. However, the WP's call for a more balanced Parliament, and that more opposition MPs would lead to better policies, did not seem to have resonated with voters as the party failed to make inroads elsewhere. In Tampines, the only four-corner fight in this election, the PAP secured 52 per cent of the vote against a WP team that garnered 47.4 per cent. In Punggol, which was a focal point of the hustings after Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong was deployed there, the PAP polled 55.2 per cent to clinch the new GRC against a WP team led by senior counsel Harpreet Singh. The other opposition parties failed to win any constituencies or send any candidates to Parliament as Non-Constituency MPs. The PSP failed to convert or retain its two NCMP seats. Its West Coast-Jurong West team, led by party chairman Tan Cheng Bock and NCMPs Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa, polled 39 per cent. This was a near-10 percentage point drop in votes from 2020, when the PSP came close to winning then-West Coast GRC. Instead, the 'best loser' of this election was the WP's candidate in Jalan Kayu SMC Andre Low, who took 48.5 per cent of the votes against labour chief Ng Chee Meng. Mr Ng made a successful comeback after losing in Sengkang GRC in the 2020 election. The second NCMP would come from the WP's Tampines team, which comprises WP vice-chair Faisal Manap, Institute of Mental Health senior principal clinical psychologist Ong Lue Ping, former diplomat Eileen Chong, start-up co-founder Michael Thng and industrial equipment supply firm co-founder Jimmy Tan. Mr Leong, who is PSP chief, said the results were 'shocking' and that the party needed to regroup to fight another day. SDP chairman Paul Tambyah expressed disappointment at his party's showing, and attributed voters' flight to safety to 'the constant drumbeat of crisis'. He said the silver lining was Dr Chee Soon Juan's showing. The SDP chief took 46.8 per cent of votes in Sembawang West against the PAP's Poh Li San in his best electoral performance to date. This, however, was not enough for the SDP to secure a parliamentary presence. The PAP had asked Singaporeans to vote for the name on the ballot that could best represent them in Parliament, and that it was not time for political experimentation given external turbulence. In the end, the people chose stability and continuity over the opposition's call for greater checks and balances, and gave PM Wong and his 4G team an unequivocal mandate to tackle the coming storms. At the close of polls at 8pm, there were 2,429,281 votes cast in Singapore, including 42,829 rejected votes. This made up 92.47 per cent of the 2,627,026 registered voters in all contested electoral divisions. Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said changes happening to the world are worrying, but that Singapore can come through with cooperation between the PAP and the people. His PAP team in Ang Mo Kio GRC won with 78.95 per cent of the vote. 'With your trust and your full support and cooperation, we will do the best for our families, for our country, and for our future,' SM Lee said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
AsiaOne
03-05-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
PAP's Ng Chee Meng wins Jalan Kayu SMC with 51.47% of votes over WP's Andre Low, Singapore News
PUBLISHED ON May 03, 2025 4:31 PM Results for Jalan Kayu SMC in GE2025 Ng Chee Meng (PAP)14,113 51.47% Andre Low (WP)13,307 48.53% The People's Action Party (PAP) Ng Chee Meng scraped through in the Jalan Kayu SMC against the Workers' Party (WP) Andre Low . Ng received 14,113 votes while Low received 13,307 votes. Ng was MP for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC between 2015 and 2020, and is currently the secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress. Jalan Kayu SMC, which has 29,565 electors, is among the newly formed constituencies, and is made up of parts of estates in Ang Mo Kio GRC. Much of the talking point during the campaign was about the starkly contrasting backgrounds of the two candidates, with analysts calling it a 'David vs Goliath kind of situation'. Ng, 56, a former Chief of Defence and Cabinet Minister, appealed to Jalan Kayu residents that he wants to 'win on his own merit' after the tough 2020 election loss. 'I stand before you because I want to serve, not with any safety net. "As ironic as it sounds, when I stand to fight and champion workers' interests to anchor job security, I am, interestingly, the only one without real job security,' he said in a rally. Ng also had to defend himself against criticism of his involvement in the scrapped Income-Allianz deal, saying that the labour movement initially thought that it was reasonable and 'proposed in good faith'. Meanwhile, political newcomer Low, 33, had described himself as an underdog in this contest, and that he offers a different proposition from his older opponent. The disputes lawyer turned staff product manager said then: 'I feel like it's time for Jalan Kayu residents to make a choice if they want a different kind of parliamentarian — someone fresh, someone energetic, someone with new ideas.' Like Ng, Low also faced controversy during the hustings, after a series of text messages containing 'inappropriate' language was leaked on social media. He has since apologised and vowed to 'demonstrate' his commitment to Jalan Kayu residents 'through actions'. In the end, it was Ng who prevailed after a hard-fought contest. For our GE2025 microsite, visit here. editor@ This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.
Business Times
03-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
GE2025 sample count: PAP's Ng Chee Meng leads in Jalan Kayu SMC with 52% against WP
[SINGAPORE] Labour chief Ng Chee Meng is leading with 52 per cent of votes in the sample count for the closely-watched seat of Jalan Kayu SMC, ahead of Workers' Party (WP) rival Andre Low. Jalan Kayu SMC, which has 29,628 voters, was newly carved out from PAP stronghold Ang Mo Kio GRC this election. It includes parts of the former Sengkang West SMC, which the WP contested in the 2011 and 2015 elections. The northeastern constituency drew attention after the aborted S$2.2 billion sale of NTUC's Income Insurance to Germany's Allianz emerged as a flashpoint. Ng faced fresh questions over his role in the deal, which the government later blocked over concerns about a capital extraction plan. On Apr 27, saying that the deal was done in 'good faith', Ng apologised and vowed to 'do better'. Days later, Low faced scrutiny over leaked Telegram messages in which he used vulgarities and complained about a variety of issues. He apologised for the remarks, calling them 'completely inappropriate'. Low, 34, is a staff product manager at a fintech company and former disputes lawyer. He joined the WP in 2020 and served as secretarial assistant to the party's Sengkang MP Louis Chua. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Ng, 56, became a minister soon after entering politics in GE2015 as part of the PAP's team for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC. A former defence chief, he was appointed Minister for Education (Schools) and Second Transport Minister from 2016 to 2018. Over the next two years, he served as Minister in the Prime Minister's Office. But in GE2020, Ng's PAP team for Sengkang GRC lost to the WP, which secured its second GRC with 52.12 per cent of the vote. Note: As this is a sample count, the election result could be different. Counting is still in progress. The public should wait for the announcement of the election result by the returning officer, Han Kok Juan, which will be broadcast live on television. For more election coverage, visit our GE2025 microsite
