GE2020: PSP unveils 7 more candidates, including SIA pilot, former female SAF officer and Tan Cheng Bock himself

The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has revealed the identity of another six candidates that they will be fielding in the upcoming General Election (GE) during a virtual press conference on Friday (June 26).

The new slate of candidates revealed on Friday are:

• Terence Soon, 29, a pilot with Singapore Airlines (SIA)
• Kala Manickam, 52, a former Singapore Armed Forces officer
• Leong Mun Wai, 65, founder of a venture capital firm
• Jeffrey Khoo, 51, a botanist by training and a marketing professional 
• Lim Cher Hong, 42, a chartered financial consultant.
• Consulting engineer Abdul Rahman Mohamad, 67, who sits on the central executive committee of the PSP

PSP leader Tan Cheng Bock, 80, also confirmed during the last leg of the press conference that he will be the final candidate contesting in this year's general election.

PSP has held three rounds of candidate introductions and unveiled 17 candidates so far. With Friday's announcement, the total number of candidates from the party now stands at 24.

The list omitted Lee Hsien Yang, who was widely speculated to be a possible candidate. But Dr Tan added during the press conference that "in politics, change can happen" and "a switch of candidate is still possible".

At the press conference, Dr Tan also revealed the constituencies that the candidates will be contesting in:

Hong Kah North SMC – Gigene Wong
Pioneer SMC – Lim Cher Hong
Yio Chu Kang SMC – Kayla Low
Marymount SMC – Dr Ang Yong Guan
Kebun Baru SMC – Kumaran Pillai
West Coast GRC – Dr Tan Cheng Bock, Jeffrey Khoo, Hazel Poa, Leong Mun Wai, Loganathan Nadarajah
Nee Soon GRC – Damien Tay, Taufik Supan, Brad Bowyer, Kala Manickam, S. Nalla
Chua Chu Kang GRC - Francis Yuen, Dr Tan Meng Wah, Choo Shaun Ming, Abdul Rahman
Tanjong Pagar GRC – Michael Chua, Harish Pillay, Wendy Low, Terence Soon, Abas Kasmani

Kala Manickam, 52, former Singapore Armed Forces officer

Manickam was among the first batch of female officers integrated in the tri-service where she trained side by side with men and stayed on in the Officer Cadet School as the platoon commander of the Women Wing.

After seven years in the SAF, she moved to the private sector as a learning and development executive, before joining the healthcare industry. In total, Manickam has 30 years of working experience in the areas of human resource management and learning development, and has been an adult educator in these 15 years.

Stressing the importance of having compassion as a politician, she said MPs have to "serve with a heart".

Terence Soon, 29, pilot with Singapore Airlines (SIA)

Prior to joining SIA, Soon was running his own business in the private aviation industry, and is a firm supporter of enterprise and of enabling youths to start their own ventures. 

Speaking at the press conference, the married father of a young daughter said that politics is “not a job”, but “a calling” and was inspired to do more after his wife fell pregnant. 

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Leong Mun Wai, 65, founder of a venture capital firm

The son of a hawker, Leong was a former managing director of OCBC Securities and also a director of Merrill Lynch HK and Investment Officer at GIC (Government of Singapore Investment Corporation).

In a statement to the media, Leong stated that he hopes to push a new economic strategy which "offers more jobs and opportunities to enterprising Singaporeans" and to "lighten the financial burden of all citizens".

Abdul Rahman Mohamad, 67, consulting engineer

An engineer by training, Abdul Rahman started his career with the Singapore Fire Brigade back in 1975 and is currently working with Parsons International as the consulting engineer specialising in fire and life safety audit and design.

Abdul Rahman was also part of the Singapore Democratic Alliance team which contested Tampines in the 2006 election. 

Jeffrey Khoo, 51, chief marketing officer of a multinational corporation

Khoo describes himself as a typical Singaporean and "normal person". Born to Singaporean parents and educated in Singapore, home to him has always been in an HDB estate. 

He expressed hopes in helping middle-aged and qualified Singaporean PMETs who encounter employment challenges secure a suitably salaried job that matches their skills and qualifications.

Lim Cher Hong, 42, chartered financial consultant

Lim hails from the banking and insurance industry and was previously a programme coordinator and trainer for the Silver Generation Office (SGO). 

The father of three feels more needs to be done for the end of life care to ensure that those in the aged community leave with comfort and dignity and hopes for more support to be provided for parents as well as single parents with growing children.

bryanlim@asiaone.com