PUBLISHED ONMarch 29, 2025 8:55 AMByAmierul RashidJackson Lam, who is the former People's Action Party (PAP) branch chairman in Hougang SMC, will be an asset to the party, government and Parliament should he run in the upcoming General Election, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Saturday (March 29).
Shanmugam was speaking at an event in Nee Soon GRC, for which he is also a Member of Parliament (MP), and described Lam as being "very good on the ground".
The minister added: "I would love to see him contest the elections."
Shanmugam was speaking to the media on the sidelines of a community pop-up event by DBS Foundation. Lam, 40, was also at the event.
When asked if Lam would contest in Nee Soon, he responded: "Well, from anywhere, he will be an asset to the party, to the government and Parliament, wherever he contests from.
"Where he contests, and whether he contests, you have to wait and see."
Apart from Shanmugam, Nee Soon GRC MPs Carrie Tan and Louis Ng were also present and were seen engaging with beneficiaries.
As part of the event, DBS Foundation launched a $7.3 million initiative as part of efforts to support vulnerable seniors' physical and social well-being, as well as their health.
From June 2025, it will reach out to 6,000 vulnerable seniors across 12 ageing towns over two years, providing twice-weekly meals, monthly bonding and enrichment activities, and quarterly grocery shopping trips.
The event, which was the final leg of 38 pop-up markets held over the last seven months, saw beneficiaries select around $100 worth of groceries and everyday essentials for free, while also picking up practical tips on financial planning and nutrition.
Apart from Lam, there have been a number of new faces spotted at Nee Soon constituency events recently.
Among them is Deryne Sim, a 40-year-old intellectual-property lawyer, who was also present at the DBS pop-up event, though she noted to the media that she was there as a volunteer.
Others include former nominated MP Syed Harun Alhabsyi, 39, who was not present.
Also spotted at the event was Nadia Ahmad Samdin, an Ang Mo Kio GRC MP, who was there in DBS colours. She is currently an employee at the bank.
When asked by reporters about the presence of Lam, Sim and Nadia, Shanmugam clarified that "some of them clearly are not candidates".
"All of them other than Nadia are volunteers with my branch or the other branches in this area," the minister said. "You mustn't jump to conclusions that if you see a face, they are automatically candidates."
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