On April 24, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung made a pointed appeal to voters in Sembawang West Single Member Constituency (SMC), urging them to support People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate Poh Li San and to reject the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Dr Chee Soon Juan. Speaking at a PAP rally held at Woodlands Stadium, Mr Ong questioned Dr Chee’s motives for switching from Bukit Batok to Sembawang West, suggesting the move was politically opportunistic and not in good faith.
Mr Ong, who is also the anchor minister for Sembawang GRC, emphasized that Dr Chee had initially reassured Bukit Batok residents that he was not leaving, even after the constituency was redrawn as part of a new GRC. Yet shortly after, he said, Dr Chee "packed up and left" for Sembawang West. While Dr Chee has defended the move by citing the redrawing of boundaries, Mr Ong argued that the SDP still had the option of contesting in the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, and Dr Chee could have chosen to stay.
He added that while Bukit Batok’s physical layout remains unchanged, it is Dr Chee who has exited. “Bukit Batok is still there; it is the man who is not there,” Mr Ong said in Hokkien. He warned voters to be cautious of politicians who are not transparent about their political intentions, especially those who make promises only to break them when strategic opportunities arise.
Mr Ong also challenged Dr Chee’s narrative that his entry into Sembawang West was out of service to the residents. He pointed to a podcast where Dr Chee described the move as a strategic calculation, noting that Sembawang West's smaller size would allow him to cover the ground in a few weeks. According to Mr Ong, this framing contradicts the narrative that Dr Chee was acting in the constituency’s best interests.
The minister further critiqued Dr Chee’s comments about a lack of greenery in the area and his concern about Woodlands Galaxy Community Club being assigned to the SMC despite falling just outside its boundaries. Mr Ong dismissed these issues as distractions, noting that residents have long accessed Galaxy CC and enjoy recreational spaces like Admiralty Park and Bukit Canberra.
He accused Dr Chee of trying to portray Sembawang West as isolated from the broader Sembawang community in an effort to create dissatisfaction and emotional disconnect, hoping to turn that into electoral advantage. “Better for him that Sembawang West becomes a lonely island, cut off from the rest of Sembawang Town,” Mr Ong said, suggesting that this would serve Dr Chee politically.
He called on residents to support Poh Li San, whom he said has been committed to serving the Sembawang community over the last five years. Mr Ong pledged continued collaboration and support for Sembawang West if Ms Poh is elected, but said this cooperation would not be possible if Dr Chee wins, given his role as an opposition MP would be to “challenge the government” rather than work with it.
Poh Li San also addressed the crowd, highlighting SDP’s campaign promises such as reducing GST to 5 percent. She questioned how these promises would be realistically funded, stressing the importance of responsible policy-making over populist rhetoric. “Money doesn’t fall from the sky,” she said. “We need well-thought-out policies to run this country well.”
The rally also featured speeches from other PAP members in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC. Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad cited infrastructure improvements such as new linkways and rejuvenation projects across Marsiling. MP Hany Soh emphasized her advocacy for shared parental leave and support for young families in Woodgrove. MP Alex Yam responded to an earlier critique from SDP’s Gigene Wong, who likened the PAP to “plain water.” Mr Yam defended the metaphor, saying water is essential and healthy, unlike alternatives that may appear attractive but are ultimately detrimental.
The contest in Sembawang West SMC is shaping up to be a closely watched battle, with personal credibility, party loyalty, and policy realism all on the line.
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