Everything About the First Group of PAP Candidates Which Includes the Founder of Timbre Group

Well, a day after PM Lee went up to the stage to announce that the seats in the Parliament would be up for grabs, Sherwin Eu might have already been on an overdrive to find a comfortable seat there.

But the incumbent Government, which often plans at least 10,000 years ahead, had already had their candidates ready for us.

And today, the first four new faces were introduced by none other than DPM Heng Swee Keat, who might be their new boss very, very soon.

So, who are they and where would they be contesting?

Edward Chia, 36 (Co-founder and Managing Director of Timbre Group)

This is Timbre, a place we probably have been to before COVID-19 hit.

And this is Edward Chia, the person who’s co-founded the restaurant cum bar when he was mere 21 years old while he was still a student in NUS.

And interestingly, he majored in economics and political science—something related to politics but not to beer.

Of course, the question we have is this: doesn’t he have enough problems on hand, given that COVID-19 has definitely hit his business hard?

He said, “So you may then ask why am I not hunkering down in my business, and instead of standing to be a Member of Parliament?

“I’ve always believed that for individuals and businesses to succeed, society must first be successful. For a Singapore company like us to do well, Singapore must first be well.”

Which is why he hopes to be the voice for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Parliament.

He’s rumoured to be contesting in the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.

Currently, the MPs for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC are Vivian Balakrishnan, Sim Ann, Liang Eng Hwa and Christopher de Souza, and back in 2015, the PAP team won with 66.62% of the vote…against SDP’s team that includes SDP’s head, Dr Chee Soon Juan.

Anyways, Dr Chee is now going to Bukit Batok instead.

Desmond Tan Kok Ming, 50 (Chief Executive of PA)

While Mr Tan is the former chief executive of PA, he is also a former General in the SAF, serving in green for 28 years.

As a former General…well, he’s a former General lah. You know lah Singapore got many Generals who’ve traded their green fatigue to white shirts.

The man said that he’s looking to “speak up for our youth, our children, especially those from the disadvantaged families, to allow them to be able to have the same opportunities (I had) growing up in Singapore.”

He could be fielded in the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

Currently, the team in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC comprises Teo Chee Hean, Ng Chee Meng, Teo Ser Luck, Janil Puthucheary, Sun Xueling and Zainal Sapari, and they beat the SDA team in 2015 with 72.98% of the votes.

Nadia Ahmad Samdin, 30 (Lawyer)

Needless to say, Ms Nadia is one of the youngest candidates, and if elected, she could be the youngest MP as of now (though she won’t be the youngest person to become an MP).

The lawyer at TSMP Law Corporation was also once a current affairs producer with CNA, and with her age, she hopes to be the voice for people like us—I mean you. I’m way beyond her age.

She said she hoped “to be a voice for my generation”, but would also “hope to be given the opportunity to represent these voices and both of the young and old.”

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She might be contesting in Ang Mo Kio GRC—the area that our current PM is in. The current Ang Mo Kio GRC, comprising PM Lee Hsien Loong, ex-Pyramid Game host Darryl David, Koh Poh Koon, Ang Hin Kee, Intan Azura Mokhtar and Gan Thiam Poh, had 78.63% of the votes back in 2015.

Ivan Lim Shaw Chuan, 42 (General Manager in Keppel Offshore and Marine)

Mr Lim’s story is one that’s not typical of a PAP candidate.

He started work in Keppel right after finishing his O-level, and moved up the ranks in the company, getting a scholarship to pursue a diploma in marine engineering at Singapore Polytechnic and then a degree in marine engineering at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Right, a person who moved from a diploma instead of JC.

But, erm, the Ladyironchef lookalike isn’t going to speak up for poly grads.

Reader Bao: Yah, speak up for poly grads for what?

Instead, he’s “concerned about elderly residents and children who require social assistance, especially those with special needs.”

He might be fielded in Tanjong Pagar GRC, which is the ward that the late Lee Kuan Yew had served before. The GRC now comprises Indranee Rajah, Chan Chun Sing, Chia Shi-Lu, Joan Pereira and Melvin Yong Yik Chye, and won the 2015 GE with 77.71% of the votes.

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