GE2025: PSP set to contest Marymount, Kebun Baru and Pioneer SMCs

The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) will be contesting Marymount, Kebun Baru and Pioneer SMCs in the 2025 General Election, said party leaders on Saturday (April 12) morning.

Speaking to the media prior to a walkabout at Bishan North Shopping Mall, secretary-general Leong Mun Wai said the party has been walking the ground in Marymount and is "confident" in winning the SMC in the upcoming election.

In GE2020, PSP's Dr Ang Yong Guan went up against the People's Action Party's (PAP) Gan Siow Huang in Marymount SMC. It was a close win for Gan, who received 55.04 per cent of the votes against Dr Ang's 44.96 per cent.

Dr Ang, a psychiatrist, was found guilty of professional misconduct and handed a three-year suspension of his medicine licence over prescriptions made to a patient that deviated from guidelines, reported The Straits Times in February.

PSP subsequently said it accepted the court's decision, and that Dr Ang had informed the party that he will not stand in the next general election.

Addressing Dr's Ang absence from the contest, Leong said he is "confident that we will be able to put up an even better result".

"We think that Marymount residents have indicated to us the last (election), that they would consider PSP as a credible alternative in Marymount. So I look forward to a breakthrough this round," the party chief said.

Together with Leong at Saturday's walkabout was PSP member Jeffrey Khoo, who was part of the party's West Coast team in GE2020.

"PSP has never put our eyes away from Marymount," Khoo told reporters. "It’s a place that is close to our hearts and we do hope that Marymount residents will give us an opportunity to serve them in Parliament."

But Leong stressed that the party has yet to decide on the candidate, and will only reveal it on Nomination Day.

Also present at the walkabout were new face Sumarleki Amjah as well as Damien Tay, who had contested in PSP's Nee Soon team in GE2020.

Earlier, Marymount MP Gan had bumped into Leong and the PSP team. They smiled, shook hands and talked for about five minutes before taking a group photo.

Leong later told reporters that him and Gan are "very friendly in Parliament", and that it is "a good feeling" to meet her here.

PSP will also contest again the single seat wards of Pioneer and Kebun Baru, announced party chair Tan Cheng Bock and vice-chair Hazel Poa on Saturday.

Dr Tan was spotted at a walkabout at 652 Jurong West Street 61, together with former candidate Lim Cher Hong new face Stephanie Tan.

Lim contested Pioneer SMC in GE2020 where he garnered 35.24 per cent of the votes in a three-cornered fight losing to the PAP's Patrick Tay who received 61.98 per cent. 

The third candidate then, Cheang Peng Wah, ran as an independent and received 2.78 per cent of the votes.

Hazel Poa at Kebun Baru 

At the same time, NCMP Poa was with her husband Tony Tan at Kebun Baru's Mayflower Market and Food Centre.

She reportedly described Tan as a potential candidate, and also told the media that PSP could decide to field her or Leong in an SMC.

PSP had previously contested Kebun Baru SMC in GE2020 where the party's Kumaran Pillai lost to PAP's Henry Kwek.

PAP won with a vote share of 62.97 per cent while PSP obtained 37.03 per cent of the votes.

Kwek was also spotted engaging with residents at Mayflower Market and Food Centre on Saturday morning.

lim.kewei@asiaone.com

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