'Ready and happy to make way for party renewal': Amy Khor to retire after 24 years as MP

Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Transport, and Sustainability and the Environment will not be contesting in the coming election — bringing her 24-year political career to an end.

In a Facebook post on Monday (April 14), the 67-year-old MP for Hong Kang North SMC thanked the residents and grassroot volunteers in her constituency, and said she is "ready and happy" to make way for party renewal.

Dr Khor said: "This has been both a very humbling and extremely meaningful journey.

"As I close this very precious and memorable chapter of my life I look forward to the next chapter where I will continue to look for opportunities to serve and contribute to the community to the best of my ability."

Dr Khor was first elected to Parliament in 2001 as part of a five-member People's Action Party slate in Hong Kah GRC, which was later dissolved during the General Election 10 years later. 

Dr Khor, who is trained in real estate valuation, was then the MP for the newly-created Hong Kah North SMC in 2011, winning the seat in three straight General Elections.

Ahead of GE2025, Hong Kah North SMC has been dissolved, with its Tengah estates absorbed by Chua Chu Kang GRC, and the remaining districts — including Bukit Batok West — have been folded into the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.

During a press conference on Monday (April 14) to unveil the PAP slate for Chua Chu Kang GRC and Bukit Gombak SMC, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who helms the GRC, thanked Khor for her years of service.

"She has contributed many years of service to building and sort of bonding with the community in Hong Kah North, and she has done a fantastic job," he said.

Two political newcomers will be part of the PAP's four-member Chua Chu Kang GRC slate.

They are: Dr Choo Pei Ling, an assistant professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology, and former senior civil servant Jeffrey Siow.

Siow, who retired on April 2 after more than two decades in the civil service, is the most senior civil servant to have left for politics ahead of the coming election.

The 46-year-old was most recently second permanent secretary at the Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Before that, he held roles such as managing director of statutory board Enterprise Singapore and principal private secretary to then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Meanwhile, Dr Choo, a neuroscientist and physiotherapist, has been active in the Marine Parade ward under Manpower Minister Tan See Leng since March last year. She was a grassroots adviser for the GRC and has been a community volunteer for more than 20 years.

They will be joined by Gan and incumbent MP Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim. Current MP Don Wee, who entered politics as a first-time candidate in the 2020 General Election, will not be contesting this year.

In the 2020 General Election, the PAP team led by Gan won with 58.64 per cent of the votes against the Progress Singapore Party (PSP).

The PSP has confirmed plans to contest in the constituency of 93,368 voters.

Low Yen Ling to contest Bukit Gombak SMC

In the same press conference, the PAP announced that current Chua Chu Kang GRC MP Low Yen Ling will be contesting in the newly created Bukit Gombak SMC.

The 50-year-old is Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, as well as Trade and Industry, and is also the Mayor of the South West District.

The Bukit Gombak single-seat ward will have 26,364 voters, drawing from the Bukit Gombak and Hillview estates carved out from Chua Chu Kang GRC.

"I am committed to looking after the needs, the welfare, the aspirations and the interests of our Bukit Gombak residents," said Low.

Grace Fu to lead team in Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC

Earlier in the day, the ruling party announced that Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu will lead the PAP's slate for the newly-created Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.

Her five-member team comprises of two other political office holders — Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam, as well as Minister of State for Transport and Law Murali Pillai.

New face David Hoe, 37, and Lee Hong Chuang, 54, who contested the Hougang seat in the 2015 and 2020 elections, complete the team.

Hoe is a former teacher who spent some years in the private sector before taking on his current role in The Majurity Trust, a registered charity that provides advice and grants to other charities, and creates solutions to tackle social issues.

Lee, who works in an information technology multinational corporation, has been a party activist at Teck Ghee branch since 2004 and later served as Hougang branch chairman from 2014 to 2023.

During a press conference at Jurong-Clementi Town Council, Fu said that her "diverse and dedicated team" can offer residents "energy, experience and empathy".

"We never go into an election thinking it is an easy win. Never. Every election is a serious contest for us," she added.

Following the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee’s report in March, opposition party Red Dot United announced its intention to contest Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC. 

Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, which will have a total of 142,510 voters, absorbs Yuhua SMC — which Fu is currently MP of — along with parts of Jurong GRC and Hong Kah North SMC, as well as all of Bukit Batok SMC.

'Homecoming' for Xie Yao Quan in Jurong Central SMC

Jurong GRC MP Xie Yao Quan was also announced as the PAP candidate in the new Jurong Central SMC.

The 40-year-old currently represents the Jurong Central ward where he was elected in 2020.

Jurong Central SMC will have 29,620 voters, drawing 25,668 from Jurong GRC and the rest from Yuhua SMC, which will be dissolved.

Xie said he was previously a community volunteer in the area from 2015 to 2020.

"So this is, in a way, a homecoming for me," he added.

chingshijie@asiaone.com

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