The People’s Action Party announced on April 13 its new five-member slate for the upcoming general election in Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), a ward it has not held since 2011. Four of the candidates are political debutants, led by the only returning member from the 2020 team, Ms Chan Hui Yuh.
The fresh faces introduced are Dr Faisal Abdul Aziz, Dr Adrian Ang, Mr Daniel Liu, and Mr Jagathishwaran Rajo. The four were appointed branch chairpersons earlier this year in February, forming part of the party’s strategy to inject new energy into its Aljunied team. They will be contesting a constituency currently held by the Workers’ Party, which made history by capturing the GRC in 2011 — the first time an opposition party won such a ward under Singapore’s electoral system.
Ms Chan, 48, has been a long-time grassroots leader in Serangoon, where she has served since 2014. At the unveiling event held at Block 226 Serangoon Avenue 4, she spoke directly to voters, stating that after 14 years without a PAP voice in Aljunied, it was time for a change. She expressed a strong desire to bring residents’ concerns to the national level, focusing particularly on elder care and dignity in ageing.
The other four candidates each bring over a decade of volunteer or party experience. Dr Faisal, 37, a dentist, has served the Kaki Bukit area for about ten years. He plans to champion innovative health screening initiatives and push for expanded roles for allied health professionals, aiming to increase accessibility while reducing healthcare costs.
Mr Liu, 40, a managing director at a planning and architecture firm, has volunteered in Nee Soon GRC since 2014. Living with albinism, he shared personal experiences of overcoming odds, reinforcing his belief in creating accessible, inclusive environments and alternative pathways to success. When asked if the team’s lack of political office holders was a disadvantage, Mr Liu argued it gave them more flexibility and time to engage residents deeply. Responding to suggestions that the team is a "suicide squad", he light-heartedly compared them to a band of diverse individuals working together to achieve their mission.
Mr Jagathishwaran, 38, brings with him over a decade of union experience and has been active in the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC since 2009. Having cared for his late mother and elderly father, he hopes to use his platform to advocate for caregivers and mental health support, areas in which he and his team have already initiated community programmes.
Dr Ang, 42, has served the party at its Toa Payoh West-Thomson branch for 12 years. A father of five, he currently works as director for sustainability and new business in the private sector. His focus lies on improving infrastructure and amenities for multi-generational households.
Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing, who is also PAP’s assistant secretary-general, introduced the candidates. He stressed that no opposition-held ward should feel guaranteed in their position, and that PAP's intent was to earn every vote with humility and effort.
While the PAP team is confirmed, the Workers’ Party has not yet officially revealed its slate for Aljunied. The current MPs are Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim, Faisal Manap, and Gerald Giam. Kenneth Tiong is expected to step in to contest Serangoon ward, previously held by Leon Perera, who resigned in July 2023.
Aljunied GRC has remained largely unchanged in terms of boundaries for this election, except for three polling districts in Tampines West — involving 3,834 voters — that have been reassigned to the neighbouring Tampines GRC.
As of February 1, there are 144,032 registered voters in Aljunied. Since its groundbreaking win in 2011, WP has defended the GRC in subsequent elections. Their vote share dipped slightly in 2015 but rebounded to nearly 60 percent during the 2020 general election.
With a completely refreshed PAP team now in place, the contest for Aljunied is expected to be closely watched in the upcoming election.
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