'Who is Chan Hui Yuh?!’ Singaporeans ask about newest People's Action Party CEC member

SINGAPORE: On Thursday (Nov 5), the ruling People's Action Party announced that four new members had been co-opted into the Central Executive Committee (CEC), its highest decision-making body.

Three of the new members were people familiar to Singaporeans: Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress Ng Chee Meng, Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Sim Ann, and Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow.

The announcement of the fourth person, Chan Hui Yuh, appeared to leave some netizens wondering who she is, as Ms Chan is not nearly as high-profile as Mr Ng, Mr Siow, and Ms Sim.

As a Facebook user wrote, “CHAN HUI YUH — WAIT, WHO AH?!”

Ms Chan is the PAP’s Adviser to Aljunied GRC Grassroots Organisations and has been the Chairman of the PAP Serangoon Branch since 2014. Her bio on the party’s website describes her as “a dedicated community volunteer since 2000,” particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, when she headed a number of grassroots initiatives that included programmes to help isolated elderly individuals.

Ms Chan is a Managing Director for a company providing sustainable solutions to the construction industry. Like many in Singapore, she’s a member of the sandwich generation, caring for her elderly parents and mother-in-law while she and her husband raise their two children.

Some noted that Ms Chan is the only non-Member of Parliament in the CEC, while others guessed that she would be “parachuted” to “a safe GRC” in the next General Election, which makes her one to watch moving forward.

One commenter called it the “curious case of Chan Hui Yuh.”

The 39th PAP CEC was elected on Oct 25. On Nov 5, the party announced that it had elected its office holders. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong continues as its  Secretary-General, Desmond Lee as Chairman and Masagos Zulkifli as Vice Chairman.

The CEC also confirmed appointments to various Party committees and groups. Ms Sim chairs the PAP Women’s Wing; David Neo chairs the PAP Seniors Group; Alvin Tan chairs Young PAP; and Zaqy Mohamed chairs the PAP Malay Affairs Bureau. /TISG

Read also: Singaporeans wonder why DPM Gan Kim Yong is not part of PAP's 39th Central Executive Committee