Brigadier-General Goh Pei Ming, formerly Chief of Staff – Joint Staff of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), has stepped down from his role, joining a growing wave of senior public sector figures resigning ahead of Singapore’s General Election, which is widely expected to take place in early May 2025.
Goh confirmed to The Straits Times that 31 March was his final day in the SAF, but he declined to comment on his next steps or whether he would be running for political office.
The 42-year-old had concurrently held the positions of SAF inspector-general and chief sustainability officer prior to his departure.
His resignation is part of a broader trend of high-profile exits from the military and civil service, with speculation mounting that many of these individuals may be fielded as candidates in the upcoming polls. No official confirmation has yet been provided regarding Goh’s political plans.
Goh’s military career includes key leadership roles such as director of joint operations, commander of the 3rd Singapore Division, and head of the Joint Plans and Transformation Department.
In 2022, he chaired the National Day Parade organising committee. He also has operational experience from a deployment to Afghanistan.
Beyond his military service, Goh is active in community work, currently serving as chairman of the Kampong Chai Chee Community Club management committee. On 29 March, he launched a public Facebook profile—a move often associated with political readiness.
He is an alumnus of Victoria Junior College, and holds degrees from Cornell University, King’s College London, and Stanford University in the fields of civil engineering, defence studies, and management science respectively.
Goh is now the third former SAF officer linked to a potential political role.
Former brigadier-general Dinesh Vasu Dash resigned as chief executive of the Agency for Integrated Care on 27 March. The Straits Times has reported that he is likely to be fielded in the upcoming election.
Major-General David Neo, who stepped down as Chief of Army on 21 March after nearly 30 years of service, is also being closely watched.
Resignations are not limited to the military. Since February, at least seven high-ranking civil servants have stepped down, adding to the growing list of potential candidates.
These include, as of 25 March, Jeffrey Siow (Second Permanent Secretary for Manpower and Trade and Industry), Shawn Loh (a key figure in recent national budgets), and Goh Hanyan (Smart Nation Strategy Office director).
Earlier, Jasmin Lau (Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Health) and Foo Cexiang (Director for Private and Future Mobility, Ministry of Transport) had also exited public service.
According to CNA, Goh Hanyan was seen attending a Meet-the-People Session at the PAP’s Zhenghua branch on 17 March, a possible sign of ground engagement ahead of GE2025.
In an unprecedented move, two Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs), Raj Joshua Thomas and Syed Harun Alhabsyi, resigned from their seats on 14 February—well before their terms were due to end.
Raj has since confirmed that he has applied to join the People’s Action Party and has expressed willingness to stand as a candidate if selected.
Meanwhile, Syed Harun made a public appearance with Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam on 31 March, further fuelling speculation that he, too, is preparing for a political role.
The wave of resignations has raised questions about the ruling party’s candidate slate and approach to political renewal.
In an interview in Hanoi on 26 March, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong—who is also PAP’s secretary-general—stated that he has been making “a great effort” over the past one to two years to encourage individuals from both public and private sectors to consider entering politics.
He added that he is “glad that some public servants have indicated their willingness,” but emphasised that recruitment extends beyond the civil service.
“We also have candidates from the private and people sectors, from academia and many other areas,” Wong said.
The slate of new candidates has not yet been officially confirmed, but analysts expect more announcements in the coming weeks as the election window narrows.
While the PAP has traditionally drawn from the military and civil service, recent comments by Prime Minister Wong suggest that efforts are under way to diversify candidate backgrounds.
However, the majority of individuals who have recently resigned and are seen as potential candidates still appear to come from the public sector, particularly those with defence or administrative leadership experience.
How this balance ultimately plays out in the party’s final line-up remains to be seen.
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