THE Reform Party (RP) has given way to allow the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) to contest against the People's Action Party (PAP) in the new Yio Chu Kang SMC, thus avoiding a three-cornered fight there.

At the close of nominations on Tuesday, it was confirmed that PAP is fielding Yip Hon Weng, the former group chief of the Silver Generation Office under the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC). He will go head-to-head with Kayla Low from PSP, a chartered accountant and a fellow member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Mr Yip takes over Yio Chu Kang from Koh Poh Koon, who has been redeployed to Tampines GRC. In a door-stop after the nominations were announced, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Mr Yip is apt for the Yio Chu Kang estate, which has many senior citizens. "It is right up Hon Weng's alley, and I think that he comes with a headstart to understand their needs and work for them."

Asked if he was worried about contesting in an SMC as a single candidate, Mr Yip replied: "It is usually difficult to be a new candidate, but I have been walking the ground over the last few months meeting the residents, and finding out the issues on the ground and helping them through various activities."

His opponent, Kayla Low from the Progress Singapore Party, said that in her campaign, she will be addressing five core issues for Singaporeans, namely job security, cost of living, the ageing leases of public housing in Yio Chu Kang, the Central Provident Fund (CPF) and public spending. On public spending, she wants to ask whether spending on mega infrastructure such as Jewel Changi Airport and the airport's Terminal 5 is really necessary, and whether these funds should be redeployed to better benefit Singaproeans.

Yio Chu Kang SMC was one of four newly created SMCs for the July 10 General Election, the other three being Kebun Baru, Marymount and Punggol West. Yio Chu Kang SMC was carved out from the existing Ang Mo Kio GRC.

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In response to a query from The Business Times on why the Reform Party pulled out of the race, chairman Andy Zhu said: "Despite (PSP) not honouring the gentleman's agreement that Kenneth (Jeyaretnam) had with them, our central executive committee unanimously decided that we should not allow a three-corner fight...In this case, we have decided not to contest Yio Chu Kang, so in this sense we wish them all the best."

For Nomination Day developments and more on Singapore GE2020, go to bt.sg/ge2020