For the PAP, there will be Members of Parliament who will be stepping down and not contesting in the upcoming elections. As Nomination Day nears, it becomes clearer who are the candidates who will be contesting in the General Elections. Who are the?
Some have served for a term or two. Some have dedicated almost half their lives to public office. See how they have aged.
Here’s the list:
Charles Chong
Mr Charles Chong studied Aircraft Maintenance Engineering at Sydney Technical College on a Qantas Airways scholarship. He obtained his Aircraft Maintenance Engineer’s Licence from the Australian Department of Civil Aviation in 1977.
Mr Chong joined Singapore Airlines (SIA) in 1979 and was posted as a Station Engineer to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Bahrain. During his career with SIA he also served attachments with Boeing at Everitt, USA and Airbus in Tolouse, France, accomplishing quality control inspections on SIA aircraft during factory production.
In 2004, Mr Chong was appointed as a Vice President in SIA Engineering Company. He headed several different divisions, including Quality, Continuing Airworthiness Management and Regulatory Affairs, at different periods from 2004 to 2018.
Mr Charles Chong Youu Fook began his political career in 1988, representing Sembawang GRC till 1991. He went on to serve in Eunos GRC till 1996 before shifting his attention further east to Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC frin 2001 to 2011.
Mr Charles went on to win Joo Chiat SMC from 2011 to 2015 before he went back to Punggol East SMC since 2015. Charles has also been appointed as chairman of the Select Commitee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods.
He is the longest serving PAP back-bencher in Parliament and also served as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament for Singapore, as well as, Acting Speaker when Halimah Yacob quit Parliament to stand for the elected presidency.
Mr Charles Chong announced his retirement from politics on 27th June 2020.
Source: RHT Academy
Chia Shi-Lu
Mr Chia Shi-Lu is an Associate Professor at Singapore General Hospital and specializes in Orthopaedic Surgery.
Dr Chia has been with the Department since 2001. He is trained and have worked in Switzerland, Japan, London (UK) and Boston (USA). His current research interests include arthritis, cartilage.
Mr Chia Shi-Lu served in Tanjong Pagar GRC from 2011 to 2019, with a total of 2 terms. He serves alongside the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
Source: SGH
Goh Chok Tong
Mr Goh Chok Tong needs no introduction. He is the 2nd Prime Minister of Singapore and was in office from 1990 to 2004.He succeeded Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
During his administration, Singapore has experienced several crises:
- Asian Financial Crisis (1997)
- Terrorist Threats (Jemaah Islamiyah)
- Economic Recession (2001-2003)
- SARS Outbreak (2003)
Mr Goh was known to be an open-minded leader and have introduced several major policies:
- Medisave
- Non-Constituency Members of Parliament
- Group Representation Constituency
- Nominated Members of Parliament
- Vehicle Quota System
- Elected President
- Singapore 21
Mr Goh has led the PAP to record breaking electoral results, as high as 75%.
In 2009, he stepped down as Prime Minister and held a new position of Senior Minister. Between 2004 to 2020, he held the following positions:
- Chairman, Monetary Authority of Singapore
- Patron, Institute of Policy Studies
- Emeritus Senior Minister
- Senior Adviser, Monetary Authority of Singapore
- Patron, Singapore University of Technology & Design
- Chairman Emeritus, Marine Parade Branch
- Adviser Emeritus, Marine Parade GROs
- Senior Adviser, The People’s Association
Mr Goh Chok Tong was first elected as MP for Marine Parade SMC in 1976. He has served a whopping 44 years in public office.
Khaw Boon Wan
Mr Khaw Boon Wan first contested in Tanjong Pagar GRC in 2001 and went on to hold the role of Acting Minister for Health in 2003 before he was promoted to a full minister in 2004.
As Minister for Health (2004-2011), he played the key role of combating SARS back in 2003. He also handled the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) scandal and made Mr Gerard Ee the new chairman of the NKF after the resignation of Mr T. T. Durai.
Between 2001 to 2015, he was appointed Minister for National Development primarily for the reason that the public was extremely unhappy with the housing policy.
We can now pause and see what else we can do to bring Build-to-Order (BTO) prices in non-mature estates to, say, around four years of salary as it was before the current property cycle started.
Khaw Boon Wan, March 2016
Build To Order (BTO) flats indeed have fallen in relative prices since Mr Khaw has expressed the view. However, most flats still cost more than 4 years of salary. In total, Mr Khaw introduced 7 rouunds of property cooling measures.
He went on to be the Minister for Transport between 2015 to 2020, during a period when the public transport was experiencing breakdowns.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan seems to have a trend of helming extremely challenging portfolios and is seen as one of the ministers who have gone through trial by fire.
He has served as Member of Parliament since 2001 in Tanjong Pagar GRC before transferring to Sembawang GRC in 2006.
Mr Khaw has served in public office for 19 years.
Lee Bee Wah
Lee Bee Wah is a engineer by training and established LBW Consultants LLP. The firm was acquired by Meinhardt Group in 2014 where she is currently Group Director.
Lee Bee Wah served as MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC from 2006 to 2011 and Nee Soon GRC from 2011 to 2020.
She was also President of Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) from 2008 to 2014.
She is known to be vocal with humorous anecdotes being shared openly in Parliament.
She has served in public office for 14 years.
Lily Neo
Lily Neo is a medical practitioner since 1982. She is self employed and entered politics in 1996 being a MP for Kim Seng within the Kreta Ayer-Tanglin GRC. Subsequently, she went on to serve in Jalan Besar GRC for 3 terms (2001 to 2015) and Tanjong Pagar GRC for 2011.
She has served as Chairperson of the Tanjong Pagar Town Council and also Treasurer for PAP Women’s Wing.
Lily Neo has supported social measures to support the low-income, particularly the elderly and young children.
She has served 24 years in public office.
Ong Teng Koon
Mr Ong Teng Koon is a two-term MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee since 2011.
Honestly, not much is known about him, but you may google him.
He has served in public office for 9 years.
Sam Tan
Tan started his career at the People’s Association (PA). From 1992 to 1997, he was the Deputy Executive Director and subsequently Executive Director in 1997 of the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC).
From 2007 to 2009, he was CEO of Business China.
Mr Sam Tan started his political career in 2006 representing Tanjong Pagar GRC. There were no opposition candidates, resulting in a walkover.
He went on to win in Radin Mas SMC against NSP Yip Yew Meng.
In 2015, he was appointed Minister of State for Manpower.
He has served in public office for 14 years.
Yaacob Ibrahim
Mr Yaacob Ibrahim has been a MP since 1997. He has also held several positions:
- Minister for Communications and Information
- Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs
- Minister-in-charge of Cyber Security
- Minister for Community Development and Sports
- Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
- Minister for the Information, Communications and the Arts
He has represented in Jalan Besar GRC & Moulmein-Kallang GRC.
He stepped down from the Cabinet in 2018.
He has served in public office for 23 years.