SINGAPORE: The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) always has more potential candidates for each general election than space to field them, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said on Saturday (Feb 15).
He was speaking to the media on the sidelines of a walkabout in Khatib, within Nee Soon GRC, where he is the anchor minister.
During the walkabout, Mr Shanmugam interacted with residents at the market there, alongside the other members of the Nee Soon team – Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Mr Louis Ng, Ms Carrie Tan and Mr Derrick Goh.
NEW FACE INTRODUCED
With them was Mr Daniel Liu, the Citizens’ Consultative Committee chairman of Nee Soon East, who will take the helm of PAP’s Paya Lebar branch in opposition-held Aljunied GRC on Monday.
Mr Shanmugam said Mr Liu has been helping out in Nee Soon for about a decade, and was one of the political talents he spotted.
“He’s one of those that I identified, and then I sent him to Louis,” said the minister. Mr Ng is the current member of parliament for the Nee Soon East ward.
“He could easily have stood earlier, but we always have more potential candidates than spaces.”
He said that the 2015 hustings was “too early” for Mr Liu to be considered for candidacy, and that he “might have been considered” for the 2020 contest.
“It doesn’t mean he is confirmed for 2025. The process is still ongoing,” said Mr Shanmugam.
He added that the final decision on Mr Liu’s deployment will be made by the party’s central executive committee.
