SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) has announced key changes to its slate of candidates for Chua Chu Kang GRC ahead of the upcoming General Election 2025, marking both a generational shift and strategic adaptation to evolving electoral boundaries.
On 14 April 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong unveiled the party’s refreshed team at a press conference held at the PAP branch office on Teck Whye Avenue.
Joining Gan in the Chua Chu Kang GRC team are incumbent Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, former senior civil servant Jeffrey Siow, and Assistant Professor Choo Pei Ling of the Singapore Institute of Technology.
Incumbent MP Don Wee, who was elected in 2020, will not contest the coming election.
Gan confirmed his departure during the announcement, expressing appreciation for Wee’s service over the past term.
Another notable departure from the political scene is Amy Khor, long-time Member of Parliament for Hong Kah North SMC, which has been dissolved following the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee’s latest recommendations.
Khor, currently serving as Senior Minister of State for Transport and for Sustainability and the Environment, has chosen to step down.
Gan stated that this decision was made for “personal reasons” and acknowledged her many years of dedication and contribution to community building.
First elected in 2001 as part of the PAP’s Hong Kah GRC team, Khor later contested and won the newly formed Hong Kah North SMC in 2011, serving the area continuously for more than two decades.
As part of the revised electoral map, parts of Hong Kah North – including Tengah – will now be incorporated into Chua Chu Kang GRC.
Other segments such as Bukit Batok West will form part of the new Jurong East–Bukit Batok GRC.
Jeffrey Siow, 47, brings extensive public sector experience to the PAP ticket.
Until recently, he served as the second permanent secretary for the Ministries of Manpower and Trade and Industry.
He stepped down from public service on 2 April after a 24-year career.
Siow’s roles included being principal private secretary to then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong from 2017 to 2021.
Speaking at the press conference, he reflected on his personal journey, crediting his humble upbringing for his dedication to public service.
“Working in the public service holds special meaning for me,” said Siow.
“I’m doing so because this is my story. It explains why I spent my career in the public service, and why I am now joining politics.”
Choo Pei Ling, a neuroscientist and physiotherapist by training, has been active in grassroots activities in the Marine Parade ward under Manpower Minister Tan See Leng since 2023.
With more than two decades of community volunteer work, Choo said her passion for helping others began in her youth.
“From a young age, I have found meaning in helping people, especially people who cannot help themselves,” she said.
Chua Chu Kang GRC, home to 93,368 voters, will now encompass parts of Hong Kah North and Holland-Bukit Timah.
The changes reflect ongoing developments in areas such as Tengah and Bukit Batok West, driven by rapid housing expansion.
Senior Minister of State Low Yen Ling, who had served in Chua Chu Kang GRC, will now stand in the newly established Bukit Gombak SMC.
She previously represented the Bukit Gombak ward within the GRC.
PSP intensifies groundwork in Chua Chu Kang as speculation mounts over early May election
In the 2020 General Election, the PAP team secured Chua Chu Kang GRC with 58.64 percent of the vote, a significant drop from the 76.89 percent achieved in 2015. They defeated a team fielded by the Progress Singapore Party (PSP).
PSP’s performance in the constituency was its third strongest result nationwide. The 2020 slate featured Francis Yuen, Tan Meng Wah, Abdul Rahman Mohamad, and Choo Shaun Ming.
In recent months, PSP has stepped up its presence in the GRC. Several party members have been active in the area since 2020, maintaining a visible presence through community outreach and engagement.
While PSP has yet to officially announce its candidates for Chua Chu Kang GRC, the heightened activity suggests preparations are underway. The next General Election is widely speculated to take place in early May.
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