Is Dr Choo Pei Ling poised to replace Tan Chuan-Jin in Marine Parade GRC for next GE?

SINGAPORE: Dr Choo Pei Ling  (朱佩玲), a Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) faculty member has recently been actively engaged alongside Members of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC, prompting speculation about her potential candidacy for the next General Election under the People’s Action Party (PAP).

There is speculation that she may be considered as a replacement for Tan Chuan-Jin, the former Parliament Speaker and ex-MP for Marine Parade GRC.

Tan, along with fellow PAP MP Cheng Li Hui, resigned from their positions on 17 July 2023, following revelations of an extramarital affair despite repeated advisements against it. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong formally announced this affair, which began before the 2020 General Election, and their subsequent resignations.

During the 50th anniversary event of the Marine Parade estate on 13 April, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong emphasized that the future of the Marine Parade estate relies on the leadership of Manpower Minister Tan See Leng and the estate’s grassroots leaders.

He also highlighted Dr Choo Pei Ling as a new grassroots leader symbolizing both the “present and the future”.

“The baton has been passed,” the former Marine Parade MP said.

Ms. Choo serves as an Assistant Professor with the Health and Social Sciences Cluster at SIT.

As a neuroscientist and physiotherapist specializing in neurological rehabilitation, her expertise is endorsed by the Singapore Physiotherapy Association (SPA).

Beyond her academic role, she actively engages in grassroots activities, serving as the chairwoman of the Young PAP in Marine Parade and as a member of the Marine Parade Citizens’ Consultative Committee.

Recent months have seen her participating in grassroots events alongside Dr Tan, including a walkabout with other Marine Parade GRC MPs like Edwin Tong and Seah Kian Peng on 24 March, as shared in a Facebook post by Dr Tan.

WP potentially fields Senior Counsel Harpreet Singh to challenge PAP’s Marine Parade stronghold

Meanwhile, earlier reports suggest that the Workers’ Party (WP) is ramping up its grassroots endeavours in Marine Parade GRC.

The party is known for its “all-out” approach to grassroots engagement, often featuring a strong presence of top WP leaders.

This includes WP Chief Pritam Singh, Chairman Sylvia Lim, and occasionally the highly esteemed WP veteran Low Thia Khiang. These leaders personally walk the ground to engage with residents, reflecting the party’s commitment to direct interaction and connection with the community.

As far back as August of last year, Senior Counsel Harpreet Singh was spotted clad in a blue shirt, actively engaging with residents in Marine Parade alongside the WP team.

By November, he was seen sporting the WP uniform and distributing the Hammer newsletter to residents, further igniting speculation regarding his potential candidacy and role within the team preparing to contest in Marine Parade GRC.

Mr Singh’s stance on crucial Singaporean issues

Mr Harpreet Singh has been actively vocal about issues of significant interest to the people of Singapore.

These encompass the high-profile case of former domestic worker Parti Liyani, and the policies concerning migrant workers’ dormitories during the pandemic COVID-19, and he has also penned several strongly worded articles addressing recent controversies in the past few months.

He questioned the decision of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) not to prosecute six former senior management members of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (KOM).

Furthermore, he commented on alleged violations of the Ministerial Code of Conduct by two Singaporean ministers in relation to their leasing of properties in the Ridout Road area.

WP’s chances at Marine Parade GRC

Mr Harpreet Singh’s involvement with the WP team for the upcoming General Election in Marine Parade GRC is viewed by some supporters as a potential ‘game changer,’ especially following Mr Tan Chuan-Jin’s resignation in July this year.

In the 2020 General Election, the WP team for Marine Parade GRC consisted of Nathaniel Koh, Mr Muhammad Fadli Mohammed Fawzi, former Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong, Ron Tan Jun Yen (a senior assistant manager at the National University Health System Research Office), and small business owner Muhammad Azhar Abdul Latip.

The PAP team, led by Tan Chuan-Jin, won the GRC with 57.76% of the votes, signifying a 6.31% percentage drop from 64.07% in GE2015.

The PAP team also included Edwin Tong, Seah Kian Peng, Dr Tan See Leng, and Fahmi Aliman, with two members holding ministerial portfolios.

WP garnered 42.24 per cent of the votes. A total of 74,993 votes went to the PAP while 54,850 went to the WP in the Marine Parade GRC.

Speculation suggests that in the aftermath of an extramarital affair scandal involving  Tan Chuan-Jin and Cheng Li Hui, the former Transport Minister S Iswaran corruption charges and the Ridout Road controversy involving Ministers K Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan, alternative parties might have an increased likelihood of challenging PAP strongholds.

Of notable importance is the prevailing group sentiment regarding concerns about the cost of living, inflation, housing, and job insecurity, which significantly influences the ground-level support for the ruling party.

In a recent interview with Rice Media, ex-PAP MP Inderjit Singh warned that the Workers’ Party, with strong candidates, could pose a significant challenge to the PAP’s electoral success.

Last Monday (15 April), Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) officially announced PM Lee Hsien Loong’s decision to step down, with DPM Wong slated to succeed him on 15 May 2024.

Mr Wong is expected to lead the ruling PAP into the upcoming elections slated for November 2025.

As speculation about the timing of the next GE grows, sources suggest it might be strategically held in September, potentially aligning with cash handouts from Budget 2024 and before major elections in the United States and the United Kingdom in November.

In response to the PAP’s dominant 2/3 majority in Parliament, Singapore’s political landscape has witnessed increased manoeuvring,  intensifying grassroots outreach efforts, and witnessing alternative parties forming political alliances — both formal and informal — to contest in the upcoming GE.

Earlier, WP Chief Pritam Singh reiterated the party’s medium-term objective of securing at least one-third of Parliament not under the control of the PAP. He emphasized that a more balanced political landscape resonates with Singapore’s core interests.