SINGAPORE - One of the ruling PAP’s potential candidates, Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim - the former chief executive of Make-A-Wish Singapore - was spotted at a walkabout in Marine Parade on March 22, raising the possibility that she could be fielded in the new Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.
At the walkabout, which had all Marine Parade GRC MPs present, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng introduced Madam Hazlina to residents and stallholders at the Block 50A Marine Terrace Market.
Together with Mr Tan, Madam Hazlina - who was dressed in white and wearing a People’s Action Party badge - shook hands and posed for photos with residents in the hawker centre.
Madam Hazlina, 40, started her career as a journalist at Mediacorp. She was formerly the president of PPIS (Singapore Muslim Women’s Association) from 2020 to 2024, and is currently also a director of Mendaki, among other roles.
Speaking to the media, Madam Hazlina said her experience serving in community organisations over the past decade has given her an understanding of how to help Singaporeans.
Dr Tan was coy about whether Madam Hazlina was part of the finalised slate of candidates in the new Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, pointing out that the PAP’s candidates are “very versatile”.
“The caveat is that the final lineup is not certain,” he said.
“Of course, we’ll be very happy if this is it. But really, at the end of the day, there’s a larger picture that is most important. And I believe that (our candidates) will be successful wherever they go.”
Mr Chan Sek Inn, who runs 132 Traditional Teochew Noodles, met Madam Hazlina for the first time during the walkabout, although he has seen Dr Tan on a previous visit.
“It’s good to see the young faces, it’s like a refresh. With Dr Tan taking care of them, she should be okay. I think he has done a good job for Marine Parade,” said Mr Chan, who has been running a hawker stall in Marine Terrace for 15 years.
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng introduced Madam Hazlina Abdul Halim to residents and stallholders at the Block 50A Marine Terrace Market.ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
The boundaries of the current Marine Parade GRC will shift at the upcoming general election. The new five-member Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC will take in the current MacPherson SMC, parts of the Mountbatten and Potong Pasir SMCs, and cede the entire Joo Chiat ward and Chai Chee Housing Board estates to neighbouring East Coast GRC.
MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling, who was also at the walkabout, gave a ringing endorsement of Madam Hazlina.
“She’s wonderful on the ground.... Having been serving alongside Hazlina, I think her personality, her ability to connect, I think there is no doubt about it,” said Ms Tin.
Also present at the walkabout were Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, Mayor of South East District Mohd Fahmi Aliman, and PAP new face Dr Choo Pei Ling, an assistant professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology’s Health and Social Sciences cluster, and second adviser to the grassroots organisations in Kembangan-Chai Chee.
The boundary changes would result in Mr Tong’s Joo Chiat ward falling under East Coast GRC, but even after removing Mr Tong from the Marine Parade-Braddell Heights slate, the addition of Madam Hazlina means there are now six potential candidates for the five-member team.
Asked about whether this meant one of the incumbents would be moved, Mr Fahmi said: “Nobody knows at this stage - we’re all waiting for our PM to give directions.”
Mr Seah appealed to voters to look at the team’s track record, saying: “We certainly have given our best to serve our residents as best as we can. So I will say residents do know us. They do know who we are. They know what we have done, and I will ask them certainly to look at us as a team, wherever we are.”
Both Dr Tan and Mr Tong also endorsed the new faces at the walkabout.
Dr Tan said Dr Choo has helped him at his Marine Parade ward, pointing out that residents in Kembangan-Chai Chee have taken to her very well.
Mr Tong said both Madam Hazlina and Dr Choo have championed their own initiatives and programmes that they feel would suit and benefit the local community.
“And I think these are some of the qualities that we really look out for to join the team, whichever team it is, and to also play a part at a national level, championing issues in Parliament,” he said.
Asked about whether he would move to East Coast, Mr Tong said it would be “painful and hard to leave behind” Marine Parade’s residents and volunteers after being in the team for 10 years.
“But I guess this is a consequence of population changes and other other demographical impact on the boundaries. So I accept it, and I only hope that if I’m given a chance, I will be able to move with Joo Chiat to East Coast,” he said.
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