SINGAPORE: Speculation that former People’s Action Party (PAP) Minister Ng Chee Meng may be fielded at the new Jalan Kayu single member constituency (SMC) has emerged after he was spotted attending a community event in the area, over the weekend.
Mr Ng remains an active PAP member, although it has been five years since the team he led to contest Sengkang GRC in the 2020 general election was defeated by the Workers’ Party. He was appointed secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) after his defeat at the polls, but he has been spotted at community events and walkabouts at various PAP-held wards since mid-2020.
The ex-Chief of Defence Force, however, has been tight-lipped as to whether he will be fielded in the next election.
When asked whether he would contest Ang Mo Kio GRC or Jalan Kayu SMC in the next election, Mr Ng told CNA only that they will know soon and that we will have to wait and see what Prime Minister Lawrence Wong decides. He, however, added that he is very familiar with the area as he used to live nearby.
The community event that took place in Fernvale on Sunday (March 16) also involved Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Gan Thiam Poh. According to CNA, he also attended a residents meeting held by the PAP’s Fernvale Branch earlier this month.
Mr Ng told the press that this is not his first time in the area and that he has previously visited Bukit Batok SMC, Ang Mo Kio GRC and Sengkang GRC. He said he has done so either due to his work with NTUC or due to his relationship with incumbent MPs.
He said that he was invited to the Sunday event by Gan Thiam Poh. Mr Gan told the press that he invited Mr Ng to the event because NTUC has always supported his constituency and has been committed to helping those in need.
As for his appearances in Ang Mo Kio and Sengkang, Mr Ng claimed it was “just by chance” that he ended up taking part in events held there.
The release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report last week has sparked heated speculation that the next election may take place as soon as May. With the polls approaching, Singaporeans watch closely to see how the political landscape shifts, particularly in key battleground wards like Jalan Kayu SMC.
Jalan Kayu, carved out from Ang Mo Kio GRC in the latest redrawing of electoral boundaries, is set to be a closely watched constituency, with observers noting that its demographics and voting patterns could make it a contest to watch.
With details on the PAP’s candidate line-up expected to emerge in the coming weeks, all eyes will be on whether Mr Ng will be officially confirmed as the ruling party’s choice for Jalan Kayu SMC—and whether he will get a second chance to secure a seat in Parliament.