The new Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC will be anchored by two MPs – Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Mr Lawrence Wong and Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob.
This was announced by Mr Wong during a visit to the constituency on Thursday with Madam Halimah.
The minister, who is a first term MP, and Madam Halimah are slated to move from West Coast GRC and Jurong GRC respectively to the new constituency for the upcoming general election.
Mr Wong said he had asked Madam Halimah to join him in leading the new GRC because of her strong track record as an MP. “So I know how effective she is and I’ve much to learn from her,” he added.
Madam Halimah said they would be able to complement each other, adding that Mr Wong would bring with him his strengths and capabilities.
Although Mr Wong said the full line-up of MPs that the People’s Action Party (PAP) will be fielding in the four-member Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC will only be revealed later, he hinted that it will likely comprise Madam Halimah and himself, as well as MPs Alex Yam and Ong Teng Koon.
“So the only new faces are Madam Halimah and myself,” he said. “And there are two existing incumbent MPs, Alex Yam and Ong Teng Koon, so we hope this is likely to be the team for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.”
Both Mr Yam and Mr Ong have expressed interest in continuing to serve in their respective wards which have since been redrawn into the new GRC.
Over the past weeks, Mr Wong and Madam Halimah have been walking the ground, attending constituency events and making house visits in the area.
Madam Halimah said she has done “a fair amount of groundwork in Marsiling”, having visited about 20 blocks of flats.
The PAP team, added Mr Wong, will build on the work done by the incumbent MPs in their wards, which are currently part of Sembawang GRC and Chua Chu Kang GRC. “We will put forward our manifesto when it’s ready,” he said.
The GRC is now made up of three divisions – Marsiling, Yew Tee and Woodgrove – but it will have four MPs. This is because wards in the GRC have grown over the years, “so a fourth MP will help better serve residents there,” added Madam Halimah.
Resident Philip Ong welcomed the two new MPs to the constituency. “It looks like a good mix,” said the 48-year-old technician. “Madam Halimah can bring her wisdom and experience to help and Mr Wong is a minister who is in charge of youth issues.”
Housewife Normah Ahmad, 50, said: “It’s nice to see a Malay woman in the role of a leader too.”
Source: www.straitstimes.com
