GE2025: People's Power Party visits Chong Pang estate days after staking claim to Nee Soon GRC

SINGAPORE: The People’s Power Party (PPP) was seen in Yishun town on Sunday (Mar 16) morning, days after it staked claim to the electoral district.

The opposition party walked the ground at Chong Pang Market and Food Centre within the Nee Soon constituency, where PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng then addressed reporters.

At least seven party members or volunteers greeted residents at the bustling neighbourhood centre, with party chairman Derrick Sim among them.  

The walkabout comes days after the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) released its report on Mar 11.

Mr Goh said after the report's release that his party would contest new single seats in Jalan Kayu and Tampines Changkat, and the Group Representation Constituencies in Ang Mo Kio, Nee Soon and Tampines. That’s a total of 17 seats.

Asked if the party could field that many candidates, Mr Goh said it would be "very challenging". He then pointed to how more parties are set to contest this election. Fellow opposition party Red Dot United has also signalled its intention to run in Nee Soon GRC. 

"Having said that, almost all the political party leaders we are on friendly terms (with). I do not believe that we cannot talk things out. As a result I may have to disappoint some of my potential candidates, but that is actually part and parcel of the political process."

Asked to elaborate, he said the ultimate decision on who to field will be up to his party's election committee.   

"We go into a certain place with a purpose, with a reason. We do not choose these places just for showing or just for participation, without first, without the intention of winning - that is number one - secondly, without using that as a platform to disseminate our messaging," he added. 

Mr Goh said the party will contest in Nee Soon in part to push for what he called "non-discrimination and non-promotion" of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and queer (LGBTQ) “agenda”.

Asked about matters specific to the constituency, PPP treasurer William Lim, 48, raised the issue of traffic within the area during morning peak hour. 

Mr Lim, who works in a limousine service, said in Mandarin that the PPP will discuss with the relevant authorities how to improve the situation should they be voted in.

The party also introduced a potential candidate and new face, operations executive of landscaping company Vere Nathan. The 27-year-old told reporters he joined PPP in recent months. 

He said one of the issues he was "very concerned" with was legislation to do with the "LGBTQ agenda".

On why he decided to join, Mr Nathan said: "Because of recent changes in law, especially what happened during the pandemic, I became more concerned about the politics in this country … So I thought it was necessary to get involved and see what I can do as an individual to help my country."

In the last general election in 2020, Nee Soon GRC was contested by the opposition Progress Singapore Party as well as the incumbent People's Action Party (PAP).

PAP's slate - consisting Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Mr Louis Ng, Mr Derrick Goh and Ms Carrie Tan - won with 61.90 per cent of the vote share.

Mr Shanmugam helms the Chong Pang ward.

Past parliamentary elections in 2011 and 2015 saw the Workers' Party contesting in Nee Soon GRC. 

For the upcoming General Election, which must be held by November this year, Nee Soon GRC will have 151,634 electors, about 4,700 more than before.

A few new faces have been seen walking the ground with PAP in Nee Soon, including managing director of a consultancy Daniel Liu and lawyer Deryne Sim.