Ong Ye Kung says 3-cornered fight expected in Sembawang after NSP, SDP stake claims

Health Minister and Sembawang GRC MP Ong Ye Kung said he expects a three-cornered fight in Sembawang GRC, after a morning in which two different opposition parties staked their claims in the constituency.

The National Solidarity Party (NSP) and the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) have both announced their intent to contest there, with both parties spotted conducting walkabouts at Kampung Admiralty on Apr. 6.

A three-cornered fight may be likely, but this will give residents more choices to exercise their democratic right to vote, Ong said according to The Straits Times.

It would also not change the way his team plans to contest in the General Election.

He said:

"We’ll contest on three fronts: based on our values as a party, based on our track record — let our action do the talking — and then based on our plans for the future, and we do have very exciting plans in Sembawang."

At the Apr. 6 event, Ong was seen with fellow Sembawang MPs — Vikram Nair, Poh Li San, and Mariam Jaafar — along with two new faces.

Gabriel Lam and Ng Shi Xuan, who Ong previously introduced as the "dynamic duo", accompanied the quartet, while Canberra MP Lim Wee Kiak was absent.

Asked about the People's Action Party's (PAP) line-up for Sembawang, Ong said that this takes time to firm up, but residents can see for themselves who attends community events.

"I leave you to infer who will be on the slate for Sembawang GRC, as well as [Sembawang West] SMC," he said.

Three-cornered fight

Both opposition parties were seen exchanging greetings amid their respective walkabouts.

Speaking to Mothership on a potential three-cornered fight, NSP secretary-general Spencer Ng said that the team is "open to discussion on how best [SDP] can field their team elsewhere".

"We have no intention to move anywhere. We have every intention to contest in Sembawang and Tampines," he said.

The party also contested there in the 2020 General Election.

Meanwhile, SDP chairman Paul Tambyah said that while there are plans for a "detailed engagement" between both parties, he is "not too troubled" if they cannot reach an agreement with NSP.

"We want to give people a choice, and so we welcome anybody who wants to contest and who is sincere about doing something good for Singapore," he said.

SDP previously said that it plans to contest in both Sembawang GRC and Sembawang West SMC, as part of its "northern strategy".

Party secretary-general Chee Soon Juan will stand in Sembawang West, while a freshly-unveiled slate comprising veterans and a new face will contest in Sembawang.

Top image by Mothership and from Mariam Jaafar/Facebook