SINGAPORE: Are the elections just around the corner? No announcements have been made, but the different political parties appear to be getting ready.
While Progress Singapore Party chairman Tan Cheng Bock broadly hinted earlier this year that he may be contesting again, more recently, at a chance encounter with Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, Dr Tan teased that he was “campaigning.”
The PSP chair posted about their unexpected meet-up on Facebook on Saturday (April 6), where he captured their brief, friendly exchange.
“What are You Doing Here in Arab Street?” The Minister asked.
‘Campaigning !!’ I teased.
“And why are you wearing a mask ?” He asked again
“Because your government told us to!” I answered, wrote Dr Tan, adding that after this, they “both laughed and wished each other well.”
Posting several photos of the encounter, which took place in a fairly crowded outdoor area, Dr Tan also wrote:
“Hari Raya is around the corner, and on this occasion (last weekend), I am grateful that in Singapore, people from all walks of life and races can enjoy each other’s festivals in peace!”
Dr Tan’s post is proving to be popular, with many netizens reacting to, commenting on, and even sharing it.
Many commenters said he looked healthy and encouraged him to contest again.
The next General Elections must be held no later than November 23, 2025, so seeing more politicians and would-be politicians walking the ground a little more than a year and a half out should be unsurprising.
Under the governing People’s Action Party, Dr Tan served as the MP for Ayer Rajah Single Member Constituency from 1980 to 2006 and is well-loved and respected by many.
He left the PAP in 2011 to mount a presidential bid, which he narrowly lost by a 0.35 per cent margin.
In 2019, he founded the PSP along with 11 others. At the 2020 GE, Dr Tan spearheaded PSP’s slate at West Coast GRC, which now contains Ayer Rajah.
While the PSP lost at West Coast, again by a small margin as it won 48.31 per cent of the vote, the party managed to propel two of its members, Mr Leong Mun Wai and Ms Hazel Poa, into Parliament as NCMPs. This was a considerable victory for a party that had only been launched the year before. /TISG
Read also: “I never say no” — Tan Cheng Bock broadly hints at contesting again in 2025