Latest news with #PunggolGRC
AsiaOne
13-05-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
'You're not getting rid of me that easily': WP's Harpreet Singh says Punggol team will continue groundwork, Singapore News
The Workers' Party (WP) Punggol team will continue their groundwork and outreach initiatives, Harpreet Singh Nehal said in a Facebook post on Friday (May 9). The 59-year-old senior counsel also responded to a comment that said he probably has one general election left in him due to his age. "I'm sorry, but you don't know me, bro," Singh said, adding that he is in good health. "Let's just say — you're not getting rid of me that easily." In the recent election, Singh contested Punggol GRC with WP teammates Alia Mattar, Jackson Au and Alexis Dang, earning 44.83 per cent of total votes. They lost to the People's Action Party (PAP) team consisting Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Senior Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Janil Puthucheary, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Sun Xueling as well as Yeo Wan Ling, who garnered 55.17 per cent of votes. Singh said in his Facebook post that the response in Punggol and throughout Singapore has been "overwhelming", with his team being told to "come back" and "continue the fight". He pledged to continue walking the ground in Punggol during the weeks and months ahead. Meaningful change takes years of commitment, presence, and continuity, Singh said, adding that is "the WP way". "We ran this race to serve our country. And that calling doesn't end with the election. We do not just turn up every five years." The WP team in Punggol is just getting started, he added. In an earlier Facebook post on May 4, Singh said the results in Punggol show that "something is shifting". "We may not have crossed the finish line this time, but that's no reason to give up hope. Because when enough of us believe in change, and act on it — change comes." [[nid:717690]]
AsiaOne
04-05-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
'I'm here to serve': DPM Gan celebrates victory with PAP team in Punggol, Singapore News
Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong celebrated the People's Action Party's (PAP) win in Punggol GRC and reassured residents of his readiness to serve as their new MP on Sunday (May 4) afternoon. DPM Gan and the four-member PAP team for Punggol GRC — featuring Dr Janil Puthucheary, Sun Xueling and Yeo Wan Ling — made their rounds at Waterway Point, thanking residents for their unwavering support during the general election on Saturday. During the walkabout, DPM Gan and the Punggol team received words of congratulations and took pictures with excited residents, who called him the "Taskforce man". "I think the key message is really that I'm here to serve. I'll be looking forward to talking to them," he told AsiaOne, adding that he will be organising various sessions, from dialogue sessions to round table discussions, to engage with Northshore residents and understand their concerns. He was also candid about the uncertainty looming ahead, considering an "unstable" global situation. "We also want to better understand (residents') concerns and their worries, and see how we can help them address some of the concerns so that they can move forward with confidence," he added. He also fielded a question regarding progress on the Economic Resilience Taskforce that he is leading to mitigate the impact of the US tariffs that were imposed on April 2. Speaking to AsiaOne, Gan said that he has shared his initial thoughts on proposed measures with the rest of the taskforce members, which include Minister for National Development Desmond Lee and Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo. "The taskforce members are now going through and understanding the proposals," he said, adding that he will share details once they are finetuned. Last night, the PAP's Punggol GRC team emerged victorious after a close race against the Worker's Party (WP), who fielded new faces Harpreet Singh, Jackson Au, Siti Alia Abdul Rahim Mattar and Alexis Dang. Gan's team received 55.17 per cent of votes, while the WP team trailed closely behind with 44.83 per cent of votes. For our GE2025 microsite, visit here. [[nid:717657]]
Business Times
04-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Singapore election 2025: PAP claims Punggol GRC with 55.17% of vote, returning DPM Gan Kim Yong to Parliament
[SINGAPORE] The People's Action Party (PAP) has retained the newly formed Punggol GRC, fending off a high-profile challenge from the Workers' Party (WP) and keeping Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong in Parliament. Of the 115,252 valid votes cast on Saturday (May 3), the PAP garnered 63,589 or 55.17 per cent. There were 822 spoilt votes. This comes after days of campaigning in which PAP heavyweights stressed DPM Gan's importance to Singapore, including in ongoing tariff talks with the US. DPM Gan's team comprised two fellow political officeholders – Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary and Minister of State Sun Xueling – as well as NTUC assistant secretary-general Yeo Wan Ling. They defeated a team of four WP first-timers: Harpreet Singh, Jackson Au, Alexis Dang and Siti Alia Mattar. The WP team took 51,663 votes. This was despite DPM Gan being in unfamiliar territory, after an eleventh-hour shift from Chua Chu Kang GRC on Nomination Day. 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 Prime Minister Lawrence Wong later said that DPM Gan was fielded in Punggol because the party needed a 'senior office-holder of similar stature' to take over from retiring Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean. During the campaign, DPM Gan also came under opposition fire for his role in the controversial Income-Allianz deal as chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Warnings of crisis In his thank-you speech to supporters at Bedok Stadium, DPM Gan expressed gratitude to the residents of Punggol for placing their 'trust and confidence' in his team. To the residents who did not vote for the PAP, DPM Gan said that the team remains committed to engaging with all constituents and finding ways to work together. He thanked PM Wong for deploying him to Punggol and entrusting him with leading the national task force for economic resilience, as well as former SM Teo for his guidance, as DPM Gan navigated the constituency as a 'newbie'. He also acknowledged Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong for walking the ground during the campaign and helping to win support with his presence. Looking ahead, DPM Gan reminded supporters of an 'imminent global crisis... approaching nearer and nearer', stressing the need for unity to 'secure a better future for Singapore'. North-east push WP's unsuccessful bid in Punggol GRC was part of its continued push into Singapore's north-east, following its breakthrough in Sengkang GRC in 2020. That year, it defeated a PAP team that included Ng Chee Meng, who was then minister in the Prime Minister's Office. Ng, who stood in Jalan Kayu SMC this year, has returned to Parliament after securing 51.47 per cent of the vote, beating WP's Andre Low. Punggol GRC is home to Singapore's youngest electorate, with more than half of its more than 120,000 voters estimated to be aged between 21 and 45. The constituency was carved out of the now-defunct Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC – which the WP has never contested – and includes the former Punggol West SMC. In the 2020 General Election, WP's Punggol West candidate Tan Chen Chen took 39.02 per cent of the vote, losing to the PAP's Sun Xueling. For more election coverage, visit our GE2025 microsite
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
GE2025: PM wouldn't have risked moving DPM Gan to Punggol if he was indispensable, says Pritam
Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE – Prime Minister Lawrence Wong would not have risked fielding Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong against the opposition WP in Punggol if the veteran minister was indispensable, said WP chief Pritam Singh on May 1. And if DPM Gan is not re-elected come May 3, Singaporeans need not feel guilty, as it was not voters but the ruling PAP that put him at risk, Mr Singh added at the opposition party's rally on the final day of the election campaign. The Leader of the Opposition devoted a large part of his speech, which lasted nearly half an hour, to rebutting PM Wong's comments during campaigning. The Prime Minister had earlier described WP's comments on the potential loss of DPM Gan as 'cavalier and irresponsible'. In a surprise move on Nomination Day on April 23, DPM Gan was confirmed as the anchor minister for the PAP's Punggol GRC team, which is in a straight contest with WP in the four-member constituency. Listing the point as among five 'reality checks' on arguments made by the PAP against the WP, Mr Singh said on May 1 that it was PM Wong who moved DPM Gan out of Chua Chu Kang GRC, where he had served for 14 years. The Prime Minister had explained that this was for 'better distribution' of the ruling party's senior leadership for the campaign. Mr Singh said at the rally, held at Anderson Serangoon Junior College in Upper Serangoon, that PM Wong's argument did not make sense, given Singapore's small size. 'We are not America, China or even Malaysia.' Mr Singh said to move a really important government minister at election time is a risk, and it can be deemed 'reckless' when there are other relatively safer constituencies where he could be placed. 'If DPM Gan is indispensable, then – if I may use PM Wong's own phrase – moving him was cavalier and irresponsible,' he added. Shifting DPM Gan to Punggol was also a tactical move to stop WP from winning the constituency, said Mr Singh. If the Deputy Prime Minister loses the contest in Punggol, he can, like previous Cabinet ministers, be appointed to chair a government-linked company, or remain Singapore's official negotiator or special envoy, if he has a good relationship with US trade negotiators, added Mr Singh. PM Wong had said DPM Gan plays a crucial role in US tariff talks. Mr Singh said the same would apply to Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli, who leads the PAP's Tampines GRC team, as well as Culture, Community and Youth Minister Edwin Tong, the anchor minister for the PAP's East Coast GRC slate. WP is contesting both constituencies. Mr Masagos has held senior roles in telecommunications firm Singtel, and could chair a government-linked company or become an ambassador if he is not re-elected. Mr Tong, a senior counsel, could lead the Singapore Institute of Legal Education or join the Football Association of Singapore to 'fulfil his dream of bringing Singapore to the Fifa World Cup in 2034', said Mr Singh. He added that PM Wong had allowed four ministers to retire, three of whom were 'super heavyweights'. The four are Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, 70; Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, 64; Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, 66; and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Maliki Osman, 59. 'If he is not confident that he has enough ministers, would he have allowed four ministers to retire?' Mr Singh asked. If there was a risk to Singapore's future, they would have been asked to stay, he added, noting that the four ministers who are retiring are years younger than SM Lee Hsien Loong, 73. The simple truth is that 'no one is indispensable', added Mr Singh. Speaking at the rally, WP chairwoman Sylvia Lim said the PAP's rhetoric at this election is similar to that of the ruling party in 2011, when the PAP team in Aljunied GRC was described as being too important to lose. 'But since the PAP lost Aljunied, has Singapore been weakened? Life goes on. And guess what? One of our Workers' Party unknowns is now the Leader of the Opposition,' she said. Mr Singh also refuted the PAP's assertion that voting in more opposition members would weaken the PAP government. Assuming the PAP wins 71 – or 73 per cent – of 97 parliamentary seats at the polls, Mr Singh asked: 'Is PM Wong saying that he cannot find enough good people to fill his Cabinet?' WP is fielding 26 candidates across eight constituencies. Mr Singh argued that more WP MPs will not weaken the Government, as they 'do not oppose for the sake of opposing'. 'If the laws are in Singapore's interest, we will vote with the Government, as we have done so. Everyone here knows Workers' Party MPs are rational and responsible.' Refuting PM Wong's point that he is seeking a clear mandate at the polls so that his team can speak confidently for Singapore on the world stage, Mr Singh asked: 'Does the PAP really believe that foreign leaders of democratic countries who meet Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will think, 'Oh, the Singapore Prime Minister only won 73 per cent of the seats. So lousy. He must come from a lousy school?'' Added Mr Singh: 'Foreign leaders of democracies would give their right arm and right leg for 73 per cent of the seats in Parliament. They would say 73 per cent is a fantastic result.' The WP chief also countered a point raised by various PAP candidates that the opposition is all talk. He said it is the nature of a parliamentary democracy that MPs do not just have to attend Parliament faithfully, but speak up for Singaporeans. 'It is not possible to say that speeches are unimportant,' added Mr Singh, as he urged PAP candidates to 'have a care' for Singapore's political system, which is designed to represent all Singaporeans. 'The Workers' Party has to step up for them.' Hitting back at PM Wong's remark that voters should not give the opposition a 'free pass', Mr Singh said the PAP's group representation constituency system has protected dozens of new PAP MPs, including at this election, where a few 'never walked the ground until recently'. 'Voters do not know them, but voters are expected to vote for them just because they are in a GRC with an anchor minister. That is what I call a free pass.' Highlighting that WP candidates have established themselves to be brave and have guts and resilience, Mr Singh made a final pitch to voters: 'Remember this phrase: The Workers' Party is a force for good.' Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. 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CNA
03-05-2025
- Politics
- CNA
GE2025 results: A lookback, in numbers Singapore has marked off its 14th General Election, and it has been eventful to say the least. We recap the process by looking at some key statistics and what they mean. Published May 4, 2025 The votes have been counted. The Returning Officer has declared the results. Cue celebratory flag waves and cheers for the elected candidates - mostly in the whites of the People's Action Party (PAP) - while those who didn't do as well at the ballot boxes thanked their supporters and reflected on what could have been. As the dust settles on Singapore's 14th General Election since its independence, there's much to remember for it. In particular was the strong mandate given to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to lead the country for the next five years, despite a seemingly stronger slate of opposition candidates fielded. Beyond the sound and fury of the campaign trail, CNA takes a look at the data to highlight key milestones and insights to better make sense of the 2025 General Election. PAP's (unexpected?) strong showing Some had expected PAP to stumble at this General Election, given that it's led by party chief Lawrence Wong for the first time. It also had to negotiate the stepping down of several senior Cabinet ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, while bedding in 32 new faces in this year's contest. The last-minute switch-up on Nomination Day for where Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng were fielded also gave the opposition, in particular the Workers' Party, fodder to paint the PAP in bad light. 'Abandonment' was, in fact, a term bandied about during the hustings. Yet, the end results showed PAP's political calculations paid off. Punggol GRC DPM Gan's Punggol GRC team staved off the WP slate comprising newcomers with star power - including Harpreet Singh and Alexis Dang - to register 55.17 per cent of all valid votes in the constituency. Similarly, Dr Tan's Chua Chu Kang GRC team claimed 63.59 per cent of the votes against an experienced Progress Singapore Party grouping featuring its second vice-chairperson A'bas Kasmani. The two wins reflect the overall national sentiment, as PAP improved on its vote share of 61.23 per cent in 2020 to reach 65.57 per cent this time round. It also collected 37,279 more votes than its previous outing. But a total of 92.47 per cent of the more than 2.6 million registered electors voted in this General Election - a new low - perhaps affected by the fact polling day was scheduled during the Labour Day long weekend. The previous record was 93.06 per cent in GE2011. Looking ahead With PAP's strong showing, eyes will be on what its slate of new faces would bring to parliament. Cassandra Lee 33 years old People's Action Party Lee Hsien Loong 73 years old People's Action Party Some have expressed their desire to be the voice of the younger generation, including the youngest MP-elect of this election Cassandra Lee. The new face represents West Coast-Jurong West GRC, and is said to have started volunteering in Yuhua 16 years ago. She is currently a lawyer specialising in technology, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity at management consultancy EY. On the other end of the experience spectrum, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong will embark on his 10th term as MP after being re-elected in Ang Mo Kio GRC. He is both the oldest MP-elect at 73, as well as the one who has served the most terms. His team comfortably won the three-way fight with the People's Power Party and Singapore United Party, clinching 78.95 per cent of the vote in the process. His experience and state craft will prove crucial as PM Wong steers Singapore through the challenging geopolitical and economic landscape today. Opposition's not-so-stellar showing Conversely, this election proved that while certain opposition parties appear to attract high-calibre candidates, the field is markedly uneven. This, in turn, could have contributed to several lop-sided results on Polling Night. WP, for one, continues to forge its identity as the viable alternative voice in parliament. It held on to its 10 seats, comprising Aljunied and Sengkang GRCs and Hougang SMC. There was, in fact, stronger showings this time round by Hougang incumbent Dennis Tan and the largely unchanged slate in Sengkang. These results were tempered by a slight dip in results for the Aljunied GRC team. Helmed again by chief Pritam Singh, the quintet garnered 59.68 per cent, or 78,847, of votes - lower than the 59.95 per cent, or 85,815, votes in 2020. While WP flew its flag high, other parties could not claim to have done the same. Progress Singapore Party (PSP), for one, described its results as 'very shocking' having lost in all the constituencies it contested. Even its A-team, featuring founder Dr Tan Cheng Bock and secretary-general Leong Mun Wai, floundered in West Coast-Jurong West GRC. It pulled in 39.99 per cent of votes, down from the 48.3 per cent it got in 2020, albeit with a change in electoral boundaries. This also means it will not be in parliament for the next five years, losing the two Non-constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seats to WP. Speaking of NCMP seats, Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan narrowly missed out on making his long-desired parliament bow by less than one percentage point. His close-run contest with PAP's Poh Li San, which saw him garner 46.81 per cent of votes, was not enough to be one of the top two losers. He was beaten out at the death by WP's Tampines GRC team, which had 47.37 per cent of votes. Painful losses Dr Chee wasn't the only one feeling the pinch this election. Four parties face the ignominy of losing their election deposits after failing to get at least 12.5 per cent of votes in the wards they contested. In fact, the National Solidarity Party's (NSP) two teams contesting in Sembawang and Tampines GRCs garnered 2.32 per cent and 0.18 per cent, respectively. Meanwhile, the People's Alliance for Reform's (PAR) two candidates who ran in Potong Pasir and Radin Mas SMCs also failed to get above the 10-per-cent mark. Memorable debuts Any look back of this year's General Election would have to include a notable mention of the two independent candidates who ran commendable campaigns. Darryl Lo 28 years old Independent Jeremy Tan 34 years old Independent Darryl Lo, who went up against PAP incumbent Melvin Yong and PAR's Kumar Appavoo in Radin Mas SMC, managed to collect 23.47 per cent of all the votes cast, putting him in second place. Over at Mounbatten, Jeremy Tan did even better. He got 36.16 per cent of votes against a fellow political newcomer in PAP's Gho Sze Kee. As he said in his rally speech, he hoped to set a high bar for future independent candidates to aspire to. Many would consider it mission accomplished. Visit our microsite for our full coverage of GE2025.
GE2025 results: A lookback, in numbers Singapore has marked off its 14th General Election, and it has been eventful to say the least. We recap the process by looking at some key statistics and what they mean. Published May 4, 2025 The votes have been counted. The Returning Officer has declared the results. Cue celebratory flag waves and cheers for the elected candidates - mostly in the whites of the People's Action Party (PAP) - while those who didn't do as well at the ballot boxes thanked their supporters and reflected on what could have been. As the dust settles on Singapore's 14th General Election since its independence, there's much to remember for it. In particular was the strong mandate given to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to lead the country for the next five years, despite a seemingly stronger slate of opposition candidates fielded. Beyond the sound and fury of the campaign trail, CNA takes a look at the data to highlight key milestones and insights to better make sense of the 2025 General Election. PAP's (unexpected?) strong showing Some had expected PAP to stumble at this General Election, given that it's led by party chief Lawrence Wong for the first time. It also had to negotiate the stepping down of several senior Cabinet ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, while bedding in 32 new faces in this year's contest. The last-minute switch-up on Nomination Day for where Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng were fielded also gave the opposition, in particular the Workers' Party, fodder to paint the PAP in bad light. 'Abandonment' was, in fact, a term bandied about during the hustings. Yet, the end results showed PAP's political calculations paid off. Punggol GRC DPM Gan's Punggol GRC team staved off the WP slate comprising newcomers with star power - including Harpreet Singh and Alexis Dang - to register 55.17 per cent of all valid votes in the constituency. Similarly, Dr Tan's Chua Chu Kang GRC team claimed 63.59 per cent of the votes against an experienced Progress Singapore Party grouping featuring its second vice-chairperson A'bas Kasmani. The two wins reflect the overall national sentiment, as PAP improved on its vote share of 61.23 per cent in 2020 to reach 65.57 per cent this time round. It also collected 37,279 more votes than its previous outing. But a total of 92.47 per cent of the more than 2.6 million registered electors voted in this General Election - a new low - perhaps affected by the fact polling day was scheduled during the Labour Day long weekend. The previous record was 93.06 per cent in GE2011. Looking ahead With PAP's strong showing, eyes will be on what its slate of new faces would bring to parliament. Cassandra Lee 33 years old People's Action Party Lee Hsien Loong 73 years old People's Action Party Some have expressed their desire to be the voice of the younger generation, including the youngest MP-elect of this election Cassandra Lee. The new face represents West Coast-Jurong West GRC, and is said to have started volunteering in Yuhua 16 years ago. She is currently a lawyer specialising in technology, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity at management consultancy EY. On the other end of the experience spectrum, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong will embark on his 10th term as MP after being re-elected in Ang Mo Kio GRC. He is both the oldest MP-elect at 73, as well as the one who has served the most terms. His team comfortably won the three-way fight with the People's Power Party and Singapore United Party, clinching 78.95 per cent of the vote in the process. His experience and state craft will prove crucial as PM Wong steers Singapore through the challenging geopolitical and economic landscape today. Opposition's not-so-stellar showing Conversely, this election proved that while certain opposition parties appear to attract high-calibre candidates, the field is markedly uneven. This, in turn, could have contributed to several lop-sided results on Polling Night. WP, for one, continues to forge its identity as the viable alternative voice in parliament. It held on to its 10 seats, comprising Aljunied and Sengkang GRCs and Hougang SMC. There was, in fact, stronger showings this time round by Hougang incumbent Dennis Tan and the largely unchanged slate in Sengkang. These results were tempered by a slight dip in results for the Aljunied GRC team. Helmed again by chief Pritam Singh, the quintet garnered 59.68 per cent, or 78,847, of votes - lower than the 59.95 per cent, or 85,815, votes in 2020. While WP flew its flag high, other parties could not claim to have done the same. Progress Singapore Party (PSP), for one, described its results as 'very shocking' having lost in all the constituencies it contested. Even its A-team, featuring founder Dr Tan Cheng Bock and secretary-general Leong Mun Wai, floundered in West Coast-Jurong West GRC. It pulled in 39.99 per cent of votes, down from the 48.3 per cent it got in 2020, albeit with a change in electoral boundaries. This also means it will not be in parliament for the next five years, losing the two Non-constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seats to WP. Speaking of NCMP seats, Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan narrowly missed out on making his long-desired parliament bow by less than one percentage point. His close-run contest with PAP's Poh Li San, which saw him garner 46.81 per cent of votes, was not enough to be one of the top two losers. He was beaten out at the death by WP's Tampines GRC team, which had 47.37 per cent of votes. Painful losses Dr Chee wasn't the only one feeling the pinch this election. Four parties face the ignominy of losing their election deposits after failing to get at least 12.5 per cent of votes in the wards they contested. In fact, the National Solidarity Party's (NSP) two teams contesting in Sembawang and Tampines GRCs garnered 2.32 per cent and 0.18 per cent, respectively. Meanwhile, the People's Alliance for Reform's (PAR) two candidates who ran in Potong Pasir and Radin Mas SMCs also failed to get above the 10-per-cent mark. Memorable debuts Any look back of this year's General Election would have to include a notable mention of the two independent candidates who ran commendable campaigns. Darryl Lo 28 years old Independent Jeremy Tan 34 years old Independent Darryl Lo, who went up against PAP incumbent Melvin Yong and PAR's Kumar Appavoo in Radin Mas SMC, managed to collect 23.47 per cent of all the votes cast, putting him in second place. Over at Mounbatten, Jeremy Tan did even better. He got 36.16 per cent of votes against a fellow political newcomer in PAP's Gho Sze Kee. As he said in his rally speech, he hoped to set a high bar for future independent candidates to aspire to. Many would consider it mission accomplished. Visit our microsite for our full coverage of GE2025.
