The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) officially introduced two of its candidates for next month’s General Election (GE) today (Aug 25), calling for a press conference less than two hours before Parliament was dissolved and the Writ of Election was issued.
Ms Chong Wai Fung, 45, an administrator at Ren Ci Nursing Home, and Mr Khung Wai Yeen, 34, an accounts manager, were unveiled as two of the 11 candidates the SDP is expected to field. Both of them joined the party as members in 2011, with Ms Chong now holding the post of treasurer.
Party chairman Jeffrey George and secretary-general Chee Soon Juan, however, declined to specify where the two new faces would stand.
The SDP had indicated that it would contest in Holland-Bukit Timah and Marsiling-Yew Tee, both four-member Group Representation Constituencies, as well as the Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang and Yuhua single-seat wards.
Speaking to reporters at the SDP’s new headquarters in Ang Mo Kio Street 62, Mr George said the party would announce its final line-up for each constituency it is eyeing in the coming days.
By Nomination Day next Tuesday, voters will know all its candidates,
Dr Chee added. “We’ll do two at a time … right through, we’ll make it known before Nomination Day.”
In response to a question on whether SDP will take the cue from the ruling People’s Action Party and Singapore People’s Party which, in the past weeks, introduced their candidates in public areas such as hawker centres, Dr Chee said the party also has plans to do so “down at the constituencies”.
After the hour-long press conference today, two separate SDP teams headed to Bukit Batok and Yew Tee for walkabouts. Ms Chong was among the Bukit Batok group, while Mr Khung went to Yew Tee.
Next month’s polls will be the first in which Dr Chee is eligible to contest since he last stood in Jurong GRC in 2001, garnering 20.2 per cent of votes. He missed the GEs in 2006 and 2011 as he was a bankrupt.
Source: www.todayonline.com
