PAP Sengkang East branch chair steps down ‘to focus on keeping well’ for his family

SINGAPORE: Marcus Loh, who had been appointed as the People’s Action Party (PAP) Sengkang East branch chairperson in late 2023, announced in a Jan 23 (Thursday) social media post that he had stepped down from the role “with a heavy heart.”

In his post, he acknowledged the “immense responsibilities” of a branch chairperson role and explained that his choice to step down was to “focus on keeping well” for his family.

The PAP said on the same day that Bernadette Giam, a community volunteer for over a decade, is taking over for Mr Loh, who will assist with the transition.

In his post, Mr Loh expressed gratitude to the PAP and Lam Pin Min, the former Sengkang West MP and Senior Minister of State. Dr Lam, the Sengkang West branch chairperson, called Mr Loh “an invaluable member” of PAP’s Sengkang team and noted that he had contributed “significantly to our effort to engage and win back the hearts and minds of #SengkangGRC residents.”

In 2020, the Workers’ Party won the then-newly-created Sengkang GRC in a surprise defeat of a heavily stacked PAP team that included Dr Lam.

“Serving the residents of Sengkang East over the past 1.5 years has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. I’ll always treasure the journey – every piece of feedback that inspired me to do better, as well as the memorable moments in making a difference for our community,” wrote Mr Loh.

He also thanked Ms Giam for having stepped into the role and expressed confidence in her leadership.

According to her biography on the PAP website, Ms Giam’s focus has been on uplifting women, youth, and seniors in her volunteer work. She works in corporate planning in her job as Director at Creative Eateries, a local food and beverage SME.

Ms Giam, in turn, thanked Mr Loh for “the solid groundwork” he had laid at Sengkang East, as well as for the support she had received from the area’s activists and volunteers.

“I’m looking forward to serving our community and working together to make a positive impact. Together, let’s build a stronger,  more connected Sengkang!” she added.

A report in CNA noted that in less than three years, PAP’s Sengkang East branch has had three chairpersons. Lawyer Ling Weihong held the position from March 22 to November 2023, while Mr Loh held it from November 2023 to January 2025. /TISG

Read related: Sengkang East branch Chair Marcus Loh describes his team as PAP underdogs in opposition-held Sengkang GRC