The Workers' Party (WP) has won Sengkang GRC with 56.31% of votes over the People's Action Party (PAP) WP received 66,383 votes while PAP received 51,505 votes The WP's team for Sengkang GRC is led by Associate Professor Jamus Lim and includes He Ting Ru and new candidate Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik The PAP's team features Dr Lam Pin Min Associate Professor Elmie Nekmat and Theodora Lai narrowly defeating the PAP which received 47.88 per cent of the vote Sengkang residents have had the “unique advantage” of being served by both the PAP and the WP giving residents a good basis for comparison Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on May 1 as he urged voters to weigh their choices carefully he said: “Who in your heart of hearts do you really want to serve yourself He said that the party’s team were the underdogs in this election and they are ready to make a comeback,” he said said that there were no safe opposition constituencies we promise to serve them from our heart and to represent them faithfully in Parliament.” Sengkang residents put their faith in the WP team for another term For our GE2025 microsite, visit here editor@asiaone.com This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page SINGAPORE: In the speech he delivered after it was clear that the Workers’ Party (WP) slate at Sengkang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) would go on to serve another term in Parliament Jamus Lim said that the team would not rest on its laurels and he promised that they would work harder than ever “We will work on introducing more innovations and improvements to the town and further enhance the way we provide help and support to our residents we will have yours,” he said on polling night as the Sengkang Four—incumbents He Ting Ru and new Member of Parliament (MP)-elect Abdul Muhaimin—took the stage to thank supporters when the team of then-newbies received 52.12% of the votes against a heavily stacked People’s Action Party (PAP) team that included former Senior Minister of State Lam Pin Min Dr Lam is the only PAP candidate who returned to contest again at Sengkang National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng contested at Jalan Kayu SMC this year and won against the WP’s Andre Low by the slimmest of margins the team’s win at the then newly created GRC had been a historic one marking the first time the WP had won two GRCs and substantially expanding the party’s presence in Parliament This year’s gain of vote shares meant the WP solidified its foothold at Sengkang Assoc Prof Lim mentioned Dr Lam in his speech “One of the earliest interactions I had in Sengkang GRC after we won the GRC in 2020 was with a resident at the 350 Anchorvale coffeeshop He was almost in tears when he shared how important Dr Lam had been to the community Team Sengkang has been tirelessly working to fill those shoes and to reward the brave voters of this constituency for their faith in us we must have walked just about every corner of the estate burned many nights and often days drafting letters and appeals for our residents and worked on hundreds of speeches over many weekends as well as the myriad WP volunteers and supporters “Thank you for keeping the flickering flame of an alternative voice alive in Singapore.” /TISG Read also: GE2025: WP keeps Sengkang, winning 56% votes the police shared that the alleged perpetrators are aged between 13 and 20 years old and there were two separate cases where government property was damaged The first incident happened on April 28 at about 10.55pm at an open space that had been designated for use as a polling station Police received a call for assistance at Block 51A Sengkang West Avenue where three wheelchairs belonging to the Elections Department were damaged Officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division established the identities of five persons believed to be involved Preliminary investigations found that they had allegedly used the wheelchairs to race with one another One of them had also allegedly thrown one of the wheelchairs in the air the Police received a call for assistance at Block 176B Boon Lay Drive where a sheltered basketball court had been cordoned off to be used as a polling station Officers from Jurong Police Division have established the identities of eight persons who allegedly damaged one wheelchair belonging to the Elections Department and will take firm and swift action against those who disregard the law or vandalise or cause damage to public property especially during this sensitive period of elections," shared the statement The offence of vandalism under Section 3 of the Vandalism Act carries a fine of up to $2,000 or imprisonment for up to three years and offenders are also liable to caning of between three and eight strokes The People’s Action Party has announced the following team representing the PAP to stand for election at Sengkang Group Representation Constituency (GRC):  The team was introduced today at the PAP Sengkang West branch office where they shared their motivations to step forward and sought the mandate to represent Sengkang residents Bernadette Giam believes that supporting mothers can uplift whole communities enabling future generations of Singaporeans to thrive Bernadette’s passion for service and community work was deeply influenced by her grandmother – a hawker who balanced raising a family while running a small business she believes women can make a significant difference in their families Bernadette has dedicated time towards uplifting women through her volunteering with the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO) and St she led the inaugural ‘All Things Nice’ initiative in collaboration with several PAP branches empowering 300 young women with pre-loved corporate attire and valuable programming support from women-led SMEs Bernadette also advocates for young mothers and believes every child should have a good start she helmed a pioneering preschool outreach bringing together local preschools to foster community bonding Creating more opportunities for intergenerational connections within the community is something she is passionate about too with the belief that this would strengthen families and uphold dignity for our seniors Bernadette is a Director at Creative Eateries where she oversees strategic initiatives and business development She has been an Executive Committee member of the Association of Catering Professionals Singapore (ACAPS) since 2016 and of the Young Business Leaders Network (YBLN) under the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) since 2022 She has also served on the Nanyang Polytechnic Business Management Advisory Committee since 2016 Bernadette loves exploring the outdoors with her children and enjoying a cup of coffee with her husband Dr Elmie Nekmat is an Associate Professor with tenure at the National University of Singapore (NUS) He is currently the Vice Dean of Students at the NUS and was previously the Assistant Dean for Research at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Deputy Head of Department for Communications and New Media at the NUS He was the recipient of the NUS Overseas Graduate Scholarship for his Ph.D (2011) and the NUS Postdoctoral Fellowship (2014) for his research and studies on digital-networked communication new media literacy and online information evaluation Protecting our children and seniors from the harms associated with digital devices and social media use is a cause that he feels strongly about Dr Elmie advocates for a safer and more inclusive digital media environment for all Singaporeans he had served on the Global Future Council for Media Entertainment and Sport at the World Economic Forum and as chairperson for the NLB’s Digital Services and Experiences Committee He currently serves on the Media Literacy Council and the Digital For Life Steering Committee in IMDA to promote and aid policy making related to digital safety and literacy Being an educator at a local university for the past 15 years has enabled him to deeply understand the concerns dreams and aspirations of our youths and young Singaporeans Dr Elmie pushes for all Singaporeans to achieve social mobility career progression and success not only in terms of academic results but also based on their interests talents as well as physical and mental capabilities He believes in the importance of promoting better mental health and psychological wellbeing in society through sports active living and balancing work with quality family life he contributes actively on the Advisory Panel on Parenting in MSF and the SportsSG Board and as former council member for Ngee Ann Polytechnic As an advocate for the Malay language and community Dr Elmie advises as member of the Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee in MOE as vice-chairperson for the Malay Programmes Advisory Committee in IMDA and as a steering committee member for the former Community Leaders Forum Leadership and Benefactor Scheme at Yayasan Mendaki Dr Elmie served his National Service in the Singapore Police Force – as a staff officer in the Criminal Investigation Department before moving to the Clementi Police Division as Deputy Superintendent of Police (NS) for his reservist He received the Best in Platoon Award for his Basic Military Training in Pulau Tekong Dr Elmie enjoys reading and spending quality time with his wife and four daughters during his free time He is an avid cyclist and cycles regularly at park connectors around the island and participates in local mountain bike races to keep active Being a grandson of a satay seller and son of a canteen operator he enjoys his local food and delicacies a lot Dr Lam Pin Min was elected as the Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC (2006-2011) and subsequently Sengkang West SMC (2011-2020) He also served as Senior Minister of State for Health and Transport (2017–2020) and Minister of State for Health (2014-2017) Dr Lam continued to serve as the Grassroots Adviser to Sengkang Grassroots Organisations and Chairman of PAP Sengkang Branch Being trained as a paediatric ophthalmologist Dr Lam returned to full time clinical practice as the CEO and Director of Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus Service at Eagle Eye Centre Dr Lam remained active on the ground in Sengkang GRC he continues to work hard to win back the support and trust of Sengkang residents He is married with 2 daughters and is known for his love for animals Theodora Lai cares about uplifting mothers and supporting those in the community who carry heavy caregiving responsibilities She has been an active community volunteer since 2009 driving many community service projects across Singapore through outreach education and help for youths and disadvantaged families where she presently serves as the Branch Chair of Sengkang North Theodora recently led an electric breast pump giveaway project to lighten the load on young mothers in her ward as well as a mobile supermarket and first aid kit replenishment drive for families Theodora holds the position of Partner and Co-Founder at a deep tech venture builder She is the founding member and past Chairperson of the Young Women’s Leadership Connection (YWLC) – a network which aims to empower and connect young women leaders a Chinese language learning app to encourage bilingualism in young learners she has served as former Chairperson of the PAP Policy Forum (2018-2020) she enjoys seeking out different parks and playgrounds with her husband and children COPYRIGHT © PEOPLE'S ACTION PARTY.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PUBLISHED BY AND UNDER THE DIRECTION OFAND PAID FOR BY THE PEOPLE’S ACTION PARTY SINGAPORE: The Workers’ Party (WP) slate at Sengkang GRC 49; together with new candidate Abdul Muhaimin and Assoc Prof Lim teaches at ESSEC Business School MP-elect Mr Muhaimin is a senior property manager for the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council he was a platoon commander with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) The team defeated candidates from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) led by physician Lam Pin Min food and beverage company director Bernadette Giam venture capital firm co-founder Theodora Lai an Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore the then newly created constituency of Sengkang was narrowly won by the slate from WP which received 52.12 per cent of the votes which means the party has gained over 4 percentage points this time around The victory in 2020 gave the opposition party its second group representation constituency (GRC) and came as a shock to many as the newbie WP slate won against a heavily stacked People’s Action Party (PAP) team which had National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Amrin Amin The WP’s win also meant that there would be 10 elected opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) and WP chief Pritam Singh was formally designated as Leader of the Opposition after the party’s historic win Since then, however, the WP suffered a blow with the resignation of former Sengkang MP Raeesah Khan amid a scandal, although the remaining WP MPs, He Ting Ru, Jamus Lim, and Louis Chua, have been popular on the ground and are perceived to be doing good work Read related: WP’s master plan for Sengkang plan ‘sets the stage for the next lap’ who has been active on the ground in Sengkang over the past few years is contesting at Jalan Kayu SMC against the WP’s Andre Low Although the PAP will continue to remain in power in the coming five years this year’s General Election has largely been perceived to be a test of how much ground the opposition will gain It has also been seen as a test for Prime Minister Lawrence Wong The increased cost of living in one of the most expensive cities in the world was widely reported to be the issue that was foremost in voters’ minds in the run-up to this year’s polls and support for the opposition appeared to be on the rise Read also: Residents tell WP’s Jamus Lim that ‘the electric atmosphere at rallies gets them excited about voting’ a former Senior Minister of State who was part of the losing People's Action Party team for Sengkang GRC in the 2020 election described himself as the "underdog" in the upcoming contest for the opposition-held ward PAP's Sengkang GRC candidate Lam Pin Min speaking to the crowd during the rally at Fern Green Primary School on Apr 27 SINGAPORE: Coming back to contest in Sengkang GRC was a “tough decision” said People’s Action Party (PAP) team lead Lam Pin Min who lost to the Workers’ Party (WP) team in the previous election “But something kept pulling me back to Sengkang chatting with residents at the coffee shops I cherish the friendships and bonds we built over 14 years of working together,” said Dr Lam Speaking at the ruling party’s Jalan Kayu rally on Sunday (Apr 27) at Fern Green Primary School is the only member left from the PAP’s GE2020 Sengkang team The rest of the PAP’s four-member team for Sengkang GRC are all political newcomers: Ms Bernadette Giam Ms Theodora Lai and Associate Professor Elmie Nekmat He said he decided to run again with the support of his family who accepted that he would be “spending many late nights out again” and would face the risk of another defeat Describing himself as the “underdog” in the fight for the opposition-held ward but I never lost my determination to fight for you.” an ophthalmologist who was elected as a Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio in 2006 and represented Sengkang West SMC from 2011 to 2020 said he respected the vote of Sengkang residents five years ago and returned to private life after his electoral defeat he faces a WP team made up of incumbents He Ting Ru Jamus Lim and new candidate Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik Also speaking at Sunday's rally was Dr Lam’s former running mate Ng Chee Meng, the PAP candidate for Jalan Kayu that was carved out of Ang Mo Kio GRC after the latest electoral boundaries review the labour chief who led PAP’s bid for Sengkang GRC in 2020 Dr Lam said: “I believe Mr Ng Chee Meng will continue to serve Jalan Kayu residents and make it an even better place for all." Dr Lam then hit back at the opposition’s “buy one get one free narrative” referring to the idea that residents would benefit from voting in an opposition team as the losing PAP team would still serve as the grassroots adviser and the branch chairman but still expect the losing PAP candidate to deliver the services – like a one-for-one deal.’ Do you believe in that?” said Dr Lam He added that a "more absurd” new narrative of “buy one get two free” had emerged referring to the idea that if an opposition party was elected the PAP would work doubly hard through its grassroots adviser and branch chairman Referencing a phrase he had also said at his team's slate introduction Dr Lam said "one plus one can end up being less than one” as this may lead to poor coordination conflicting policies or misaligned incentives which he said was “often the case” in constituencies represented by opposing political parties the “real deal” would be to vote for the PAP candidate who would ensure an effective town council management while residents could still benefit from opposition voices in Parliament through the non-constituency MP scheme "This is the one plus one plus one plus one deal this approach achieves the best of both worlds a strategic balance between competent constituency management and a diverse parliamentary voice – a true political sweet spot." Dr Lam said that Sengkang had come a long way from the “early days of mud paths and sparse amenities” to a vibrant estate today there is still a long road ahead to fully realise the dream we have started,” said Dr Lam He added that he had unfinished plans and new dreams that he had yet to achieve for Sengkang GRC that he would like to see through if he is elected Speaking to the media on earlier occasions, Dr Lam has reiterated that his new team, with a lower average age of 43 would bring fresh perspectives to address the concerns of younger families but today I’m coming back with even more determination and humility,” Dr Lam said on Sunday A second chance for me to come back to serve you with all my heart.” Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with CNA to be fast Upgraded but still having issues? Contact us The slate includes three new faces who have yet to contest in a General Election the former MP of Sengkang West SMC for two terms The PAP slate of candidates for Sengkang GRC (from left) Assoc Prof Elmie Nekmat Dr Lam Pin Min and Mrs Bernadette Giam pose for a photograph at PAP's Sengkang West Branch on Apr 13 SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) on Sunday (Apr 13) formally announced its slate of four candidates who will be contesting in the Workers’ Party-held Sengkang GRC in the upcoming General Elections They are: former senior minister of state Lam Pin Min 56; National University of Singapore (NUS) lecturer Elmie Nekmat 43; partner at deep tech venture Theodora Lai Xi Yi the ruling party also unveiled its candidates for two other opposition-held wards on the second day of slate announcements over the weekend Team leader Lam led the introductions at the PAP's Sengkang West branch which is located at Block 303A Anchorvale Link "Our team has an average age of 43 with equal gender representation Though we come from different professional backgrounds we share the same passion to serve Sengkang residents and to win back their trust," he said "A vote for our team means experienced leadership and a steadfast commitment to Sengkang's progress." an ophthalmologist and chief executive officer of Eagle Eye Centre was previously in the Sengkang GRC team representing the ruling party for the 2020 General Election The 2020 team had also included labour chief Ng Chee Meng Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and Health Amrin Amin The WP eventually defeated the PAP with 52.12 per cent of the vote The ruling party garnered 47.88 per cent in the GRC I remain committed to serving residents as a grassroots advisor and branch chairman of Sengkang West Branch." Dr Lam made his political debut in 2006 as part of a five-member PAP team contesting in Ang Mo Kio GRC and later won the single-member seat in Sengkang West in 2011 as well as in 2015 He was the Senior Minister of State for Health and Transport from 2017 to 2020 and is presently a grassroots adviser in Sengkang Dr Lam will be the only member from the previous team to contest in the coming polls He was also co-opted to the PAP’s Central Executive Committee in 2024 The committee is the party’s top decision-making body The three others introduced on Sunday have no previous experience standing in a General Election. They are among roughly 30 new candidates to be fielded by the PAP in the coming contest, its largest slate of new faces in recent history Assoc Prof Elmie teaches communications and new media in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the National University of Singapore He sits on a number of boards and councils the National Library Board and the Media Literacy Council He is also an adviser to the ruling party's youth wing Young PAP and is also assistant secretary in the party's Malay Affairs Bureau Dr Elmie said that given Sengkang's demographic of families with young children and ageing parents creating a safer digital environment is at the forefront of his concerns I will push for stronger government policies and will promote more programmes in Sengkang to help create a safer digital environment as well as a brighter future for our seniors and our children," said Dr Elmie she started out as a party activist in 2009 and was chairperson of the PAP Policy Forum from 2019 to 2020 Ms Lai is a partner and the co-founder at a venture capital firm She is also principal at private equity firm Tembusu Partners She is also the founding member and past chairperson of the Young Women's Leadership Connection – a network which aims to empower and connect young women leaders She said her experience managing the many challenges of early-stage companies and start-ups "from zero to one" would be helpful in Sengkang scanning the horizon and identifying the right opportunities and pivots if necessary," said Ms Lai "I want Sengkang residents to know that I'm always in their corner A newcomer to politics compared with the others, Mrs Giam is presently a director at Creative Eateries a local food and beverage enterprise that includes a diverse list of brands She was appointed branch chairperson of the ruling party's Sengkang East division on Jan 23 replacing communications professional Marcus Loh Mrs Giam served on the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations' Women's Register from 2016 to 2022 and has been a member of Nanyang Polytechnic's Business Management Advisory Committee since 2016 She has also served on the Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) Business Management Advisory Committee since 2016 as well as the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (CHIJ) Alumni Association The four-member constituency did not exist before the General Election 2020 It was formed ahead of the polls by combining parts of the former Sengkang West Single Member Constituency (SMC) WP won the constituency in 2020 with its team comprising lawyer He Ting Ru social activist Raeesah Khan and associate professor of economics Jamus Lim Sengkang has a relatively younger population compared with the national average Over half of its residents are under 40 years old No changes were made to the constituency's boundaries in last month's report by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee Ms Khan later resigned from WP and her position as MP for Sengkang GRC in Nov 2021 after admitting to making unsubstantiated allegations in parliament on multiple occasions Last week, the Sengkang GRC MPs announced details of their new five-year master plan for the constituency where residents can expect new community spaces and enhanced features in their town The next General Election must be held by Nov 23 this year following the release of the country's revised electoral map last month When asked about the one-plus-one narrative in opposition wards Dr Lam said: "I believe one plus one may not necessarily be two Dr Lam was referring to the idea in opposition wards where if residents vote for the opposition the losing PAP team would then serve as a grassroots leader and branch advisor then the outcome may not necessarily be better," said Dr Lam Responding to a question about whether the Sengkang slate should include a political heavyweight like a minister Dr Lam said it is more about the "right person with the right heart" Dr Elmie agreed with Dr Lam that it would "not be easy" and said that after serving for four to five years his confidence is "strong" and that he hopes the Sengkang residents see the team's sincerity "I think we are under no delusion that winning back Sengkang GRC will be easy," said Dr Lam "No matter how difficult the journey may be or what the chances will be I think one thing we are very sure of is that we are very determined to try to win it (Sengkang) back." The People’s Action Party (PAP) held a rally for Sengkang GRC at North Vista Secondary School on Thursday (May 1) along with newcomer Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik They will go head-to-head with a People's Action Party (PAP) team led by Dr Lam Pin Min the only candidate retained from its Sengkang 2020 slate He will be joined by three other team members making their political debut: 39-year-old Theodora Lai a principal at private equity firm Tembusu Partners; Associate Professor Elmie Nekmat who teaches communications and new media; and Bernadette Giam a director at local food and beverage enterprise Creative Eateries The four-member Sengkang GRC will be closely watched given it is only Singapore's second opposition-held GRC Speaking to reporters at an interview following the confirmation of WP's candidacy as they're simply continuing the work that they've been doing all along "I think we've been actually putting in a lot of effort a lot of ground work and also parliamentary work for the last five years," she added we're also going [to meet] as many residents as possible."  Addressing supporters following the confirmation of his team's candidacy Dr Lam said: "For the past four to five years my team has work hard to earn back your trust We want to work with you to improve your lives in Sengkang." WP first won Sengkang GRC in 2020 in an upset for the PAP that resulted in the departure of three political officeholders including then minister in the Prime Minister's Office Ng Chee Meng and Senior Minister of State for Health and Transport Lam the opposition's party team of fresh faces — He Chua and Raeesah Khan — won the new constituency with 52.12 per cent of the vote there will be 126,641 voters in Sengkang GRC where their electoral boundaries are unchanged The WP slate is unchanged save for new face Abdul Muhaimin replacing former MP Raeesah Khan; while for the PAP Dr Lam Pin Min is the only member left from the 2020 lineup The Workers' Party team in Sengkang GRC (top) Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik and Associate Professor Jamus Lim; will face a team from the People's Action Party (bottom) comprising (left to right) Ms Bernadette Giam SINGAPORE: The incumbent Workers’ Party (WP) team in Sengkang GRC will face a People’s Action Party (PAP) team made up of mostly new faces and led by Dr Lam Pin Min Candidates from both parties successfully filed their nomination papers at Yusof Ishak Secondary School on Wednesday (Apr 23) The Workers’ Party team is made up of Ms He Ting Ru, Mr Louis Chua, Associate Professor Jamus Lim and new candidate Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik a senior property manager in Aljunied-Hougang Town Council replaces former Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan who resigned in 2021 after admitting to lying in parliament They will defend Sengkang GRC against a refreshed PAP slate The other members are Ms Bernadette Giam and its boundaries remain unchanged since the last election In a short speech after the WP team's confirmed candidacy Ms He said: "It has been a privilege to serve as your representatives in parliament where we have fought for issues that matter to you and to Singapore "The Workers' Party team have been honoured to share in your joy and your fears; but the journey does not end here so that we may continue working for Sengkang." Dr Lam meanwhile said: "For the past four years we have worked hard to earn back your trust In 2020, the PAP team was led by labour chief Ng Chee Meng, Dr Lam, Mr Amrin Amin and lawyer Raymond Lye. Mr Amrin and Mr Lye will not contest this election, while Mr Ng will stand in a Single Member Constituency - Jalan Kayu The WP’s upset win then - by 52.12 per cent - was the second-closest result in that General Election and made Sengkang just the second-ever GRC to be won by an opposition party It also led to four more WP MPs in parliament and a more substantial opposition presence prompting then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to name WP chief Pritam Singh as Leader of the Opposition The Workers’ Party held a rally for Sengkang GRC at a field along Anchorvale Crescent next to The Vale condominium on Thursday (Apr 24) The People’s Action Party team in Sengkang GRC has identified youth and seniors engagement and connectivity for multi-generational families as key issues to address in the constituency (Left to right) People's Action Party members Elmie Nekmat speak to a couple at a market in Sengkang on Apr 20 SINGAPORE: While the coming General Election will be a tough fight for the People’s Action Party (PAP) across the country it will be more so in wards where the party is not the incumbent Dr Lam, who will lead the PAP slate in Sengkang GRC into the May 3 polls was speaking to the media before a team walkabout at Kopitiam Square we understand that every election will be a tough fight and we will not want to take anything for granted,” he said We do not have the resources of the town council,” noted Dr Lam who was a senior minister of state before losing in Sengkang GRC in 2020 He is adviser to Sengkang Grassroots Organisations and the chairman of PAP's Sengkang West branch you're always facing more challenges compared to somebody who is an incumbent in the GRC.” Joining Dr Lam on the four-member line-up were new faces Bernadette Giam Dr Lam added that every candidate will have to “really put in their hearts and minds to make sure that we can win over the trust of our voters” He said his team has observed how the incumbent Workers’ Party team – currently comprising Ms He Ting Ru Associate Professor Jamus Lim and Mr Louis Chua – have served in Sengkang “We are also in no delusion that it is going to be very easy for us (We have) to do our best to give them a good fight so that we can give the hope that we can win the hearts and minds of Sengkang voters to be able to wrest back Sengkang from the Workers’ Party,” said Dr Lam brings fresh perspectives to address the concerns of younger families I think there are avenues for us to work on projects locally as well,” said team member Ms Lai The partner at a deep tech venture shared that in her experience working with youths that they have broken the common perception that “they are generally on devices” Citing the example of a session she organised bringing young women together for a conversation Ms Lai said that participants managed to forge friendships that extended into real-world connections “They found that they could relate to each other and each of them had paths that were slightly different from theirs She said that there could be more of such efforts in Sengkang to pull youths out from their homes and get together in real life whether through volunteering for a cause or simply having conversations we are really going to be focusing on the local issues because we believe that the local issues are the ones that make a very direct impact on the residents’ lives,” said Mrs Giam She shared that her Sengkang East branch previously organised a mentorship programme and also a personal branding and public speaking workshop for youths She added that residents on the other end of the age spectrum are also a focus area for the team “What I’m also seeing in the elderly residents in my visits is that there are a lot of wishes for more activities in their vicinity to keep them engaged and to give them healthy retirement lives,” said Mrs Giam and spaces and infrastructure that the elderly can use to gather and mingle Mrs Giam added that the PAP team hopes “to be able to work ahead of time to create this infrastructure” to help the ageing population in Sengkang Dr Elmie also called for better connectivity for multi-generational families living separately in Sengkang and the surrounding areas Dr Lam also noted that the Anchor Village Hawker Centre which was planned many years ago after discussions with the authorities and was opened in mid-2024 is another amenity which has benefited residents there The four-member constituency did not exist before the 2020 General Election Punggol East SMC and parts of Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC WP won the constituency in 2020 with the team comprising Ms He Assoc Prof Lim and social activist Raeesah Khan Ms Khan later resigned from the WP and her position as MP for Sengkang GRC in November 2021 No changes were made to the constituency's boundaries in the latest Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report including the Workers' Party (WP) rally for Sengkang GRC Despite the less-than-ideal conditions at Anchorvale Crescent thousands of rally-goers showed up for the event Some even began trudging onto the field nearly two hours before the first speaker WP veteran and East Coast GRC candidate Yee Jenn Jong Instead of bemoaning the fact that their shoes were caked in mud supporters appeared to embrace it as a symbol of solidarity In a Facebook album published by the party on April 25 The series of photos showed shoes in all colours and sizes covered in dirt and grime a supporter flaunted their white Feiyue sneakers which were half brown One supporter also snapped a photo of themself standing alongside others in a patch of muddy grass the crowd — numbering in the thousands — spilled onto the pavements beyond the field After police announced that only residents will be allowed entry into Anchorvale Crescent WP secretary-general Pritam Singh requested the crowd to not block the roads nearby and stay inside the field During the rally, Singh said that Singaporeans cannot be passive citizens and must be active participants in the country's democracy The 48-year-old used the "fighters" of Hougang as an example to make his point and said: "They did not become fighters by choice they had the iron in their spine to vote for the Workers' Party."  For our GE2025 microsite, visit here