PUTTING NEE Soon GRC residents first, Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam leads a refreshed team which combines experience, expertise and strong ties with residents.
“There is a mix of skills and talents. Two potential [political] office-holders who can perform in helping govern the country as a whole and who also have very good service experience [on the ground], said Minister Shanmugam, introducing the candidates at a Chong Pang press conference to start the week (21 Apr).
“[And] two candidates with a lot of grassroots experience,” he continued.
The two potential political office-holders include Ms Goh Hanyan, who ran the Washington office of the Economic Development Board. There, Ms Goh talked to multinational corporation leaders, persuading them to expand their businesses in Singapore. She also worked at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, refreshing Singapore’s Smart Nation vision so that Singapore can thrive in the digital future.
For Ms Goh, the bread-and-butter concerns of Nee Soon residents are a pressing issue.
“I spent many years working on economic issues, transforming sectors, negotiating with companies and creating good jobs for our people,” she said. “In engaging the residents in Nee Soon, some have raised concerns over cost of living and job insecurity. I hope to bring to bear my experience as the country navigates the shifts and to address these concerns that are real and valid.”
Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi is Nee Soon’s other potential political office-holder. As the first Malay-Muslim psychiatrist in Singapore, he is passionate about improving mental healthcare. He was an ASEAN Youth Fellow in 2023, where he met with other young leaders to nurture partnerships and collaboration within the region.
Dr Syed is a champion of the Malay-Muslim community. He was a former board member of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. Currently, he is the President of Lebaga Biasawa Kenangan Maulud, a charity that disburses bursaries and scholarships to students.
“I’m a board member of the National Youth Council,” shared Dr Syed. “As well as a member of the National Youth Fund Advisory Committee; we contribute a platform towards fulfilling the aspiration of youths in Singapore.”
“[I am] someone who is earnest in wanting to serve my residents, in wanting to serve my community as well as my country,” he added. “It is part of who I am. It is part of my identity, and it is my effort towards a life well-lived.”
An experienced and caring community team for Nee Soon
Source: Jackson Lam, Lee Hui Ying / Facebook
Nee Soon GRC’s other two new candidates are community leaders Mr Jackson Lam and Ms Lee Hui Ying.
“[The] two of them combined have nearly as much experience in Nee Soon as I have,” said Minister Shanmugam, who has served in Chong Pang for 37 years or nearly two generations. “30 years between the two of them. And they are still very young.”
“I’ve been serving the Nee Soon community for the past 12 years,” said Mr Lam, who is a Nee Soon local. “I worked closely with clans, religious organisations, merchants, hawkers, VWOs [Voluntary Welfare Organisations], Grab delivery drivers and of course, residents, bringing different committees together.”
Some of these community-building and resident engagement events for Nee Soon include fitness workshops and Budget 2025 dialogues.
“This is my home. This is where I belong,” said Mr Lau. “If given a chance, I will serve. I will contribute. I will speak more for seniors and SMEs [small and medium enterprises].”
Ms Lee is a longtime grassroots leader who answered the call to serve Nee Soon residents over 15 years ago.
“I spent a large part of my youth growing up in Nee Soon,” she said. “At 19, I started my volunteering journey at an unplanned opportunity where I met Dr Lee Bee Wah, who was then an MP for Nee Soon GRC at a house visit. She invited me to volunteer. And I said ‘Yes.’.”
Ms Lee continued volunteering while she pursued her career across Government ministries, where she is now Director of Communications for the philanthropic Temasek Foundation.
“I’m even more passionate about wanting to build a strong community together for residents,” she said. “In the coming days and weeks, I hope to spend every possible moment with each and every one of you. Introduce myself to you and hope to get your support.”
Bolstering a PAP team dealing with the cost of living and other real issues
Minister Shanmugam highlighted that the PAP has built up Nee Soon’s infrastructure over decades. Nee Soon is now a healthcare hub with polyclinics and a hospital. There is a seven-storey integrated hub coming to Chong Pang and other projects include fitness corners, jacuzzis, upgraded playgrounds and 25 more covered linkways.
“It’s an important part of it,” said the Minister about the estate upgrading. “But more importantly, I would say we’re part of a team. The Government has to deal with very real issues. Jobs. The economy.”
“Young people want to know that when they come out, they will get jobs. People in jobs want to know that their jobs are safe, particularly in the very uncertain economic environment that we have,” he continued. “And we, whether as MPs or office-holders, have a task in helping the Government both understand the ground realities and also help formulate policies that can deal with real issues that people have.”
This is a duty which the PAP takes seriously, both at policy level and in Singapore’s neighbourhoods.
“Cost of living, the rise in prices [are] very, very real issues,” emphasised Minister Shanmugam. “And issue by issue, the Government has always been solving them.”
“No single individual, you know, does anything by himself,” he added. “We are a team, and the five of us are part of a larger team. That’s how we put ourselves forward.”
