GE2020: PSP chief Tan Cheng Bock to lead team in West Coast GRC, Lee Hsien Yang not listed as candidate
SINGAPORE — Dr Tan Cheng Bock, the chief of Progress Singapore Party (PSP), on Friday (26 June) confirmed that he is the 24th and last candidate of the opposition party to run for the 10 July General Election.
The 80-year-old political veteran is set to lead a team of five – including second-in-command Leong Mun Wai and vice-chairman Hazel Poa – contest in the West Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC).
Dr Tan had served previously as a Member of Parliament for single-seat Ayer Rajah – part of West Coast GRC since 2006 – for 26 years while he was a member with ruling party People's Action Party (PAP).
The announcement, made during a digital press conference after introducing the party’s last batch of election candidates, effectively means PSP party member Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest child of Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, will not be contesting, for now.
But Dr Tan hinted that things could change before Nomination Day on 30 June: “That is our full slate. But let me remind you, in politics, change can happen.”
“Candidates can be switched all around and so we just have to wait and see. You can speculate – that's fair enough. But always remember what I say: the confirmation comes from me,” he quipped.
Hsien Yang on Wednesday morning announced that he had joined the party as a member about three months ago. Hours later, he addressed the nation live on the Progress Singapore Party's Facebook page, calling all voters to “not vote” for the PAP.
“The PAP has lost its way. My sister Wei Ling shares this view too,” said the estranged younger brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. “The current government is distinctly different from when LKY was PM (prime minister) and subsequently MM (minister mentor).”
Candidates and their contesting grounds
The party will field 24 candidates across nine constituencies – four GRCs and five SMCs. They are:
Hong Kah North SMC: Gigene Wong
Pioneer SMC: Lim Cher Hong
Yio Chu Kang SMC: Kayla Low
Marymount SMC: Dr Ang Yong Guan
Kebun Baru SMC: Kumaran Pillai
Nee Soon GRC: Damien Tay, Taufik Supan, Brad Bowyer, Kala Manickam, S. Nalla
Chua Chu Kang GRC: Francis Yuen, Dr Tan Meng Wah, Choo Shaun Ming, Abdul Rahman
Tanjong Pagar GRC: Michael Chua, Harish Pillay, Wendy Low, Terence Soon, Abas Kasmani
West Coast GRC: Dr Tan Cheng Bock, Jeffrey Khoo, Hazel Poa, Leong Mun Wai, Loganathan Nadarajah
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Progress Singapore Party introduces 6 candidates to contest in upcoming GE
