SINGAPORE: The Peoples Voice (PV) party introduced its nine of its 10 candidates who will run in three constituencies at this General Election.
Nine videos were uploaded on the party’s Facebook page over Wednesday (Jul 1) and Thursday, with the candidates giving a short introduction of themselves and the issues they will be campaigning about.
The 10th candidate is party chief Lim Tean, whose introduction video was not on the party’s Facebook page as of Thursday night.
The party will contest 10 seats in total: Five in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, four in Jalan Besar GRC and one in Mountbatten SMC.
The Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC team comprises activist Gilbert Goh, freelance economics lecturer Mohamed Nassir Ismail, personal driver Jireh Lim, business financial manager Prabu Ramachandran and preschool educator Vigneswari Ramachandran. They will square off with the People’s Action Party (PAP) and the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) in a three-cornered fight.
Mr Lim will head the Jalan Besar GRC team against a PAP team led by Manpower Minister Josephine Teo. Accompanying him are blogger Leong Sze Hian, medical administrator Michael Fang Amin and halal certification auditor Azlan Sulaiman.
READ: POFMA Office instructed to issue correction directions to Peoples Voice Facebook page, Lim Tean’s YouTube channel
Preschool educator Sivakumaran Chellappa will contest in Mountbatten SMC against PAP’s Lim Biow Chuan.
In a Facebook Live video on Thursday, Mr Lim said that this is a “formidable team”.
“We will be devoting our waking hours and time to meeting and attending to your needs,” he said.
LEONG SZE HIAN
Blogger Leong Sze Hian, 66, has formerly served as the former chairman or president of four professional bodies, including a human rights non-government organisation (NGO). He will run in Jalan Besar GRC against the People’s Action Party (PAP) team led by Manpower Minister Josephine Teo.
PV candidate for GE2020 Leong Sze Hian. (Photo: Peoples Voice)
He hopes to bring more accountability and transparency to Parliament.
“A good Member of Parliament (MP) must have the heart of the people. They must ensure that policies made by the Government put people first,” said Mr Leong.
AZLAN SULAIMAN
Azlan Sulaiman, 49, has been a global Halal consultant for the past 13 years. He will also run in Jalan Besar GRC against the PAP.
PV candidate for GE2020 Azlan Sulaiman. (Photo: Peoples Voice)
If elected, he wants to be the voice of people and said he would bring their concerns into Parliament.
“A Member of Parliament is a representative of the constituents that voted for them,” he said. “At a local level, they must be visible and available in maintaining the estates well.
“On a national level they must be able to look ahead and come up with policies that benefit Singaporeans at large.”
GILBERT GOH
Activist Gilbert Goh, 58, will run in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC in a three-cornered fight, where he will face the PAP and the SDA.
PV candidate for GE2020 Gilbert Goh. (Photo: Peoples Voice)
He has been running transitioning.org for the past eight years. The NGO provides pro-bono counselling and coaching services to unemployed Singaporeans.
“If you elect me as your MP in Parliament, we will speak out for the underprivileged, the poor and the downtrodden,” said Mr Goh.
JIREH LIM
Blogger Jireh Lim, 61, will also run in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC against the PAP and the SDA.
PV candidate for GE2020 Jireh Lim. (Photo: Peoples Voice)
He believes that a good MP needs to have empathy and the willingness to help others. If elected, he will fight for a living wage for “the weakest members of our society”.
“I will be ever mindful of my role, my duty … and the dignity of my appointment. I will do my best to live up to all those expectations, and more,” he added.
MOHAMED NASSIR ISMAIL
Mr Mohamed Nassir Ismail, 63, is a freelance economics lecturer. He believes that MPs require a willingness to listen, to understand and to bring the hopes of the people to Parliament. He will run in Pasir-Ris Punggol GRC.
PV candidate for GE2020 Mohamed Nassir Ismail. (Photo: Peoples Voice)
“Our slogan is Make Singapore Our home Again. The voice of the people will bring change in Parliament in the near future,” he said.
VIGNESWARI RAMACHANDRAN
Ms Vigneswari Ramachandran, 38, has been a preschool teacher for 12 years. She is in Peoples Voice’s Pasir Ris-Punggol team. She believes that an MP must have “a genuine heart” and has to “feel for the people, and be caring”.
PV candidate for GE2020 Vigneswari Ramachandran. (Photo: Peoples Voice)
Her focus areas include childcare fees and the cost of living.
“The PAP has a tendency to be elitist, they do not understand the struggles and difficulties (that) ordinary people like you and I face. Challenges and difficulties that we face everyday gone unnoticed and unanswered by them.
“When we have alternative voices in Parliament. We will have more social justice and accountability to the various issues in society,” she said.
SIVA CHEPPALLA
Educator Siva Cheppalla, 57, joined PV two years ago. He is up against PAP’s Lim Biow Chuan in Mountbatten SMC.
PV candidate for GE2020 Siva Cheppalla. (Photo: Peoples Voice)
He said he decided to enter politics as he realised there are issues that need to be seriously addressed in Singapore, such as jobs and population.
“Me and my colleagues have analysed the issues that are faced by Singaporeans currently and have come (up with) a lot of solutions that we intend to put forward to the people and seek their endorsement,” he said.
MICHAEL FANG AMIN
Dr Michael Fang Amin, 43, is a medical administrator and entrepreneur. He will run in Jalan Besar GRC against the PAP team, led by Manpower Minister Josephine Teo.
PV candidate for GE2020 Michael Fang. (Photo: Peoples Voice)
He believes that a good MP does not need to be “overqualified”, but must have a heart to serve people. If elected, he will bring “a balanced viewpoint” and push for policies in Parliament.
“I will propose good initiatives, (and) counter and debate bad ones,” he added.
“For example, we can raise the minimum salary rate for our workers, as well as advocate for the return of Central Provident Fund (contributions) at age 55.”
PRABU RAMACHANDRAN
Mr Prabu Ramachandran is a business financial consultant. He will run in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
PV candidate for GE2020 Prabu Ramachandran. (Photo: Peoples Voice)
He would advocate for people to have control of their Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions at age 55 and fight for Singapore have “first world wages” to “keep up with first world cost of living”.
“PAP are made out of the same old people of career bureaucrats, scholars and a handful of elites. They are not saying anything new and they are starting to sound boring. Their messages are not appealing to ordinary people and they’re out of touch,” he said.
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