PAP new face Shawn Loh joins Josephine Teo, Denise Phua & Wan Rizal to contest Jalan Besar GRC

The People's Action Party (PAP) has unveiled its team, which will be contesting Jalan Besar GRC.

The slate consists of Josephine Teo, who is the anchor minister for the GRC, Denise Phua, Wan Rizal and new face Shawn Loh.

While the first three are members of the incumbent team, Loh is a fresh face who has recently been spotted at several PAP events.

He will potentially be taking over the Whampoa ward from Heng Chee How, who will not be contesting in Jalan Besar GRC in this election.

In paying tribute to Heng, Teo, who is the Minister for Digital Development and Information, called him "the brother I never had" and a "complete gentleman".

Teammates praise Loh for his capabilities, heart for residents

On new candidate Loh, Teo said that he is "capable...with the heart to serve":

"And so when Shawn became available, I grabbed the opportunity. I believe that he is an excellent fit with the team here, and he comes with many years of experience, not just in the public sector. I think it is also his private sector experience that I value, in particular.

The reason is because we have, of course, many residents living in the public housing estates. But equally, we have residents who live in the private estates. They will also face challenges...We need a candidate who hopefully understands the concerns and will be able to bring perspectives as well as resources to bear."

Meanwhile, Phua highlighted her working experience with Loh:

"You know that the CDC vouchers come under the CDC teams, but we also worked with very strong partners, like the MOF (Ministry of Finance), and Shawn was one of the partners that we worked with. And that's when I got to know Shawn's heart for the vulnerable."

Addressing the media, Loh acknowledged that the world is becoming more uncertain, and hopes that his experience in the civil service and private sector will allow him to contribute practical ideas in Parliament.

"I have come forward as part of a new generation joining politics to serve and to answer the call to make the Singapore of the future better than the Singapore of today.

I don't take this for granted, but having four young children, I want this to happen. I'm stepping forward to give us the best chance. And I hope our residents can give us a chance to do so."

Shawn Loh

The 38-year-old sparked speculation that he would be running in the 2025 General Election when he resigned from his public service post at the Ministry of Finance (MOF) on Apr. 6.

He oversaw the 2024 and 2025 Budgets during his tenure at MOF.

Teo introduced the former MOF director at a town council event on Apr. 6, where he was seen with the rest of the team at the launch of the Jalan Besar Town Council's (JBTC) five-year plan.

He later addressed the media along with Teo, saying he was happy to be there as a volunteer.

"I think the energy, you can really feel it today...it's a great place to be, and I look forward to contributing where I can."

Teo added that Loh has "done well" in his experiences in both the private and public sectors.

She gave the example of Jobs Connect, a programme that Loh was asked to look at, to see how it can be strengthened to help seniors acquire relevant skills in the face of protectionist measures impacting the global economy.

"And so I think he will bring a lot of his experience and energy to our team here, and we look forward to his contributions," she said.

Possible opposition

The People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR) — an alliance of three opposition parties, previously announced their intention to field a team in the Jalan Besar GRC.

PAR consists of the Peoples Voice (PV), the Reform Party and the Democratic Progressive Party.

PV secretary-general Lim Tean previously contested in 2020 as well and lost to Teo’s team with 34.64 per cent of the votes.

Top photos by Mothership