Keep focus on key issues in PAP manifesto: DPM Heng

Singapore

THE withdrawal of Ivan Lim from the People's Action Party's (PAP) list of candidates for the General Election (GE) is "regrettable", said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Sunday.

What's most important for now, however, is that the ruling party keeps its focus on the key issues set out in its manifesto, and look after the lives, jobs, and future of Singaporeans.

"PAP secretary-general (and Prime Minister) Lee Hsien Loong has already made his stance clear, and you have seen the exchange of letters (between Mr Lee and Mr Lim on Saturday)," said Mr Heng, who is also the ruling party's first assistant secretary-general.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to Sengkang GRC, Mr Heng said Singapore is facing "enormous challenges" ahead and he called for everyone to keep their minds focused on the issues at hand.

"The agenda is not just about the next few months, but about the years ahead. It's our future, and the future of our children. Let us take the right path, and make sure we stand united as a people, to take Singapore and Singaporeans forward," he said.

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Mr Lim - a general manager at Keppel Offshore and Marine and one of 27 new candidates introduced by the PAP last week - withdrew from the GE on Saturday night, after facing a barrage of online criticism regarding his conduct in National Service, among other scathing accusations.

Asked if the party plans to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations levelled at Mr Lim, Mr Heng echoed a point made by PM Lee that there is "no time" at the moment.

"We will deal with those issues like we always do after the General Election, (when we can) do a review," he said during his walkabout in the new Sengkang GRC.

Over at another walkabout in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said Mr Lim had "done the responsible thing" by taking his name out of the hat.

"We don't know whether the allegations are founded or not," he said, adding that the party "does not have any reason" to believe that the allegations are true.

"He recognised the controversy around his candidacy was threatening to eclipse and distract us from the serious nature and the serious issues that we have to confront during this election and during this crisis," said Mr Wong. "It's a very difficult and painful decision for him, but it's a responsible thing that he did."

Mr Wong said the PAP continues to stand by its "rigorous and robust" selection process of its candidates for every election.

"No process is perfect, no candidate is perfect, but we stand by our selection process. It's a selection process that has thrown up many good candidates over many years and in this particular election," he said.

During the two ministers' respective walkabouts, voters and residents in the two constituencies had a much clearer idea of who the ruling party was likely to field on Nomination Day, which takes place on Tuesday.

In Sengkang, the only completely new group representation constituency (GRC) this round, the four candidates are likely to be labour chief Ng Chee Meng, Senior Minister of State for Health and Transport Lam Pin Min, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and Health Amrin Amin, and lawyer Raymond Lye.

Mr Ng is expected to leave Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC where he has served for the past five years, to be the anchor minister of Sengkang GRC. Mr Amrin will cross over from Sembawang GRC, while Mr Lam joins from the single seat ward of Sengkang West. Mr Lye is a first-time candidate.

They are likely to come up against a Workers' Party team led by former MP Lee Li Lian, along with economics professor Jamus Lim, equity research analyst Louis Chua, and Raeesah Khan, the founder of a movement runs programmes to empower women.

Over in Marsiling-Yew Tee, Mr Wong confirmed he would stand for re-election in the same constituency as its anchor minister.

The other three members of the PAP team there are Minister of State for National Development Zaqy Mohamad, backbencher Alex Yam and first-time candidate Hany Soh, a lawyer. Two-term MP Ong Teng Koon makes way and will not be contesting at the GE.

Their likely opponents are from the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), which has not announced its four-member team for Marsiling-Yew Tee yet.

Among the SDP members who have conducted outreach in the constituency are James Gomez, Damanhuri Bin Abas and Bryan Lim.

Speaking at a walkabout in Bukit Batok on Sunday, SDP chief Chee Soon Juan said his party's candidates will only be announced closer to Nomination Day.

Asked for his take on why the opposition parties in general are fielding fewer candidates this year than in previous elections, Dr Chee said the SDP prefers to focus on the quality of the candidates, rather than the quantity.

"You can put up 100 candidates, but if they cannot perform and are not dedicated to the issues in their town council and the estate, or in Parliament, then there's no use," he said.

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