GE2025: Maliki Osman announces retirement from politics

SINGAPORE: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Mohamad Maliki Osman on Monday (Apr 21) announced his retirement from politics.

This comes after the five-term Member of Parliament (MP) announced that he will not be contesting in East Coast GRC in the coming General Election and that his spot in the constituency will be taken by People’s Action Party (PAP) new face Hazlina Abdul Halim.

“My immediate priority is to ensure a smooth transition and rally support for the East Coast GRC team in the coming GE,” he said in a Facebook post on Monday.

Dr Maliki said that both he and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong agreed that it was a good time for him to “make way for a new candidate and retire from politics” after serving since 2001.

He was elected as an MP for Sembawang GRC in 2001 and 2006, before serving as an MP for East Coast GRC from 2011 to 2020.

Following GE2011, Dr Maliki was appointed Mayor for the South East District. He was promoted to Minister of State for Defence and National Development on Sep 1, 2013 where he served as the chairman of the community improvement projects committee and the private estates upgrading programme.

Following his re-election 2015, Dr Maliki was promoted to Senior Minister of State for Defence and was also concurrently appointed as Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. He also continued as Mayor for the South East District.

He was then promoted to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after he was re-elected in 2020.

“Serving residents in Sembawang GRC, East Coast GRC, and as mayor of Southeast CDC has been a deeply enriching and humbling journey,” he said.

“Thank you, dear residents, for welcoming me into your homes and lives, and allowing me to serve you over the past 24 years. I will always treasure our shared memories.”

Dr Maliki also expressed his gratitude to the grassroots leaders, volunteers, and dedicated staff at the constituency office for their tireless commitment. 

“To our community partners and donors – thank you for your unwavering support towards initiatives that have benefited many,” he added.