GE2025: PAP to field ex-army chief David Neo and academic Charlene Chen for Tampines GRC

Ex-army chief David Neo and Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) assistant professor of marketing Charlene Chen will join the People's Action Party (PAP) team to contest Tampines GRC, the party revealed in a press conference on Wednesday (April 16).

Neo and Dr Chen are joined by the constituency's anchor minister Masagos Zulkifli, Baey Yam Keng and Koh Poh Koon, while Desmond Choo will instead be contesting the single-seat Tampines Changkat SMC.

Addressing the media, Social and Family Development Minister Masagos highlighted the success of Tampines as a "model town" under his team's management.

"Ladies and gentlemen, anyone can build a town, but Tampines is a model town," he said, adding that his team aims to be inclusive and build a caring community.

He also said that going forward, the team hopes to focus on delivering on their promises, such as the one they made five years ago to make Tampines an eco-town.

"There may be one, two or three opposition [parties] coming to contest in Tampines... we will not busy ourselves with what may or can happen," he said.

Instead, the team will focus on working together and caring for residents even amid the election, Minister Masagos said.

Neo, who stepped down as army chief in 2022, joined the Singapore Armed Forces in 1996.

He was the founding group chief of the Agency for Integrated Care's Silver Generation Office and programme director of the Pioneer Generation Office.

Dr Chen, who holds a PhD in marketing from Columbia Business School in the US, was introduced by Minister Masagos as a grassroots leader in 2024.

This was after former GRC MP Cheng Li Hui resigned from her post in 2023 following an affair with then Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin.

In GE2020, the PAP received 66.41 per cent of votes over 33.59 per cent for the National Solidarity Party led by Goh Meng Seng.

'Baby-face' as a superpower

Dr Chen introduced herself at the press conference, thanking Tampines residents for taking the time to share their stories with her.

Describing herself as a "classic babyface", the 43-year-old mother of two said that while she may look young, she has "walked several paths".

Aside from teaching and conducting research at NTU, she has also worked as a psychologist in the police force.

"That baby-face — turns out it's a bit of a superpower," she also said. "It helps me connect with young people, especially when I work with them on mental wellbeing or when I encourage them to think deeply, to care about their community and to build a Singapore that they believe in."

Dr Chen added: "I may look young, but I spent my life studying people, serving the community and raising my family here in Singapore."

From C-grade to Chief-grade

Neo shared with media that he didn't have the "greatest start to life" — the 47-year-old lost his mother when he was five and was raised by his relatives.

In his youth, his command of dialect was good but his English and Mandarin were not, and teachers would call him "C-grade", he jokingly stated.

After going through National Service and experiencing the "leave no man behind" culture of the Commandos, he decided to become a soldier, eventually working his way up to become the Chief of Army.

Neo has had almost 30 years of public service spanning across security, technology and social sectors, he said.

"For me, purpose is about doing what I can to help those who didn't have a good start in life," Neo stated.

He also aims to put people first and build relationships with them, "because people don't really care how much you know until they know how much you care".

Neo also hopes to focus on "simple, practical things" that can be done together with residents in Tampines, so that they can build a "caring community".

khooyihang@asiaone.com

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