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Old faces in new constituency

This article is more than 12 months old

The People's Action Party (PAP) yesterday officially unveiled its candidate slate for Marsiling-Yew Tee Group Representative Constituency (GRC), the only new constituency on the 2015 electoral landscape.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong and Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob will co-anchor the four-member team alongside backbenchers Alex Yam and Mr Ong Teng Koon. Mr Wong announced this at a void deck party at Block 3, Marsiling Drive.

Marsiling-Yew Tee, which takes in large chunks of territory from the existing Chua Chu Kang GRC and Sembawang GRC, was created because of significant population growth in recent years.

The leadership of Mr Wong and Madam Halimah will most likely be tested by a team from Dr Chee Soon Juan's Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), which has indicated its interest in contesting the GRC.

The SDP fielded a team in Sembawang GRC at the 2011 general election, where it lost to the PAP after winning 36.1 per cent of the votes. There will be 16 GRCs and 13 SMCs in the coming election.

The ruling party's candidates for Hong Kah North and Mountbatten Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) were also confirmed yesterday.

Four-term MP Amy Khor will defend her seat in the Hong Kah North SMC.

Dr Khor, 57, who is the Senior Minister of State for Health and Manpower, also unveiled a five-year estate upgrading masterplan, which will cost more than $80 million, as well as two new community outreach initiatives.

One of these initiatives is a seniors' befrienders programme, which will reach out and help needy senior citizens.

Despite having served her ward for 14 years, Dr Khor told reporters at an HDB void deck in Bukit Batok that she will not take things for granted

"Every election is a new election. I need to gain the confidence and support of residents," she said.

Mountbatten MP Lim Biow Chuan will also make his bid for a second term in the single-seat ward at the coming election.

- The Straits Times with additional reporting by Ronald Loh


SPOTLIGHT ON...

MARSILING-YEW TEE GRC (NEW):

2015 GE

Voters: 107,527

PAP: Mr Lawrence Wong, Madam Halimah Yacob, Mr Alex Yam and Mr Ong Teng Koon

HONG KAH NORTH SMC

2015 GE

Voters: 28,131

PAP: Dr Amy Khor

2011 GE

Voters: 27,701

Valid votes: 25,712

PAP: Dr Amy Khor

% of vote: 70.61

SPP: Mr Sin Kek Tong

% of vote: 29.39

MOUNTBATTEN SMC:

2015 GE

Voters: 24,096

PAP: Mr Lim Biow Chuan

2011 GE

Voters: 23,731

Valid votes: 20,446

PAP: Mr Lim Biow Chuan

% of vote: 58.62

NSP: Ms Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss

% of vote: 41.38

Singapore ElectionsMarsiling-Yew Tee GRCPeople's Action PartyPAPLawrence WongHalimah YacobUncategorisedAmy Khor