The Progress Singapore Party (PSP), led by former Ayer Rajar Member of Parliament (MP) Tan Cheng Bock, is gearing up for the upcoming General Election (GE).
Before announcing its candidates on June 18, PSP has also started to engage some residents in the west, hinting at the possibility of contesting in West Coast GRC and Pioneer SMC.
Contesting in West Coast GRC and Pioneer SMC?
A Facebook page named "PSP West Coast" has been created some time ago, with the first post uploaded in end-April 2020.
Most recently, the party also created a post informing followers about their weekly virtual meet-the-people sessions with West Coast and Pioneer Residents via Zoom on a sign-up basis.
The post featured Tan, the party's assistant secretary-seneral, Leong Mun Wai, and former secretary-general of National Solidarity Party, Hazel Poa, who is now PSP vice-chairman.
Along with the three of them, the post also introduced three political newcomers: Marketing executive Jeffrey Khoo (second from the left in the post), training consultant, Nadarajah Loganathan, and chartered accountant, Lu Kee Hong (second and first from the right).
According to the Straits Times (ST), the team of candidates running in the West Coast GRC is almost confirmed, but the party is deciding if Leong should be part of the team.
If not Leong, it would be another member, Abas Kasmani, who is a workplace safety senior trainer.
Leong also told ST that there were plans for him to contest in Tanjong Pagar GRC initially.
However, Abas did not seem to be involved in the first MPS session with West Coast and Pioneer residents, which drew over 50 attendees.
It has over 500 followers as of the time of writing.
First MPS session's turn out was more than expected
Speaking to Mothership, the PSP spokesperson said that the first MPS session was more than expected and it lasted around an hour.
The party initially planned the session for 30 people to "keep things cosier" and more manageable as the team is new to such engagement.
Things still worked out well despite the larger crowd, the spokesperson added.
During the online meet-up, the party members still managed to engage residents more intimately via "breakout rooms" to hear individuals out on the issues they wished to raise in private.
The spokesperson shared that the topics raised were wide ranging, including concerns over the cost of housing and jobs, seeking more help for the disabled people, as well as feedback on estate amenities and cleanliness.
The party will continue to hold such sessions on a weekly basis.
Tan, the party's secretary-general, had been the MP for Ayer Rajah SMC for 26 years until he retired in 2006.
In Tan's last GE in 2001, he won 88 per cent of votes in Ayer Rajah against his opponent, Tan Lead Shake, from Democratic Progressive Party.
The SMC was then absorbed into the West Coast GRC.
The current MP of the Ayer Rajah constituency of West Coast GRC is Foo Mee Har.
The two of them coincidentally met earlier in the area during Tan's "homecoming" visit in January.
Top photo via PSP-West Coast/Facebook