SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) on Friday (Jun 26) introduced the final four of 27 new prospective candidates for the upcoming General Election, including the founder of a social enterprise helping women and a former Air Force fighter pilot.
There are 93 seats up for grabs at the polls on Jul 10. The PAP introduced 24 new faces ahead of the 2015 election, which had 89 seats.
The four prospective candidates were introduced by Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing, who is also the PAP’s second assistant secretary-general.
Mr Chan said the party hopes to bring people from different walks of life to speak up and represent the interests of all Singaporeans.
“What unites all of them is this passion to serve Singapore to not only help fellow Singaporeans overcome challenges today, but take Singapore forward to the next lap and distinguish ourselves from the rest of the competitors,” he told reporters at a press conference.
Mr Chan said the Workers’ Party has also planned for its succession, pointing to how it announced on Thursday that former chief Low Thia Khiang will not be running in the upcoming election.
READ: GE2020: Workers’ Party to contest 4 GRCs, 2 SMCs; Low Thia Khiang, Chen Show Mao and Png Eng Huat to step down
“We thank Mr Low for his many years of service to the Workers’ Party and also to Singapore,” he added. “I hope all of us work together to take Singapore forward as a nation.”
Mr Chan said the PAP will introduce its manifesto on Saturday before it reveals its full constituency teams over the next few days before nomination day on Jun 30.
MARIAM JAAFAR
Ms Mariam Jaafar, 43, is partner and managing director (Singapore) of the Boston Consulting Group, and has been spotted walking in Sembawang GRC’s Woodlands ward with its former Member of Parliament (MP) Amrin Amin.
PAP candidate for GE2020 Mariam Jaafar. (Photo: People’s Action Party)
She believes that education is a great leveller, highlighting that the best investment of a country is in its people. This includes early childhood education, skills retraining and matching people with jobs.
“I’m here because I want to give back,” she said. “I’ve thought about it and concluded that politics is the unique platform where I can make a difference to the lives of many.”
HUANG WEI ZHONG SHAWN
Mr Shawn Huang, 38, is a director of the Enterprise Development Group at Temasek Holdings. He has been a community volunteer in the Taman Jurong constituency.
PAP candidate for GE2020 Huang Wei Zhong Shawn. (Photo: People’s Action Party)
The former fighter pilot with the Republic of Singapore Air Force mentors children from low-income homes and former prison inmates. As chairman of the community arts and culture club, he helped residents access arts and culture activities in the community.
CARRIE TAN HUIMIN
Ms Carrie Tan, 38, is the founder of Daughters of Tomorrow, a social enterprise supporting underprivileged women in Singapore. She has been spotted with Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and other former Nee Soon GRC MPs.
PAP candidate for GE2020 Carrie Tan Huimin. (Photo: People’s Action Party)
Her focus areas include the low-income, workers and the “sandwich generation” which bears the brunt of caregiving in Singapore’s rapidly aging society.
She feels wage levels in Singapore are unsustainable for those who work in blue-collar sectors, and would like to explore how to better support these families.
CHAN HUI YUH
Ms Chan Hui Yuh, 44, is marketing director of Jingslink Marketing. In 2015, she became adviser to the PAP’s Aljunied grassroots organisations and is branch secretary of Aljunied’s Serangoon division.
PAP candidate for GE2020 Chan Hui Yuh. (Photo: People’s Action Party)
She wants to focus on the elderly, and how seniors can age well while staying engaged in retirement. She also wishes to explore issues related to women, such as childcare, employment and caregiver issues.
