SINGAPORE – One of the PAP’s touted new faces, Ms Valerie Lee Nai Yi, was spotted at a job fair at Downtown East on March 22 – fuelling speculation that she could be on the ruling party’s electoral slate in the new Pasir Ris-Changi group representation constituency.
Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Desmond Tan, who heads the Pasir Ris Central ward, told the press at the inaugural Pasir Ris-Punggol “career marketplace” that Ms Lee was there at the invitation of the team.
While Mr Tan said the ultimate composition of the team would depend on the Prime Minister, he added: “You can do the calculations. There are three of us now in the (new Pasir Ris-Changi GRC), and it’s going to be a four-man GRC. Naturally we’ll have one new face, a new candidate join us.
“Likewise for Punggol GRC. From time to time, we invite different people.”
Ms Lee, Sembcorp’s head of corporate affairs for Singapore and South-east Asia, has been seen in both West Coast GRC and East Coast GRC prior to this.
On March 22, she was was actively introduced to residents by the sitting MPs, and was frequently seen posing for photos next to Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean.
She declined comment, and would only say: “I am happy to be here.”
The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee on March 11 decided to split the former Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC in two to form Punggol GRC and Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.
This would leave the wards of SM Teo, Mr Sharael Taha and Mr Tan in the new four-man Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.
The wards of the other sitting MPs - Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary and Ms Yeo Wan Ling - would fall under the new Punggol GRC, which will also include Minister of State Sun Xueling’s Punggol West single member constituency.
Apart from Mr Tan, SM Teo, Mr Sharael, Ms Yeo and Ms Sun were also at the job fair on March 22.
It is as yet unclear how the PAP incumbents will be deployed to the new constituencies, which will have four representatives each.
Punggol GRC, especially, is expected to see a tight showdown between the PAP and the Workers’ Party.
Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC saw a three-way contest in the last election between the PAP, the Singapore Democratic Alliance and Peoples Voice (PV). The PAP prevailed with 64.15 per cent of the votes while the PV lost its deposit.
On March 22’s event, where more than 20 employers were hiring for over 1,200 jobs, it was announced that residents in North-East Singapore will soon find interactive kiosks with artificial intelligence interviewers and resume builders at their community clubs.
This is part of a fresh grassroots initiative to help job seekers.
The Pasir Ris-Punggol group constituency office under the People’s Association launched the initiative, in a “first-of-its-kind” collaboration with NTUC, non-profit organisation Project Success, and the North East Community Development Council.
There will also be on-site job advisors at community centres and other high footfall areas, as well as two-hour workshops on topics such as the use of generative AI tools to improve personal and business productivity.
No date for the rollout has yet been set and the People’s Association is still confirming the exact sites.
Mr Tan said that there has been an increase of professionals, managers, executives and technicians seeking help for mid-career switches in recent years.
“Whether you’re a fresh graduate entering a tech-driven workplace, a professional adapting to digital tools, or someone curious about how tech is transforming your industry – you’re here because you recognize that embracing tech is no longer optional; it’s essential,” he said.
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