SINGAPORE: Is’haq Rajoo Jay, a food and beverage entrepreneur and part-time sports coach, has confirmed that he will no longer contest the Queenstown Single Member Constituency (SMC) in the upcoming general election.
In a Facebook post published on 20 April 2025, Jay stated that “we, the independent citizens, have made a decision not to contest in Queenstown SMC for the upcoming elections.”
Jay expressed disappointment in withdrawing but affirmed his belief that three-cornered fights dilute the voter base and advantage the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
He said, “I will never condone three-corner fights with any other, as this would only dilute the voters, as well as the votes, and give advantage to the PAP candidates.”
Jay stressed that his decision was taken to give voters a fair opportunity to choose between just two candidates, enabling clearer representation in Parliament.
He explained, “The voters must be given a fair chance to get their right candidate into Parliament—whether it’s from the PAP or the alternate party—and this can only be possible… if there are only two parties contesting in the elections.”
In stepping aside, Jay noted that he hoped to allow the People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR), the coalition supporting the Reform Party, to run their campaign without distraction.
“I make this announcement so that the People’s Alliance for Reform can focus on running their campaign and not have to worry and look over their shoulders about my challenge,” he said.
Jay also stated he did not want to confuse the voters with multiple options that could result in vote-splitting, weakening opposition representation.
He pointed out the moral implications of contesting despite unfavourable odds in a multi-cornered fight, especially when his campaign is funded by small contributions from ordinary Singaporeans.
“We don’t have rich sugar daddies or mummies sponsoring us… our donors will be the seniors, the retirees, the retrenched, the Grab workers, from the families who are struggling,” he said.
“In all good conscience, the independent citizens cannot and must not deprive the donors of a fighting chance,” Jay explained.
He added that it would be unjust to accept even a single dollar from supporters if there was little chance of success under such conditions.
Despite earlier optimism and efforts to campaign on the ground, Jay said that principle had to come before pride.
He described the decision as “one of the saddest” yet “an easy one to make because it’s the right thing to do.”
Reform Party candidate Mahaboob Baatsha prioritises housing and jobs for Queenstown residents
In a separate Facebook post on the same day, Reform Party chief Kenneth Jeyaretnam confirmed Jay’s withdrawal.
He stated, “I had a productive conversation with Jay Is’haq Rajoo yesterday when he informed me he had made the decision that a three-corner fight would be unproductive and only benefit PAP, amongst other reasons.”
Jeyaretnam called Jay’s withdrawal “a principled decision” and expressed hope that Jay and his team would continue supporting the Reform Party and the wider alliance.
The Reform Party had earlier introduced Mahaboob Baatsha as its candidate for Queenstown SMC on 18 April.
Baatsha is a long-time Queenstown resident and director in the oil and gas sector.
He highlighted housing and employment as key concerns, noting difficulties for residents in progressing from rental flats to home ownership.
“A lot of people can’t move to the next stage from the rental blocks,” Baatsha said. He added that he intends to help improve employment prospects for residents.
Jay, who had originally continued campaigning even after the Reform Party’s announcement, had earlier posted a video on 18 April from ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre reaffirming his resolve to contest.
At that time, he stated his belief in the residents’ right to have “good representation in Parliament” and advocated for his Independent Citizens Movement.
The movement, according to Jay, is a social initiative “by Singaporeans for Singaporeans,” focused on improving social policies rather than contesting elections as a political party.
In a video broadcast on 9 April, Jay revealed he had previously communicated with Reform Party candidate Mahaboob Baatsha. He believed there had been an informal understanding that the Reform Party would not contest Queenstown.
However, following the Reform Party’s confirmation of candidacy, Jay clarified on 15 April that this agreement had not been formally communicated to party leadership, leading to a misunderstanding.
He reiterated that his campaign was always about ensuring the best representative for Queenstown, stating, “If PAR can place a better candidate, I will step back.”
Jay to focus on Navigate initiative, calls on candidates to avoid multi-cornered fights for voters’ sake
As Jay exits the race, he has announced plans to focus on a ground-up non-governmental initiative named Navigate.
The organisation aims to continue serving citizens through community outreach and social advocacy.
He urged other aspiring candidates contemplating three- or four-way contests to reconsider for the sake of the electorate.
“Please think very hard before you do so. Please do the right thing. Do not let your egos cloud your mind and dilute your principles and the votes,” he said.
Jay also addressed the ruling PAP directly, cautioning that while three-corner fights may benefit them now, such outcomes erode democratic principles.
“To the government I say, three-corner fights might favour you for now, but democracy is not being favoured,” he said.
Queenstown SMC was established following the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report released on 11 March 2025.
The new constituency, carved out from Tanjong Pagar GRC, comprises 28,857 eligible voters.
As of 18 April, the PAP has not announced its candidate for Queenstown.
Currently, the area is overseen by Eric Chua, who serves as Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth, and for Social and Family Development.
Given its recent formation and the previously expected multi-corner contest, Queenstown SMC had been shaping up to be one of the more closely watched battlegrounds in the 2025 general election.
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