SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) on Thursday (Jun 25) introduced a further seven prospective candidates ahead of the next General Election.

The first four are: Ms Yeo Wan Ling, chief executive of Caregiver Asia, Mr Alvin Tan Sheng Hui, head of public policy and economics at LinkedIn, Dr Wan Rizal, a senior lecturer at Republic Polytechnic and Mr Eric Chua, former commander at the Singapore Civil Defence Force’s 3rd Division. 

In a concurrent session, three new faces were unveiled: Mr Derrick Goh Soon Hee, managing director and head of group audit at DBS Bank, Ms Poh Li San, vice-president at Changi Airport Group and Mr Raymond Lye Hoong Yip, a managing partner of a law firm. 

READ: PM Lee calls General Election 2020, says it will ‘clear the decks’ for a fresh mandate

Minister for Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli, who is also PAP’s vice-chairman, introduced the first four candidates. 

He said all four have had “varied and interesting journeys” in life, which will make them “competent and able leaders”.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu introduced the other three candidates. 

On the diversity of PAP’s candidates, she said there is a “very concerted effort” to reflect the needs of the population. 

“This is the result – a really strong, diverse group with different experiences. But there are similarities as well, you’ll see that they come with good track records. It’s not just what they say, but are they putting their words into action?” 

She added: “It’s been hard work over the last few years to constantly look out, engage, monitor and to observe people who we think are suitable.” 

YEO WAN LING

Ms Yeo Wan Ling, 44, started Caregiver Group, a company that specialises in home healthcare services. She also runs Caregiver Asia, a social enterprise under the company that connects care seekers with freelance caregivers in Singapore.

Prior to her current role, Ms Yeo was part of the Global Operations team in the Singapore Economic Development Board. 

She graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and political science and a Bachelor of Social Science in sociology.

ALVIN TAN SHENG HUI

Mr Alvin Tan Sheng Hui, 39, has worked in varied industries, and has experience in the Singapore Armed Forces, United Nations, non-profit organisation Oxfam, Facebook and is currently the head of public policy and economics at technology firm LinkedIn. 

Mr Tan started volunteering at Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng in 2005, and at Moulmein-Cairnhill since 2019. 

He has served as secretary of the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens’ Consultative Committee, and as a member of the Ministry of Information and Communication’s Media Literacy Council and the REACH Supervisory Panel. 

WAN RIZAL

Dr Wan Rizal, 42, is a senior lecturer in sports and exercise science at the School of Sports in Republic Polytechnic. 

He was a Normal (Academic) student who pursued higher education at Temasek Polytechnic, National Institute of Education and later, Nanyang Technological University (NTU). 

He obtained his degree in physical education at the age of 31 and received his post-graduate doctoral degree from NTU in 2017.

Dr Wan Rizal started volunteering in 2010 and was the chairman of Al-Islah mosque in Punggol. He was also a part of Punggol’s Interracial and Religious Confidence Circle.

He is currently a committee member on the advisory panel for Mendaki, Ministry of Transport as well as the Ministry of Social and Family Development. 

He also served on the Citizens’ Consultative Committees at both Pasir Ris East and Punggol East divisions.

In Focus: A General Election with a ‘COVID twist’ – how a pandemic may shape a pivotal contest

ERIC CHUA SWEE LEONG

Mr Eric Chua Swee Leong, 41, is a former civil servant. He was awarded the Local Merit Scholarship (Civil Defence) by the Public Service Commission to read communications studies at NTU.

After graduating in 2002, Mr Chua served as a uniformed officer with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

He rose through the ranks to become Commander of the 3rd SCDF Division before his stint at the SGSecure Programme Office in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

He has served in various postings, responding to emergencies such as fires, traffic and industrial accidents as well as participating in overseas humanitarian missions.

DERRICK GOH SOON HEE 

Mr Derrick Goh Soon Hee, 51, is the managing director and head of group audit at DBS Bank. He has more than 27 years of experience in the banking and finance sector. 

Since 2013, Derrick has been volunteering as a district councillor with the Southwest Community Development Council.

He is serving on the board of Home TeamNS and has also been volunteering with an Yishun grassroots organisation since 2017. 

The father of three kids was based overseas with American Express for more than 10 years, before returning to Singapore in 2017 with his family.

POH LI SAN 

Ms Poh Li San, 45, is the vice-president of Changi Airport Group and is involved in the planning for the upcoming Terminal 5. She is also a former search and rescue helicopter pilot with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).

In 2006, she became the first female full-time aide-de-camp to former President of Singapore, the late S R Nathan. 

She has also been volunteering in grassroots activities and Meet-The-People sessions at Sembawang GRC since 2018.

RAYMOND LYE HOONG YIP 

Mr Raymond Lye Hoong Yip, 54, is the managing partner of his own law firm, Union Law. He previously served as a magistrate and deputy registrar of the State Courts before entering the private sector.

He has also been volunteering with clans, societies, associations, boards and committees in healthcare, law, education and media. He was conferred the Public Service Star and Public Service Medal in 2008 and 1998 respectively. 

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SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) on Thursday (Jun 25) formally introduced four more candidates for the Jul 10 General Election. 

They are: Former chief executive of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) Tan Kiat How, former chief executive officer of IHH Healthcare Tan See Leng, lawyer Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim and former civil servant Ng Ling Ling. 

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, who is also first assistant secretary-general of the PAP, introduced the four at a press conference on Thursday morning. 

The PAP has introduced 12 prospective candidates so far, but has yet to confirm which constituencies they will be fielded. 

READ: GE2020: Writ of Election issued, Polling Day to fall on Jul 10

TAN KIAT HOW

Mr Tan Kiat How, 42, left his post as IMDA chief executive on Jun 20. He was also part of the team that set up the Pioneer Generation Office, now known as the Silver Generation Office. 

Mr Tan left IMDA after more than three years as its chief executive, and said at the time that he and his wife are expecting their first child in August. 

He was appointed IMDA chief executive in January 2017 to lead the merger of what was the Infocomm Development Authority and the then-Media Development Authority to form IMDA.

Mr Tan established the SG Digital Office under IMDA. During his time at IMDA, he also enhanced programmes to ensure that low-income households can access digital tools, especially during the COVID-19 period, said the Ministry of Communications and Information when announcing his departure.

“Based on my experience, this is what really counts, focus on getting thngs done, making tangible improvements in people’s lives. And the most direct and effective way of doing so is to mobilise the community to help one another. 

“If I have the chance to serve as an MP, this is what I want to do, build strong local community networks complementing national efforts to upgrade the lives of residents in our community.” 

READ: PAP unveils 4 new faces, including former People’s Association head Desmond Tan

READ: PAP’s new prospective candidates include former public servants, lawyer and banker 

TAN SEE LENG

Dr Tan See Leng, 55, stepped down as managing director and chief executive officer of IHH Healthcare on Dec 31, 2019, after his contract ended. He took up the appointment in January 2014. The healthcare group is listed in Singapore and Malaysia, and is among the world’s largest.

Its subsidiary, Parkway Pantai, has a network of 28 hospitals in Asia, including Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital and Parkway East Hospital in Singapore.

Dr Tan, who is married with three children and has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh has been his mentor for the last two years.

He also said Singapore’s rapidly ageing population is a cause of concern for him and his colleagues.

“Given the exposure and experience that I’ve seen in many other countries and the learnings that I’ve gleaned,  I hope to be able to contribute in this particular area to build a sustainable infrastructure system. Not just to support the elderly generation but to also build a caregiver support network to support the caregivers,” Dr Tan said.

READ: PM Lee calls General Election 2020, says it will ‘clear the decks’ for a fresh mandate

ZHULKARNAIN ABDUL RAHIM

Lawyer Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, 39, is a litigation and dispute resolution partner with law firm Dentons Rodyk & Davidson.

Married with three children aged 11, eight and six, Mr Zhulkarnain holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the National University of Singapore and a master’s degree in Islamic law and finance from the Singapore Management University. 

As part of his work helping the underprivileged in Singapore, he has conducted free legal clinics and done pro bono work as an assigned solicitor with the Legal Aid Bureau for the last 10 years. 

He also volunteers with various organisations, including the Casa Raudha Women Home, a shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence, and previously served as the chairman for self-help group AMP Singapore. 

Mr Zhulkarnain said he is most concerned with issues concerning social mobility and social cohesion, describing them as “issues that will help shape the future of our Singapore, for our children and the generations after them”.

“My mother is in the Merdeka Generation, my father is in the Pioneer Generation. They shared with me their stories and experience, trials and tribulations, how Singapore has developed over the years. 

“I think this is a crucial period, it’s a crucial election for us. That’s why I’m standing, because I feel that we need to do something to be heard and shape our social compact and social cohesion, not just for the next five years. Not just that, but beyond that.” 

In Focus: A General Election with a ‘COVID twist’ – how a pandemic may shape a pivotal contest

NG LING LING 

Ms Ng Ling Ling, 48, is the former chief of future primary care and director of community engagement at the Ministry of Health’s Office for Healthcare Transformation. 

Married with one child, she holds a bachelor’s degree in accountancy from the Nanyang Technological University as well as a master’s degree in public administration from the Australian National University.

After a six-year stint in banking, Ms Ng made the switch to the social and public service sector, serving as the managing director of the Community Chest for five years.

“Singapore’s population is ageing rapidly, it will affect both old and young. For the seniors, I hope to advocate for more ways to empower seniors to understand their health and to live healthily for a longer period. 

“For young families who have to look after their elderly parents and young children, I empathise with the stress that they will face, and I hope to find ways to support them in their caregiving.” 

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SINGAPORE: COVID-19 is unprecedented in every way, but what’s been striking about the disruption is that almost everyone, young and old, has had a price to pay.  

Children have had to miss school or playing in parks with their friends, livelihoods have been lost, money has been stuck in cancelled flight tickets, expected returns on investments have been disappointing, weddings have had to be called off, families have been distanced and the elderly have been isolated even further – each of us has a story to tell. 

But even as Singapore has entered the second phase of its reopening, it is too soon to declare that life will be the same as before the pandemic.

The world will need to continue to live with the sudden and unplanned changes brought on by the coronavirus. 

READ: Commentary: Here’s how our elderly can better protect themselves against COVID-19

And while some restrictions have been eased since Jun 19 – including the resumption of health services – safe distancing measures will largely remain.

The rapid rise of COVID-19 infections has caused an overload on healthcare systems as frontline workers focused on the immediate crisis. 

The experience can weigh on those managing chronic health conditions since many have been unable to attend, or decided to stay away from, their doctor’s clinic or hospital to keep safe.

For patients with heart rhythm problems, progressive heart failure or chronic conditions, regular follow-ups are crucial to monitor their health and adjust prescribed medication, but the pandemic has upended that. 

Health tech has stayed a step ahead, helping people with routine or chronic health conditions to stay in touch with their doctors – even if they cannot, or are reluctant to, attend a clinic or hospital.

READ: Commentary: Record dengue cases complicates Singapore’s fight against COVID-19

And while cutting-edge technology used in diverse fields from communications systems to jet engines is helping patients and their doctors to uncover actionable insights into their health, tele-health is the glue that holds everything together.

TELE-HEALTH IS HEALTHCARE’S NEW SOCIAL PLATFORM

Technology is bringing healthcare closer to patients and consumers at a time when safe distancing has become a part of daily life. 

As nations battle to keep the virus at bay, tele-health is a powerful tool because it helps doctors to connect with patients in hospitals, clinics and at home, much like what social media did for a lot of us, over a decade ago. 

Better bandwidth has allowed technology to be applied to many inpatient and outpatient specialties allowing people to access healthcare services through video, telephone, chat and messaging enabled by mobile apps and websites. 

As people avoid visiting clinics because of fears about COVID-19, Singaporeans are increasingly opting for online consultations, as evidenced by a huge spike in signups to telemedicine platforms over the past couple of months.  

Daily calls from patients to tele-health service providers such as MyDoc, MaNaDr, WhiteCoat and Doctor Anywhere have surged – by up to five times for some. 

These platforms allow quick diagnoses without the need to physically visit a doctor’s clinic. 

Online consultations range from routine follow-up sessions for chronic diseases such as diabetes and even the assessment of urgent COVID-19-like symptoms.

REMOTE CARE SUPPORTS CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS

Diabetes is a condition with a prevalence of around 9 per cent in Singapore, according to 2017 data from the Ministry of Health.  

Since less than a third of people diagnosed with diabetes are able to achieve desired glycaemic goals – a key factor in effective and long-term management of diabetes – regular and timely follow-ups with the treating physician are important. 

But face-to-face consultations can be challenging during this time.

That’s why continuous glucose monitoring technology – used by people with diabetes to check their glucose levels – connected to digital tools like mobile apps and cloud-based data systems has proven vital. 

READ: Commentary: Tai chi ought to be encouraged – it’s not just the physical health benefits

The past few weeks of restrictions on movement due to COVID-19 have coincided with the rise of adoption in cloud-based digital monitoring tools. For instance, Abbott has seen a significant spike in users adopting FreeStyle Libre’s cloud-enabled diabetes management tool, which allows doctors to remotely review a patient’s glucose levels.

CONNECTIVITY POWERS JET ENGINE HEART TECH

For people with heart-failure, quick access to medical care is a necessity. 

As COVID-19 has impacted health systems around the world, it has also been important to help heart failure patients avoid exposure to the virus in places such as hospitals or clinics. New technology can help solve both problems. 

Technology used in jet engines has led to innovations such as Cardio Micro-Electrical Mechanical Systems, which are in use across the US, Europe and some Asian countries. 

These can detect changes in the pressure of blood through the pulmonary artery in heart failure patients – even before symptoms such as shortness of breath or weight gain become evident. 

READ: Commentary: Here’s how to get TraceTogether downloads up – without making it mandatory

The system features a small pressure-sensing device that is implanted directly into the pulmonary artery. It sends information wirelessly to a doctor so that it can be used to adjust a patient’s medications and treatment plan, if needed. 

The technology is proven to significantly reduce heart-failure hospital admissions by 58 per cent over an average of 12 months – ultimately improving quality of life. 

By helping to keep more heart failure patients out of the hospital, physicians also help patients with a challenging COVID-19 comorbidity avoid potential contact with the virus.

TECHNOLOGY AS A BRIDGE
A person’s quality of life has never had more significance than at the present time. 

COVID-19 is arguably one of the biggest challenges that many of us have ever faced. To some, this may even seem as ‘the worst of times’. 
But in this season of worry and concern, health tech harbours hope.  

In this changed world where distancing is an unexpected, unwelcome intruder and will be with us for many months, innovations in health tech will keep us safe, connected and empowered, paving the way to better times. 

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Ashish Oza is Senior Director of Clinical Operations (APAC) at Abbott.