SINGAPORE - The Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) had a scare during a walkabout in Pasir Ris on Monday night (June 22) when one of its members felt faint and had to be taken to hospital.
About 45 minutes into the walkabout Mr Harminder Pal Singh, 48, who ran in the last two general elections, could not continue and had to sit down while a party member called for an ambulance.
He was later taken to hospital accompanied by a party member, while the rest of the group carried on with the walkabout. SDA president Desmond Lim Bak Chuan said his team had been keeping late nights as they prepare for the election, sleeping at 3am the past few days. He added that Mr Harminder had leftovers from lunch the day before for dinner.
He told The Straits Times at 10.30pm that Mr Harminder's condition was stable.
During the walkabout, Mr Lim said the SDA would be returning to contest Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC at the next election and that he would be leading the team again.
"I won't run away," Mr Lim, who campaigned alongside Mr Harminder in GE2015, said, even as he did not reveal the other candidates that the party would be fielding.
The party has prepared three sets of candidates to run in the five-member GRC in the upcoming elections, Mr Lim said. Details will be revealed in time, he added.
Mr Lim also said that the SDA would not be running in other constituencies, choosing to focus its campaigning efforts on Pasir Ris-Punggol.
"We would rather concentrate our resources to focus on one constituency that we can actually serve better," he said.
"If we are going to dilute our resources, then, honestly, we will not be able to serve (residents) that well."
Mr Abu Mohamed, the party's secretary-general, was at the walkabout last night as well, together with party members and volunteers. Mr Abu Mohamed and Mr Harminder are understood to be likely candidates for the SDA.
Mr Lim said that the party is better prepared to face the election this time.
Members have been working with charity Willing Hearts to distribute meals to senior citizens living in Pasir Ris, among other districts, in the past five years, he said.
"We have been here almost every day," Mr Lim added.
The SDA lost to the People's Action Party (PAP) in GE2015 when it garnered 27.11 share of the vote. It got 35.21 per cent of the vote in GE2011.
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
