Former MP Sitoh Yih Pin & ex-minister Lim Swee Say appear at PAP East Coast GRC rally

The People's Action Party (PAP) team for East Coast GRC held its rally on Apr. 26, 2025, at Bedok Stadium.

The team consists of candidates Hazlina Abdul Halim, Dinesh Vasu Dash, Jessica Tan, Tan Kiat How, and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who previously anchored East Coast GRC, and Seah Kian Peng, who will be standing at Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, made an appearance as well.

Before the candidates took to the stage to deliver their rally speeches, former Member of Parliament Sitoh Yih Pin and former Minister Lim Swee Say also gave speeches in support of the East Coast team.

Sitoh has been MP for Potong Pasir SMC since 2011 and has served in Parliament for three terms. He stepped down ahead of this General Election, with lawyer Alex Yeo contesting Potong Pasir SMC in his stead.

Lim, a veteran politician, has held various cabinet positions including that of Minister for the Environment between 2000 and 2004, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office between 2004 and 2015, and Minister for Manpower from 2015 to 2018.

Lim was also MP for East Coast GRC between 2011 and 2020.

In 2020, Lim announced his retirement from politics.

Edwin Tong helped Max Maeder secure sponsorship: Sitoh Yih Pin

During his speech, Sitoh spoke about his longstanding relationship with Tong, and the relationships he had built up with various sports and arts communities.

At one point during his speech, Sitoh shared how Minister Tong helped Olympic kitefoiler and bronze medallist Max Maeder secure a sponsorship.

A few years ago, Tong had introduced Maeder to Sitoh.

"I had never heard of the boy's name, I never heard of the sport," Sitoh said.

Tong, however, shared that Maeder and his family had difficulty purchasing the expensive equipment they needed for the sport, and had asked Sitoh for help:

"So I then give a phone call, it was about 10 o'clock at night, to someone. I passed the phone to Edwin Tong, Edwin Tong spoke to the person for about 15 minutes. And that athlete then got sponsorship. And you know, who's that person? Max Maeder.

Thanks to Edwin Tong, thanks to that sponsorship, he won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics last year."

"That is the magic of Edwin Tong," Sitoh said.

"Thunderstorm is coming": Lim Swee Say

Lim started his speech recounting an anecdote from his time as Minister for the Environment, during an event he had attended:

"The event organisers said, Minister Lim, we are very disappointed, because today the weather forecast says thunderstorm at four o'clock. How we wish your ministry can change the forecast to sunny skies for the whole afternoon.

I said, no problem. I can easily change the weather forecast, but when the time comes, the rain will still come."

Lim then explained the point of his story:

"Why am I telling this story? Now, thunderstorm storm is coming, not only to Singapore, but to the global economy. PAP always tell our people the truth. We tell our people say, look thunderstorm is coming. Hard time is coming. We need to get ready..."

Lim said that voters should be concerned about whether the PAP manages to secure a strong mandate, as without one, the government will have "big problem, big challenges".

He added: "How is our government leader going to represent Singapore at the international stage, to negotiate, to bargain, to protect the interest of Singapore?"

Lim exhorted the crowd to give the PAP and its leadership support a "strong mandate".

Top photo from Mothership