SINGAPORE: The Workers’ Party teams confirmed that they will be contesting in East Coast GRC and Punggol GRC for the May 3 election.
On the East Coast, the WP slate is led by former Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Yee Jenn Jong. He had contested at Yoo Chiat SMC in 2011 and narrowly lost against the People’s Action Party’s Charles Chong, receiving 48.99% of the vote. In 2015 and 2020, he was part of the WP slate at Marine Parade GRC.
“A 15-year journey with The Workers’ Party. #stepup into East Coast GRC, where the new boundaries contain my homes for my whole life and where my schools are at. Glad to be home. Vote Workers’ Party. #workingforsingapore,” wrote Mr Yee on Facebook on April 23.
The ruling party’s East Coast slate this year is made up of Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jessica Tan Soon Neo, and newcomers Hazlina Abdul Halim and Dinesh Vasu Dash.
In a surprise announcement, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said early on Wednesday afternoon (April 23) in a Facebook post that he will not be contesting in this year’s election. Mr Heng had helmed the PAP team at East Coast GRC in 2020, which almost lost to the WP.
“I would like to let you know that I will not be standing in this election…. I’ve decided not to run in the upcoming election as I believe now is the right time to make way for a new team of capable individuals who are well-placed to serve Singapore,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, at Punggol GRC, the WP is fielding an all-newbie team made up of Harpreet Singh, Alia Mattar, Alexis Dang, and Jackson Au.
Mr Singh, arguably the biggest catch of this year’s elections, is a Senior Counsel with the Supreme Court of Singapore. He started volunteering with the WP during the COVID-19 pandemic and became a member of the party in 2024.
As for the other WP candidates, Ms Alia is a former legal counsel with the Monetary Authority of Singapore; Ms Dang works in the tech sector, where she leads a team of business development professionals; and Mr Au works in strategic communications.
They are up against the PAP team anchored by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, together with Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary, Minister of State Sun Xueling, and Pasir Ris–Punggol MP Yeo Wan Ling, the nomination papers say. /TISG
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