The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) on 19 April introduced its slate of candidates for Chua Chu Kang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) and Bukit Gombak Single Member Constituency (SMC) ahead of Singapore’s upcoming General Election on 3 May.
The announcement was made by party chairman Dr Tan Cheng Bock during a media doorstop in Teck Whye Lane following a walkabout in the area.
For Chua Chu Kang GRC, the four-member PSP team includes Lawrence Pek, 55, a political newcomer with significant industry experience.
Pek is the former secretary-general of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, having served in the role from July 2020 to April 2023.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Pek led efforts to strengthen the global competitiveness of Singapore’s manufacturing sector during his time at the federation.
The team also includes three returning candidates with prior electoral experience.
Technology lawyer Wendy Low, 48, and business consultant A’bas Kasmani, 71, both contested in Tanjong Pagar GRC during the 2020 General Election.
PSP’s second vice-chairman, Kasmani, brings party leadership experience to the team.
Completing the line-up is S. Nallakaruppan, 60, an investment specialist who previously stood for election in Nee Soon GRC in 2020.
This marks the second time the PSP is contesting Chua Chu Kang GRC.
In the 2020 General Election, the party’s slate achieved a vote share of 41.36 per cent, making it one of PSP’s strongest showings after West Coast GRC and Marymount SMC.
The PSP team will face off against the incumbent People’s Action Party (PAP) candidates led by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.
The PAP’s line-up, unveiled on 14 April, includes current Member of Parliament (MP) and lawyer Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, as well as newcomers Jeffrey Siow, a veteran civil servant, and neuroscientist Choo Pei Ling.
Under revised electoral boundaries announced on 11 March, Chua Chu Kang GRC will now incorporate the developing Tengah estate, previously part of Hong Kah North SMC.
At the same time, Bukit Gombak ward has been carved out to form a separate SMC.
In Bukit Gombak SMC, PSP will field veteran technologist Harish Pillay, 65, who contested Tanjong Pagar GRC in 2020 and formerly sat on PSP’s central executive committee.
According to a press release by PSP, Pillay holds a master’s degree in computer science and electrical and computer engineering from Oregon State University and was one of the early contributors to ARPAnet, the precursor to the modern Internet.
Pillay co-founded the Singapore Linux Users’ Group in 1993 and was instrumental in building Red Hat’s Asia-Pacific operations, expanding its Singapore presence from a single person to over 450 employees.
In his statement, Pillay called for visionary policymaking to restore Singapore’s global leadership.
“Singapore was once a shining diamond on how countries can develop, but this bright spot has dulled over the last few years due to a lack of bold visioning,” he said.
He pledged to serve as a full-time MP if elected and proposed goals such as reducing economic hardship to below 1 per cent and enhancing the dignity of seniors in retirement.
Mr Pillay is expected to face PAP’s Low Yen Ling, who is currently Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry as well as Culture, Community and Youth.
Low previously served as part of the PAP team that won Chua Chu Kang GRC in the 2020 election.
Bukit Gombak SMC includes the Bukit Gombak and Hillview estates and has 26,364 registered voters.
In January, the constituency was the site of a controversy involving PSP and PAP volunteers. PSP alleged that its members were harassed while distributing flyers in Goodview Gardens.
In response, Low claimed that PSP had misrepresented events and stated that a male PAP volunteer was slapped during the altercation. The matter was reported to the police.
TOC understands that the matter is now with the Attorney-General’s Chambers, following the conclusion of police investigations.”
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