SINGAPORE: There will be no multi-party fights at Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency (GRC), with the Red Dot United (RDU) succeeding in keeping the contest with the ruling party a one-on-one battle, after facing interest from other political parties.
RDU has fielded its A-team to the five-member ward, including party chief Ravi Philemon, chairman David Foo, Syed Alwi Ahmad, Pang Heng Chuan, and Sharon Lin. Four of the five candidates are members of the Central Executive Committee (CEC), the party’s highest decision-making body.
The opposition party is set to face off against a team led by Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam. Mr Shanmugam is the only known face in the team. He will be joined by four political rookies, Goh Hanyan, Syed Harun Alhabsyi, Jackson Lam, and Lee Hui Ying, after three members of his incumbent team chose to retire prior to the polls.
The makeup of the ruling party team for Nee Soon GRC has reignited longstanding criticisms of the GRC system—a system that many believe allows fresh faces to “ride coattails” into Parliament by being bundled into teams led by heavyweight ministers.
Critics argue that the GRC system—introduced to ensure minority representation in Parliament—has evolved into a mechanism that benefits the ruling party disproportionately. Political newcomers gain a significant electoral advantage by joining a GRC team anchored by a high-profile minister like Mr Shanmugam.
This perceived structural imbalance has led to accusations that the system discourages true electoral competition and limits voter choice.
Some critics argue that voters in a GRC may want to support an experienced incumbent like Mr Shanmugam but may be less confident about endorsing unknown candidates on the same slate, yet they are forced to vote for the entire team as a package.
The RDU, meanwhile, has said that Nee Soon is very important and that it has “fought very hard for the right to go into a one-on-one contest with the PAP.”
Nee Soon GRC was initially facing the possibility of a three-cornered fight, with the People’s Power Party (PPP) also showing interest, until PPP ceded the ward to RDU.
Party chief and Nee Soon GRC candidate Ravi Philemon said, “Why did we fight so hard? Because the message we carry in Nee Soon will be central to the fight we bring in all the constituencies we will contest in.
“We need to restore dignity to our people. We need to ensure that Singapore is a country in which the value of fairness is entrenched. This is about the people. That is what this contest is about.”
SINGAPORE: Ministers Heng Swee Keat and Teo Chee Hean announced their retirement from politics on Wednesday (April 23) even as their names appeared on the Elections Department’s list of approved candidates and others filed nomination papers.
Mr Heng, who was once tipped to become Singapore’s fourth prime minister, arrived at the nomination centre at Yusof Ishak Secondary School, but his name was not found on nomination papers for the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) East Coast GRC team.
In a Facebook post published shortly after nominations closed, Mr Heng said, “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.”
Looking back on what led him to join politics, he said: “I was asked to stand for elections on a few occasions – the first time in my 30s. I declined. I felt that I could make meaningful contributions as a civil servant. Around the late 2000s, after the Global Financial Crisis, both then-SM Goh Chok Tong and then-MM Lee Kuan Yew had long sessions with me, and spurred my entry into politics in 2011.
“They convinced me that there were changes I could effect as a politician that I could not as a civil servant, and winning public support for doing the right things for Singapore was critical. This is why I agreed to enter politics, and why I continued to serve after my stroke 9 years ago, in 2016. Not many get the opportunity to have a second chance at life, much less the chance to spend it so meaningfully, to serve my fellow Singaporeans.”
Asserting that he had been privileged to hold the roles he had in government, Mr Heng added, “I hope that I have made a difference for Singapore and Singaporeans.”
Referring to his decision to step down as then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s successor after the 2020 general election, Mr Heng said, “It was in this spirit that I decided to step aside as leader of the PAP’s 4G team four years ago, so that a younger person with a longer runway could lead the country. I am glad that PM Lawrence Wong has taken up the mantle.”
Calling on his former East Coast GRC constituents to support the PAP team comprising Minister of Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, Tan Kiat How, Jessica Tan, Hazlina Abdul Halim and Dinesh Vasu Dash, he echoed the ruling party’s claim that this election is being held during a turbulent time.
He wrote, “Amid these turbulent times, we will need a strong leader to navigate the choppy waters ahead. I believe Lawrence Wong will continue to lead with conviction, and I hope Singaporeans will give him a strong mandate to lead Singapore through this turbulent time.”
Meanwhile, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean was also not fielded as part of the PAP slate at the last minute. He was spotted at a gathering point with the PAP’s Punggol team but did not enter the nomination centre.
Earlier, Mr Teo had confirmed that he would not recontest Pasir Ris-Changi GRC but did not expressly say that he was retiring.
He had said, “I will not be standing for re-election in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC. I will continue to support PM Lawrence Wong for GE, and remain available to contribute to his team wherever and in whatever way PM Lawrence Wong feels I can best serve.”
There was speculation that the Senior Minister could be placed in another ward in a surprise move before it became clear today that he is indeed retiring.
SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PSP) has won Marine Parade-Braddell Heights by walkover, after no opposition party contested the ward on Nomination Day (April 23). This marks the first time in 10 years that a ward has gone uncontested.
The last time the PAP won a constituency by walkover was in the 2011 general election, when Tanjong Pagar GRC was uncontested. Since then, in both the 2015 and 2020 general elections, all seats have been contested and all voters across Singapore were given a choice at the ballot box.
The walkover has been a huge surprise to opposition supporters, especially considering the Workers’ Party (WP) team that contested the ward garnered an impressive 42.26 per cent of the vote against the PAP’s 57.74 per cent in the COVID election.
Earlier, the party had said that it is looking to contest the wards it has consistently walked over the years – this presumably included Marine Parade, in the minds of observers and voters. Key party figures have also been vocal against walkovers – party chair Sylvia Lim said in the past that she joined the WP due to distress over the number of uncontested seats and walkover victories in the 2001 general election.
The WP has since said that it made the “very difficult decision” not to contest the redrawn Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC so as to focus its best efforts on a smaller number of constituencies.
Party chief Pritam Singh said on Facebook: “As a small opposition party, we are constantly faced with difficult choices about where and how best to deploy our limited resources, particularly after electoral boundaries are redrawn.
“After much reflection and careful consideration, we have determined that in order to continue fighting for the principles and changes we all believe in, and to give our candidates the best chance of electoral success, the party must focus its best efforts this GE on a smaller number of constituencies than we would have hoped to contest.”
The decision, however, has sparked criticism against Mr Singh’s strategy of avoiding negotiations with other political parties. Earlier this month, Mr Singh said that his party would not take part in discussions with other opposition parties to avoid multi-cornered contests.
He said, “Elections are an open system and multi-cornered battles are to be expected. Some political parties will negotiate to avoid multi-cornered battles, but the Workers’ Party will not participate.”
This position is consistent with the WP’s long-held practice of avoiding collaborating with other opposition parties. The party has typically been absent from past opposition unity meets and horse-trading talks ahead of previous polls.
Some observers, however, are asking if this strategy has set the opposition cause back. Had the WP been open to discussing its plans with the other political parties, would another party have stepped up to offer Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC voters a choice?
Ultimately, the losers of this decision have been the voters at Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC who will have to wait another five years to contribute to nation-building through their vote.
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.
This year, he is joined by Nathaniel Koh, who also contested under the WP at Marine Parade GRC in 2020, as well as new candidates Jasper Kuan, who works in the finance sector; Sufyan Mikhail Putra, a lawyer; and Paris V Parameswari, a former US Navy Security Administrator who resigned to participate in the election.
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 MPYeo Wan Ling, the nomination papers say. /TISG
SINGAPORE: In a surprise move the People’s Action Party (PAP) pulled off on Nomination Day, Ministers Gan Kim Yong and Tan See Leng have been moved from the constituencies they fronted in the last term of Parliament.
Dr Tan, who was expected to contest Marine Parade GRC, arrived at the nomination centre for Chua Chu Kang GRC, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC and Bukit Gombak SMC in a motorcade.
Reporters on the ground were expecting to see Chua Chu Kang GRC incumbent Gan Kim Yong at the nomination centre, but the Deputy Prime Minister was spotted instead at the Yusof Ishak Secondary School nomination centre for Punggol and East Coast GRCs.
Mr Gan was later confirmed as part of the PAP’s slate for Punggol GRC, alongside Janil Puthucheary, Sun Xueling and Yeo Wan Ling. His team will go up against a Workers’ Party (WP) team comprising four new faces: Harpreet Singh Nehal SC, Alia Mattar, Alexis Dang, and Jackson Au.
Dr Tan has been confirmed as the anchor minister for Chua Chu Kang GRC, leading a team comprising Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, Jeffrey Siow and Choo Pei Ling. He will face off against a Progress Singapore Party (PSP) team featuring A’bas Kasmani, Wendy Low, S Nallakaruppan and Lawrence Pek.
Observers remain curious as to whether the eastward shift for Mr Gan and the westward shift for Dr Tan will pay off. Dr Tan was widely recognised as former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong’s replacement in Marine Parade GRC when he entered politics during the last election.
Mr Gan, meanwhile, had been the incumbent at Choa Chu Kang for close to 20 years, since 2006.
SINGAPORE: The 2025 general election in Singapore has cast a ripple effect on several sporting events. The Singapore Premier League (SPL) has changed competition venues and dates while the OCBC Cycle organisers have altered the format for this year’s edition.
Singapore will go to the polls on Saturday, May 3, in a quick run-up after Nomination Day (April 23). This year’s election will see the return of physical election rallies. The last physical election rallies were in 2015, as there were campaign restrictions in the previous election in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the elections, political parties usually hold their political rallies at various designated locations, which may include ActiveSG stadiums such as those located in Jurong East, Jurong West, Woodlands, Bishan, Bukit Gombak, and Clementi.
In a statement on April 17, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) said that the Our Tampines Hub (OTH) will serve as the central venue for all SPL matches scheduled from April 24 to May 4.
“This arrangement is due to the upcoming General Election 2025 and potential closures of selected ActiveSG facilities, including stadiums that are typically used for SPL fixtures.
The move to OTH will ensure the smooth continuation of the 2024/25 SPL season, which is scheduled to conclude with the Singapore Cup final on May 31,” explained FAS on their website.
A Singapore Premier League match between Young Lions and Brunei DPMM. (Photo: Facebook screegrab / yglions)
Eight SPL matches will have their fixtures moved to OTH during this period, while three other matches have been rescheduled for after the general election. The Singapore Cup semifinal first leg match between Brunei DPMM and Lion City Sailors, slated for April 22, is now rescheduled for May 21.
The three SPL matches that are rescheduled are Tanjong Pagar United vs Young Lions (new date May 7), Tanjong Pagar United vs Hougang United (May 13), and Young Lions vs Geylang International (May 14). The venue for these matches remains the same.
With all the changes to the various football competitions in Singapore, FAS, in their statement, added that they appreciate the understanding of local football fans and stakeholders during the general election period and thank them for their continued support.
“Fans are encouraged to refer to the official SPL and FAS social media platforms for the latest updates,” added FAS.
With Choa Chu Kang Stadium potentially being used as an election rally site, FAS has also decided to postpone all Women’s Premier League, the non-professional Singapore Football League and SPL U21 fixtures during this period until after the general election.
The Women’s Premier League fixtures last weekend proceeded as planned, at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium, with the rescheduled matches expected to be held later in the year between June and August.
Virtual format for 2020 OCBC Cycle
The annual OCBC Cycle was originally slated to take place on the weekend of Polling Day, on May 3 and 4. The event would see participants cycling through the Singapore Sports Hub, Stadium Drive, and Nicoll Highway.
However, after thorough discussions with various stakeholders and an assessment of available resources, the organisers decided to convert the event to a virtual format for its 17th edition.
“OCBC Cycle 2025 will be converted to a pure virtual ride format. Given the scale of our event, massive security resources are required for the event’s road closures to ensure the security and safety of all event participants and other road users. During the weekend of 3 and 4 May 2025, such resources will be limited,” said OCBC Cycle on their social media on April 17.
The organisers explained that all registered participants of the mass and existing virtual rides will receive full refunds. Those who have registered participants for the mass ride category will have theirs converted to join the respective virtual rides at no cost.
More than 6,200 cyclists took part in Singapore’s largest road cycling event in-person, with over 1,000 participants in the inaugural Foldie Ride by Brompton. (Photo credit: OCBC Cycle 2024)
Last year, OCBC Cycle saw the participation of nearly 7,000 cyclists across 10 categories, with 1,000 cyclists taking part in The Foldie Ride by Brompton (40 km).
In a media release earlier in the month prior to the changes in the race format, OCBC Cycle mentioned that they are expecting more than 7,000 participants for Singapore’s largest mass cycling event.
“Thousands are expected to participate across a range of ride categories, including the new OCBC Cycle Speedway Open Championships on 3 May, the ever-popular Sportive, The Straits Times Ride and expanded Foldie Ride by Brompton on 4 May,” said OCBC Cycle in a media release dated April 11.
With the change of format to the 2025 OCBC Cycle, participants are encouraged to ride safely at their own time from May 3 to June 2, and a finisher medal will be mailed to them upon verification of completion.
“We appreciate your understanding and support as we adapt to these circumstances. More information can be found on the OCBC Cycle event website,” stated the organisers in their social media posting.
SINGAPORE: A multi-party contest has been confirmed for Sembawang GRC, despite the desire from some opposition voters that the National Solidarity Party (NSP) would choose, at the nth hour, to stay out of the fray.
At the Chongfu School nomination centre, three teams were put up on the board: the People’s Action Party (PAP), the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), and NSP.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung is leading a team of five, comprising three incumbent MPs and two new faces. The incumbents, aside from Mr Ong, are Marian Jaafar and Vikram Nair while the new candidates are Gabriel Lam and Ng Shi Xuan.
The SDP team contesting the ward include party vice-chairman Bryan Lim and other longtime members James Gomez, Surayah Akbar, Damanhuri Abas and Alfred Tan.
The NSP slate is led by party chief Spencer Ng and includes Raiyian Chia, Verina Ong, Lee Wei and Yadzeth Hairis.
While NSP was the party that contested Sembawang GRC in the past two election cycles, the party has faced widespread calls to step back from the ward in the latest polls after the SDP announced its Northern Strategy following the release of the latest electoral boundaries.
The SDP contested the ward in the 2006 and 2011 elections and dubbed the return to the constituency as a homecoming, with the party chief contesting neighbouring Sembawang West SMC.
The NSP, however, has been resolute in staying at Sembawang. When the SDP offered NSP to take over its stake in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC in exchange for Sembawang GRC, NSP chief Mr Ng controversially likened the proposal to the “exchanging of wives.”
Commenting on the potential three-way contest earlier this week, Dr Chee had said, “It’s not so much of who stands where, but where you stand. You make sure that it’s not like tissue paper, you put on the table and ‘chope’ … It’s formulating our message to the voters.”
SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party (WP) new face Andre Low has been confirmed as the party’s pick for Jalan Kayu Single Member Constituency (SMC). He may face a three-cornered contest against ex-Minister Ng Chee Meng and potential independent candidate Ooi Boon Ewe, an 83-year-old who has been spotted at the nomination centre for Jalan Kayu.
34-year-old Mr Low is a former disputes lawyer who worked under Davinder Singh at Drew & Napier. He has since moved to the tech field and is currently a staff product manager at a global fintech company.
Having joined the WP in 2020, his work as a Secretarial Assistant to Sengkang Member of Parliament (MP) Louis Chua during the Covid-19 pandemic prompted him to build an MPS solution that maintained residents’ lines to their MP, which is still being used today.
Get to know our people – Andre Low 刘宇扬 @Andre Low Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrelow.sg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lowwuyang Link to full YouTube video: https://youtu.be/aRRJuHEf1Ec Read his profile here: www.wp.sg/candidate/low-wu-yang-andre #wpsg#WorkingForSingapore#StepUp#GE2025
The primary contest at Jalan Kayu is expected to be between Mr Low and the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Ng Chee Meng. Mr Ng has been the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress since 2018 and is a one-time MP for Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC (2015 to 2020).
He had been part of the PAP slate that contested at Sengkang GRC in the last election, which narrowly lost to the WP.
The loss of the PAP’s slate at Sengkang had been a historic one, since the WP team was composed of relative newbies, as opposed to the ruling party, which had three political office holders. Importantly, it gave the opposition a second GRC for the first time, and helped propel Mr Singh into his position as Leader of the Opposition.
Over the past weeks, Mr Ng started making his presence felt at Jalan Kayu more and more. In a Facebook post on April 2, Mr Ng wrote, “Hello residents in Fernvale and Jalan Kayu! Over the past week, I’ve visited many of you, and thank you for the warm support and care. I’m happy that some of you reached out to me with work-related issues; rest assured, I will follow up on those. If you see me around the neighbourhood, please come and say hi! I’ll see you soon!”
He also thanked Ang Mo Kio MPs Gan Thiam Poh and Ng Ling Ling, as well as other volunteers in the area, who have been introducing him to Jalan Kayu residents.
Mr Ng was possibly expecting to face off against Red Dot United’s (RDU) Kala Manickam. Ms Kala had been active in the ward as RDU’s ground operations lead until the party announced this week that it is ceding the ward to the WP in the best interests of Singaporeans, after the latter made a request for Jalan Kayu.
Jalan Kayu is one of the five new SMCs announced last month when the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) released its report. The ERBC recommended reducing the size of Ang Mo Kio GRC, of which Jalan Kayu used to be part. Ang Mo Kio has the highest number of electors: 190,800. /TISG
SINGAPORE: Red Dot United (RDU) appears to have chosen to field former Jalan Kayu team lead Kala Manickam in Jurong Central SMC, after the party announced this week that it has ceded Jalan Kayu Single Member Constituency (SMC) to the Workers’ Party (WP) following a request from the latter for the ward.
The party switched its former ground operations leader for Jurong Central, Emily Woo, to its team for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC. Ms Woo was spotted with the Holland-Bukit Timah team on Nomination Day, while Ms Kala was spotted with the RDU team for Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC at another nomination centre.
The team for Holland-Bukit Timah now consists of Ms Woo, Mohamed Fazli Bin Talip, Sharad Kumar and Nizar Subair. 70-year-old businessman Patrick Tay, who had fronted some of the party’s engagement in the ward, appears to have stepped back from contesting to make way for Ms Woo.
Earlier this week, Ms Kala withdrew her candidacy from Jalan Kayu SMC with a “heavy heart” after RDU confirmed that it is ceding the ward to the WP. While she spoke fondly about the connection she has made with residents in the ward, she also asserted that she remains committed to serving Singaporeans “wherever she is needed.” She added that she is “just as committed to opposition unity in Singapore.”
She wrote on Facebook, “The entry of the Workers’ Party into Jalan Kayu just days before Nomination Day needs to be considered in light of the need for opposition unity.
“While we all want the opposition to do well, some due consideration should be given to those who have worked hard to gain traction and pose a credible alternative to the People’s Action Party. For that, I am grateful to Red Dot United for putting faith in my abilities and convictions, and for fielding me in Jalan Kayu SMC.”
She added, “I wish WP all the best in their Jalan Kayu contest. Our common adversary must always be those who seek to govern by mandate, without due consideration for the voices of the people.”
SINGAPORE: According to the latest data from Indeed Hiring Lab, job prospects offering flexible work arrangements are increasing in Singapore. From March 2024 to March 2025, two out of three job positions in professional groups on Indeed’s job portal have increased due to indications of ‘work from home’ or ‘remote work’ provisions. This means that Singapore managers and business owners have accepted flexible working practices within their workplaces.
Professional segments that typically involve on-site attendance because of the nature of the job are leading the increase. Job positions in the architecture sector with indications of flexible work terms surged by 4.7%, while insurance postings grew by 4.6%. In the electrical engineering segment, there is a 3.1% increase. Beauty and wellness has seen a 2.8% growth, and media and communications showed a 2.7% upsurge.
The medical information sector saw the sharpest decline, by 4.3%. Construction dropped by 2.1% and administrative assistance by 1.5% while education and training roles dropped by 1.3%.
The number of job postings in Singapore fell by 3% across all sectors—a third consecutive monthly decline. Nevertheless, Singapore’s job market has stayed vigorous, with the impetus of job creation keeping the general joblessness rate close to the ground. The overall number of job postings as of March 2025 is also 44% above pre-pandemic levels.
In Singapore, positions within the security and public safety domain gained 24%, while scientific research roles grew by 16%. There was also greater demand for logistics support (+10.9%) and data analytics (+10.8%). However, some sectors flagged, such as cleaning and sanitation (-43%), driving (-27%), and loading and stocking (-26%).
Indeed’s APAC Senior Economist Callam Pickering said, “Overall, the Singapore labour market remains undeniably tight, with the unemployment rate just 1.9%. Consequently, skill shortages have remained quite common across Singapore, although the most severe shortages have certainly eased over the past year.”
He added, “Geopolitical and economic uncertainty will likely impact Singapore’s growth prospects this year, which could weigh on job creation. Global growth is likely to be much lower than was expected even a couple of months ago.”
Freelancers lead
A recent article from Moo indicates that freelancers are leading the charge of the remote work progression, presently comprising 46.6% of the labour force worldwide. By 2027, they’re expected to become mainstream, representing 50.9% of the workforce.
For industries and business owners, this means access to the appropriate skills required, with 30% of Fortune 500 corporations engaging freelancers via platforms like Upwork. For workers, freelancing provides autonomy to work at their own pace and in their own time. With 86% of freelancers working from home, it indicates that flexibility is the game of the future.
