SINGAPORE: Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam announced on 21 April 2025 that the People’s Action Party (PAP) will field four new candidates in Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in the upcoming general election.
He will lead the refreshed five-member team, which includes four political newcomers, replacing outgoing Members of Parliament Louis Ng, Carrie Tan and Derrick Goh.
Fresh faces from diverse professional backgrounds
The new candidates are former Nominated Member of Parliament Syed Harun Alhabsyi, 40; Jackson Lam, 40, a business owner in pest control and cleaning; Lee Hui Ying, 36, from Temasek Foundation; and Goh Hanyan, 39, a former director at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information.
During a press briefing at the PAP’s Chong Pang Branch, Shanmugam, who has served the Chong Pang ward for 37 years, said the new team brings not only youthful energy but also deep experience and future leadership potential.
“I would say, this is a very balanced and very young, youthful slate – except for me,” he remarked. “We have a mix of skills and talents, to potential office holders who can go far in helping to govern the country as a whole.”
Three incumbents step down as PAP refreshes Nee Soon GRC slate, future roles yet to be confirmed
With the changes, Louis Ng, a two-term MP, and first-term MPs Carrie Tan and Derrick Goh will step away from the Nee Soon GRC line-up.
Shanmugam did not confirm if the outgoing MPs would be fielded elsewhere or are exiting politics altogether.
Responding to questions on the significant renewal, he highlighted the incoming candidates’ individual experiences, noting that Lam and Lee together have over three decades of municipal service experience.
Lam, who stepped down as PAP branch chairman in Hougang in February, has longstanding ties to Yishun.
He served as branch secretary for Chong Pang between 2017 and 2023 and began volunteering in 2013.
As a Yishun resident and father of twins, Lam said he has worked closely with community groups including clan associations and religious organisations.
Shanmugam noted Lam’s strong local networks would be vital in addressing residents’ concerns.
Mental health expertise and minority representation
Consultant psychiatrist Syed Harun is also president of the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday Memorial Scholarship Fund (LBKM) and a council member of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis).
He expressed a deep commitment to public service.
“It has been the way I have lived my life as a student, as a doctor, as a psychiatrist, as a community volunteer in service of others,” he said.
He added that he hopes to represent both his community and the broader Nee Soon electorate effectively.
Shanmugam said his experience with Malay-Muslim community issues would make him a valuable member of the team.
Policy background and job creation expertise
Goh previously served as a director in the Smart Nation Strategy Office and worked on national AI policy. She was involved in government negotiations to secure job opportunities for Singaporeans amid economic shifts.
She shared her concerns about rising costs of living and job insecurity, saying, “I hope to bring to bear my experience as our country navigates these shifts and to address these concerns that are very real and valid.”
Shanmugam stated he had “high hopes” for both Goh and Syed Harun, indicating their potential as future office-holders.
Deep local roots and communications experience
Lee, who grew up in Nee Soon, has been a long-time volunteer in the constituency for over 15 years.
Currently the communications director at Temasek Foundation, her background includes roles in the Digital Development and Information, Transport and Health ministries, as well as the private and philanthropic sectors.
Context from the previous general election
In the 2020 general election, the PAP’s team in Nee Soon GRC included Shanmugam, Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Louis Ng, Derrick Goh and Carrie Tan. The party secured 61.9 per cent of the vote against the Progress Singapore Party.
Since then, Associate Professor Faishal has been moved to contest Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC in the upcoming election.
Shanmugam noted that further details on the political futures of other outgoing MPs would be announced later.
Nee Soon GRC’s electorate has expanded to 151,634 voters, up by around 4,600 since the previous election.
In this election, the PAP team will face Red Dot United, led by its secretary-general Ravi Philemon, a managing partner in a media firm.
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