Minister Josephine Teo will lead a four-member team to contest Jalan Besar GRC in the upcoming General Election.
Besides Minister Teo, the team comprises incumbent MPs Dr Wan Rizal, Ms Denise Phua and newcomer Shawn Loh, a former senior civil servant.
Minister Teo, who currently serves as Minister for Digital Development and Information and Second Minister for Home Affairs, reaffirmed the team’s commitment to remain “hardworking, helpful and honest” in serving Jalan Besar residents and Singaporeans at large.
Shawn Loh wants to contribute practical ideas to parliament
Joining the team this election is new candidate Shawn Loh, 37. Mr Loh is a former senior civil servant. He is now Deputy Group Managing Director at Commonwealth Capital Group.
Before entering politics, Mr Loh had an extensive career in public service.
He was most recently the director of our national SG60 Budget and oversaw the development of schemes including CDC vouchers, to provide strong support to address cost of living anxieties.
“I believe that he will be an excellent fit with the team here, and he comes with many years of experience, not just in the public sector,” said Minister Teo when she introduced Mr Loh.
Having worked in the public and private sectors, Mr Loh believes his experiences will allow him to contribute practical ideas in parliament.
Indeed, Mr Loh brings with him a rare blend of public policy depth and private sector agility. His policymaking experience will give him a strong foundation to translate national goals into tangible support for residents.
“I have come forward as part of the new generation joining politics to serve and to answer the call to make the Singapore of the future better than the Singapore today,” said Mr Loh.
In addition, being a father of four has made Mr Loh empathetic to the issues facing young families today.
“As a parent myself, balancing work, life, family commitments are a constant struggle. These are some of the issues that I hope to voice out in parliament.”
Heng Chee How, a well-loved MP and an “elder brother”
Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How will not be part of the team contesting Jalan Besar GRC in this next election. He has served in the constituency for 24 years.
Paying tribute to Mr Heng, Minister Teo described the veteran MP as “a complete gentleman” and “fully honourable”. She also called Mr Heng the “elder brother I never had”.
“You can try, but you will never find a nasty bone in him. He has come to be very well-loved by the residents here, and we are going to miss him terribly,” said Minister Teo.
A seasoned and diverse team for Jalan Besar
Jalan Besar residents (and Singaporeans) can rest assured that they have a diverse team of MPs ready to speak up for them.
Minister Teo has used her platform as a minister to push for more digital inclusion and online safety.
She has also spearheaded a five-year master plan to rejuvenate Jalan Besar, a mature estate. The plan includes close to 100 proposed projects and facilities, including new parks and wheelchair-friendly paths to make the neighbourhood greener and more inclusive.
Similarly, MP Denise Phua has long been a prominent advocate for persons with disabilities (PwDs) and at-risk communities. Many of her recommendations to improve the lives of PwDs have made their way into the Enabling Masterplan 2030.
Rounding out the team is MP Dr Wan Rizal, who has often spoken up on mental health and youth development. That has led to him conducting leadership and character-building programmes to uplift at-risk youths in the community.
With compassion and conviction, the Jalan Besar team will continue to deepen engagement with residents and build a community where everyone can thrive.
