SDP chief Chee Soon Juan to contest Bukit Batok, looks set for rematch with MP Murali Pillai

Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan will contest Bukit Batok in the upcoming general election, setting up a likely rematch with incumbent MP Murali Pillai in the single-member seat.

Dr Chee on Sunday (June 21) handed out flyers during a walkabout at the Bukit Batok West market.

Party members accompanying him were clad in T-shirts with the image of his face printed on them and the words "Chee Soon Juan for Bukit Batok".

Addressing his followers during a livestream on Facebook, Dr Chee pointed to the T-shirts and said: "Like it or not, for the next three weeks, Bukit Batok, you're going to see this face smiling at you."

The SDP secretary-general got 38.8 per cent of the vote against Mr Murali in the 2016 Bukit Batok by-election.

In the past few months, Dr Chee has weighed in on several issues in Bukit Batok.

In November last year, he called on Mr Murali to account for two faulty fire hose reels that could not be used by firemen during a serious blaze on Nov 1, after hearing from residents about the faulty hose reels.

Mr Murali apologised for the faulty hose reels on Nov 15, telling residents that he was accountable to them as their elected representative.

In March, Dr Chee criticised a dinner held by the Bukit Batok Active Ageing Club which Mr Murali had attended. He charged that participants of the dinner were not practising social distancing, thus placing them at risk of contracting the coronavirus.

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Mr Murali later clarified that extra precautionary measures were in place.

According to the Elections Department, 29,950 residents in Bukit Batok are registered to vote as of April 15.

The SDP is expected to announce its slate of candidates for the upcoming election on Wednesday.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.