GE2025: PAP unveils slate for Tampines GRC, including former army chief David Neo

Sustainable living will continue to be an important factor in how PAP’s Tampines team improves facilities for residents, said Mr Masagos, while unveiling the line-up at a multi-purpose hall in Tampines Street 62.

“Anyone can build a town, but Tampines is a model town. It can only (be) built by a caring community,” he said. 

“When we show that we care for one another in our town and that we are inclusive, no one will be left behind.”

Mr Masagos added that the departure of Ms Cheng was not the only time the team had lost a member in the middle of a term.

“DPM Heng Swee Keat fell sick and was absent for quite some time,” he said. Back when Mr Heng was finance minister, he suffered a stroke during a Cabinet meeting in May 2016, returning to his political duties in August that year.

“Because we have always worked as a team, we assure our residents they will not lose out. We will be there for them, and we double up our work and were present all this time when the MPs were not there, even when Charlene hadn’t come on board,” said Mr Masagos.

Mr Masagos, who is also Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, also called for the Malay-Muslim community to move on from former Nominated MP Calvin Cheng’s recent remarks about a pro-Palestinian activist group.

“In our community, remarks are always made, disagreements can happen,” he said. “We can say it, we can disagree, but we never hurt one another. That’s how we address issues that we may have differences about.”

However, Mr Cheng hurt the community and should not have said such things, including telling people to “take a hike or be given a ticket and never come back”, said Mr Masagos.

“None of us should be told to go away just because we have differences in our opinion. But I hope that we will move on,” he said, noting that key religious leaders had already accepted Mr Cheng’s remorse.

DAVID NEO