SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) on Sunday (Apr 20) introduced its slate for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC in the May 3 polls, including new face Ms Diana Pang.
The five-member team will be led by Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, who is joined by Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng and former MacPherson SMC MP Tin Pei Ling.
Speaking first, Dr Tan, who leads the ward as the anchor minister, elaborated on the initiatives that the team has rolled out for the ward, including the five-year plans for the area that were launched on Saturday.
“We have even more plans for the future because our work is never done. So, therefore I seek strong mandate from all of the residents, not just for the Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, but also for the entire cluster, including Mountbatten,” said Dr Tan.
Business development director Ms Pang, 51, has been spotted with the PAP team in the Marine Parade cluster since late March.
She currently chairs the People’s Association Women’s Integration Network Council and the Fengshan Women’s Executive Committee, and sits on the board of the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations. Professionally, she has more than 19 years of experience in audit, tax and business advisory.
Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC has seen some boundary changes, giving up some areas in Chai Chee and Siglap to East Coast GRC while taking in MacPherson SMC and a small number of polling districts from Potong Pasir and Mountbatten.
The former Marine Parade GRC has been touted as a key battleground ahead of the May 3 polls, with the PAP team edging out the Workers’ Party (WP) with 57.74 per cent of the vote at the last General Election in 2020, lower than the 64.07 per cent it garnered in 2015.
In response to a question by CNA on what a strong mandate would look like, Dr Tan said "we have to look at it from the national numbers post-GE".
"If we can at least be on par with the national numbers, and maybe do slightly better, I think that would be a good mandate," he said, referring to the PAP's share of the popular vote.
"Post-GE, if we are indeed privileged, honoured enough by the residents to be able to come back and lead this cluster again, I'm actually happy to discuss with you whether it constitutes a strong mandate or not."
Nevertheless, Dr Tan said his team is "not presumptuous".
"All of us here have this singular focus in wanting to serve our country, our residents, well, especially during these uncertain times," he added.
In 2020, the five-member PAP team comprised Dr Tan, Mr Seah, Culture, Community and Youth Minister Edwin Tong, and Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman, the mayor of South East District and former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin.
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin stepped down in July 2023 after an extramarital affair with fellow party member Cheng Li Hui.
Mr Tong’s ward was carved out of Marine Parade GRC and absorbed into the hotly-contested East Coast GRC, where he is widely expected to be fielded.
Dr Tan thanked Mr Fahmi for his service but did not say what his next move was. The former army colonel made his political debut in the 2020 General Election.
While Dr Tan confirmed Mr Fahmi will not be fielded in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights, he said the actual determination on whether he would run elsewhere will be revealed on Nomination Day, which falls on Apr 23.
On whether Mr Fahmi will continue being mayor, Dr Tan said “this is a decision that we are not able to unilaterally take”. This would depend the election results and the mandate given to the PAP, he said.
"As I said before, I think we have to be humble to acknowledge the fact that in an election, the voters will always have a choice," he added.
"Depending on how the results turn out, the type of mandate that our residents are prepared to give us, or whether they want to give us the mandate at all. Post that, I'm sure there will be a lot more clarity."
Associate Professor Faishal, who represented the Nee Soon Central division in Nee Soon GRC for three terms since 2011, had earlier announced in April that he would contest as part of the Marine Parade team – as he did during his first term as an MP in 2006.
On Sunday, Assoc Prof Faishal said that it has been a “pleasant experience” walking the ground in Marine Parade and that he had been touched by experiences where he met residents who still remembered him.
While he has been an MP for Nee Soon for the past three terms, Dr Faishal said he had remained connected to the Marine Parade ward in his capacity as lead adviser to Wisma Geylang Serai.
He also highlighted his experience in six ministries since he has entered politics, which allowed him to work with stakeholders in Marine Parade.
The WP is expected to contest in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC again, although the party has remained tight-lipped on its slate.
According to the report released by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) in March, Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC has 131,493 eligible voters.
DIANA PANG
Ms Pang has served for more that two decades at the PAP's Fengshan Branch, where she has held key leadership roles including branch treasurer and Women’s Wing chair, advocating for families, women, and the heartland community.
She is a director of a local small- and medium-sized enterprise, overseeing company performance, leads infrastructure projects, and implements employee-focused workplace policies.
The party said Ms Pang has 20 years of experience working alongside families, women and caregivers focusing on issues of health, mental wellness and women development.
"I hope to be a voice, not just to listen, but I also will act on it," she said in her introduction speech on Sunday.
"From the moment I stepped into Marine Parade-Braddell Heights, I felt nothing but warmth from all the residents, from all my peers here. They have given me the support, held my hands, listened to me and gave me a calming heart. This extraordinary feeling fuels my resolve to work harder."
She gave two examples of residents she met on the ground, stating that she is going to "personally" follow up on these cases.
One involves a man who is recently-divorced with two young children and has a bedridden 57-year-old mother, and who Ms Pang described as someone who has fallen through the cracks.
The other case is a 92-year-old woman living alone with her 70-year-old daughter who has special needs.
"Regardless where I go, I'm very glad that people open up to me, and I think I got a 'talk-to-me' face," Ms Pang said.
"I enjoy that, and I'll do my best to care for them and do what I can to make sure their lives are a little bit easier."
