GE2025: RDU introduces potential candidates for Nee Soon GRC

Opposition party Red Dot United (RDU) on April 13 introduced three potential candidates for Nee Soon GRC in the upcoming election.

Dr Syed Alwi Ahmad, a 57-year-old private school teacher who is RDU's head of policy and its Malay bureau, Mr Pang Heng Chuan, 56, a tech start-up business director and Ms Sharon Lin, 40, a senior consultant in the IT sector, were introduced as RDU's team leads for the five-member group representation constituency.

Speaking to reporters at 101C Yishun Avenue 5 after a morning walkabout, RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon said RDU is committed to engaging with the constituency and working with residents to "lift them up".

"We want to work with the residents here. We want to listen to them, we want to lift them up, and we want to lead in a very refreshing manner. And that will be the theme for Red Dot United as we embark on this campaign for Nee Soon GRC," said Mr Philemon.

He added that residents have given feedback about cleanliness in the area, citing problems with rats, and issues about high rents for food stalls.

In profile write-ups of the candidates, the RDU said that Dr Syed Alwi brings "intellectual rigour and moral clarity to politics" and is particularly committed to advancing the Malay/Muslim community.

Meanwhile, Mr Pang is an accomplished business leader and this makes him a strong advocate for policies that promote innovation and job security, said the party.

Ms Lin, who grew up in Yishun and is still living there, has worked in multinational corporations and taken part in national-scale technology projects. She has "extensive experience in cybersecurity and digital systems", said the RDU.

RDU has identified Nee Soon GRC as one of seven constituencies it plans to contest. The rest are Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Tanjong Pagar GRC, Jurong Central SMC, Jalan Kayu SMC and Radin Mas SMC.

At the last general election in 2020, the PAP fielded a team consisting of 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.

They retained Nee Soon GRC with 61.9 per cent of the vote, against the Progress Singapore Party.

But there will be changes to the incumbents' slate.

On April 11, Associate Professor Faishal said that he had accepted Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's request for him to move to Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC for the upcoming general election.

Ms Goh Hanyan, a former director at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI), former Nominated MP Syed Harun Alhabsyi and the PAP's former Hougang branch chairman Jackson Lam are the ruling party's potential new candidates that are likely to be fielded in Nee Soon.