SINGAPORE: Former People’s Action Party (PAP) prospective candidate Ivan Lim was recently spotted alongside Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam at an outreach activity, sparking rumours that he may contest the next election despite the public backlash that saw him get dropped by the ruling party mere days after he was introduced.
Mr Lim was introduced as a member of Mr Tharman’s team contesting Jurong Group Representation Constituency (GRC) ahead of the 2020 general election and was expected to coast into Parliament, as Mr Tharman typically receives the best result across all wards no matter who is in his team.
But just four days after his introduction, Mr Lim was withdrawn as a candidate after public members raised allegations of his past conduct online, sparking a significant public outcry over the PAP’s candidate selection process.
The allegations against Mr Lim were mainly centred around his behaviour and management style during his time as a senior executive in Keppel Offshore and Marine.
Several online comments from anonymous individuals alleged that Mr Lim was arrogant, elitist, and tended to belittle subordinates. Some also accused him of being unable to relate well with ordinary Singaporeans.
As public disappointment and anger mounted, the PAP’s secretary-general, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that his party has a “thorough” candidate selection process but acknowledged that “no process is perfect, no candidate is perfect.”
Apologising for any mistakes made during the selection process, he added that the PAP would take steps to address the issue and would strive to do better in the future. Meanwhile, Mr Lim’s spot was given to Xie Yao Quan, the cousin of Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
But despite being dropped days before Nomination Day, Mr Lim was spotted beside Mr Tharman among the team that won Jurong GRC as the Senior Minister delivered his victory speech. His presence baffled Singaporeans, and online forums was flooded with questions as to what role Mr Lim would play within the Jurong GRC team.
Mr Tharman responded to the questions on social media and clarified that Mr Lim was “naturally not part of the team of MPs.” He, however, said he wanted to acknowledge Mr Lim’s contributions on the ground and allow him to thank residents alongside the elected MPs.
He added, “I felt it was right, and hope you understand my approach on such matters.”
It appears that Mr Lim remains a part of Mr Tharman’s group of volunteers for Jurong GRC. He was spotted beside the Minister at a community outreach activity organised by the ruling party MPs, in photos posted online by his replacement Mr Xie.
The photos have triggered speculation that Mr Lim may return as a part of the team for Jurong GRC at the next election, which may take place as early as mid-2024.
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