GE2025: Tan Cheng Bock, Leong Mun Wai to lead PSP slate in West Coast-Jurong West GRC

Progress Singapore Party (PSP) founder and chairman Tan Cheng Bock will lead a five-member team to contest the newly formed West Coast-Jurong West GRC in the upcoming General Election, joined by party chief Leong Mun Wai and vice-chairperson Hazel Poa. 

The five-member team includes newcomers Sumarleki Amjah, 53, and Sani Ismail, 49.

They will be contesting against a PAP team which will be led by National Development Minister Desmond Lee at the polls. 

Speaking to the media during a media event held at Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre on Sunday (April 20), Dr Tan said that this might be his last election, but quipped that "a politician never dies, we just fade away". 

The party also announced new face Stephanie Tan who will be contesting Pioneer SMC. She will likely face off against PAP's Patrick Tay, who has represented the ward since 2011. 

The 37-year-old Tan, a law graduate from the National University of Singapore, is currently a full-time homemaker devoted to caring for her two children who are in primary school.

Speaking to the media, she expressed her desire to raise awareness about the support available for voluntary caregivers in the community. 

"I think we need to support them better, not just in terms of their financial insecurity issues and retirement inadequacy issues, but also in terms of their mental health and how caregivers face a higher risk of burnout," she added.

PSP had said during the launch of its manifesto and campaign slogan on April 6 that it will be fielding fewer candidates for GE2025, and that they want to be "more focused" in its efforts this time.

Dr Tan, 84, said then that the party will contest the West Coast-Jurong West GRC, Chua Chu Kang GRC and Bukit Gombak SMC.

The party fielded 24 candidates in the 2020 General Election, making it the largest opposition slate then.

Both Leong, 66, and Poa, 54, are incumbent Non-Constituency MPs (NCMPs). Leong was re-elected party chief on March 26 while Poa, who previously held the role, now serves as the party's vice-chairperson.

In its report released in March, the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee recommended that West Coast GRC absorb some estates in Jurong West and Taman Jurong - the latter a PAP stronghold - and be renamed West Coast-Jurong West GRC.

This five-member GRC will have 158,581 voters.

PAP team contesting this GRC

The PAP had on Tuesday (April 15) introduced its candidates who will be contesting this GRC, including political newcomers Cassandra Lee, a 33-year-old lawyer, and orthopaedic surgeon Dr Hamid Razak, 39.

The team will be led by Lee, 48, and joined by incumbent Ang Wei Neng, 58.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Education Shawn Huang, 42, who is currently an MP for Jurong GRC, complete the line up.

In a close contest in the 2020 General Election, the newly formed PSP contested West Coast GRC with a team that included Dr Tan, Leong and Poa, but was defeated by a PAP slate led by then Transport Minister S. Iswaran.

The PAP secured the constituency with the narrowest winning margin of that election, garnering 51.68 per cent of the vote.

Iswaran, who was convicted of five charges including obtaining gifts last year, was placed on home detention as of February this year.

Singaporeans will head to the polls on May 3 to elect 97 MPs across 33 constituencies.

For our GE2025 microsite, visit here.

For more original AsiaOne articles, visit here.