Xie Yao Quan, member of SG Enable & Merdeka Generation Taskforce, may be a new PAP candidate

Xie is also listed in the Merdeka Generation Takskforce website as a Vice-Chairman of the Jurong Spring Citizens' Consultative Committee.

Sulaiman Daud | June 29, 2020, 08:13 AM

By now most people would have heard that Ivan Lim, a People's Action Party (PAP) candidate, has decided to withdraw from the upcoming general election.

But if Lim is out, will there be a replacement? And if there is one, could it be Xie Yao Quan?

Sits on the board of many entities

Xie, 35, is listed in the June 2019 edition of the Alexandra Hospital newsletter as its Head of Healthcare Redesign.

He can also be found as a member of the Singapore Road Safety Council, whose patron is Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam.

Xie also popped up on Instagram in a photo shared by Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee in Nov. 2019. Here, he is identified as a board member of SG Enable.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5aySS_nJim/

SG Enable is an agency dedicated to helping persons with disabilities.

Key functions of SG Enable include:

  • Enhancing information and referral services for child and adult disability schemes.
  • Administering grants and support to persons with disabilities and their caregivers.
  • Improving transition management across different life stages.
  • Enhancing employability and employment options for persons with disabilities.
  • Rallying stakeholder support in enabling persons with disabilities.

Xie is listed as a board member on the SG Enable website.

Merdeka Generation Taskforce

But that's not all that Xie is involved in. He also serves as a member of the Merdeka Generation Communications and Engagement Taskforce.

This taskforce reaches out to members of the Merdeka Generation to help them understand the benefits of the Merdeka Generation Package.

Singaporeans aged 60 to 69 stood to receive over S$5,000 in benefits & subsidies.

There are more government connections here with the taskforce co-chaired by Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Health Amy Khor, and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information Sim Ann.

Here, he is also listed as a Vice-Chairman of the Jurong Spring Citizens' Consultative Committee, described as a bridge between the people and the government. One of the CCC's functions is to organise and lead grassroots activities.

Affinity for Jurong

The Jurong connection doesn't end there, either.

A Xie Yao Quan Facebook page that was created on June 28 uploaded its first cover photo.

It shows the facade of Jurong Central Plaza.

Its first post was uploaded around the same time, and touches on the importance of listening to residents. You can read it below:

Most importantly, the page's profile picture also seems to fit the mould of a new PAP candidate -- clad in all white, looking at the camera head on.

Xie, like a number of new PAP Chinese candidates - Shawn Huang, Alvin Tan, and Edward Chia - also has his Mandarin name side by side with his English name.

But then again, not every person wearing white in a Facebook photo with his Mandarin name alongside his English name is a PAP candidate.
Mothership has contacted PAP HQ for comment.

Top image from Xie Yao Quan's Facebook page.