GE2025: PAP team led by Grace Fu to face Red Dot United line-up in Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC

SINGAPORE: Voters of Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC will decide between a People’s Action Party (PAP) slate led by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu and a team from Red Dot United (RDU), come Polling Day on May 3.

Candidates from both parties successfully filed their nomination papers at Nan Hua High School in Clementi on Wednesday (Apr 23). 

This marks Ms Fu’s return to a GRC slate after more than a decade. She previously served as an MP in Jurong GRC from 2006 to 2011 before moving to helm Yuhua SMC.

Joining her on the ruling party’s five-member team are newcomer charity director David Hoe, former Hougang representative Lee Hong Chuang, Minister of State for Health and for Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam and Minister of State for Transport and Law Murali Pillai.

Speaking to the media after nomination proceedings concluded, Ms Fu pointed out the diversity of her team in terms of age and background.

“Although it's a very new team, it's a new GRC. I think both parties will have a new start. But we'd like to think that our five years of walking the ground, and many more years of serving the residents, have allowed us to know the ground better,” she said.

“So we're looking for a good contest, and it's a time for us to also present our plans to the residents, so that they have a better understanding of what we can do for them in the future.”

When asked if she feels any pressure given that the former Jurong GRC was a PAP stronghold in previous elections, Ms Fu said that “there’s always pressure, but it’s a good pressure”, adding that she is “assisted by very able teammates”.

In the other corner will be an RDU team, comprising non-profit organisation manager Liyana Dhamirah, waste management company director Osman Sulaiman, artist Ben Puah, marketing agency director Marcus Neo and principal software engineer Harish Mohanadas.  

Ms Liyana had previously contested Jurong GRC in the 2020 General Election under RDU, while Mr Osman was a candidate for the Singapore People's Party in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

In his speech to supporters after the team’s nomination was confirmed, Mr Neo said: “The issue is clear: How much money you have or will not have in your pocket, whether you live with dignity or from voucher to voucher, whether your children face unfair job competition from non-citizens, whether your home will hold its value or fall to zero after 99 years.”

Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC was formed from a merger of Bukit Batok SMC and parts of Jurong GRC, Yuhua SMC and Hong Kah North SMC following the latest electoral boundaries review. The GRC has 142,510 voters.

To maintain the MP-to-voter ratio, a new Jurong Central SMC was carved out from the original Jurong GRC and Yuhua SMC.

Jurong GRC was a PAP stronghold in the past few electoral contests, with the ruling party securing 74.61 per cent of the votes in 2020 and 79.29 per cent in 2015.