GE2025: Tan See Leng Leads New PAP Team for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC in GE2025

By
Loh Huey Xin
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Five years ago, Dr Tan See Leng entered politics as the PAP’s “eldest newcomer.”

In this general election, he’s taking on the role of team leader for a GRC, and says he does not feel stressed, nor is he nervous, joking that “old ginger is spicier.”

The Chinese idiom “old ginger is spicier” means the older, the wiser.

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New Leadership Team Formed After Electoral Boundaries Revision

Dr Tan See Leng, 60, is a former MP for Marine Parade GRC and serves as Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry.

PAP introduced its candidates for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC and Mountbatten SMC at the Marine Parade branch on Sunday, 20 Apr 2025.

The five-member team includes newcomer Diana Pang, 51; former Nee Soon GRC MP and Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development, Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim, 56; and former MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling, 41, who joined after electoral boundary changes.

Two former Marine Parade GRC MPs have different paths this election.

Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, 63, will remain in the constituency, while Mayor of South East District Fahmi Aliman, 55, will not contest in this GRC.

The Joo Chiat division, previously managed by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong, has been redrawn into East Coast GRC.

During the introduction session, Dr Tan expressed hope that residents would give the team a strong mandate to continue serving the district.

Aiming for a Strong Mandate Despite Past Challenges

When asked what a “strong mandate” means, Dr Tan said the team hopes to at least match the national vote share, or even do slightly better.

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“But we’re not presumptuous. All of us here share a common goal, which is to serve our country and residents, especially in these uncertain times.”

In the last election, former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin led the team to victory with 57.74% of votes against the Workers’ Party team, below the ruling party’s national average.

MacPherson was one of PAP’s best-performing SMCs in the last election, with Tin Pei Ling winning 71.74% of votes.

The Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC has 131,493 voters, making it the smallest five-member GRC. The Workers’ Party is among the opposition parties active in this constituency.

Experience Shaped “Brother Leng” 

When asked if he feels the pressure taking on leadership of the GRC after being a PAP newcomer just five years ago, Dr Tan responded: “Ginger gets spicier with age. I believe after these five years, I’m ‘spicier’ than before.”

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Dr Tan himself is a Marine Parade resident. He shared: “For me, the best and most fulfilling satisfaction is when I wake up every morning and go to our neighbourhood food centres and markets, seeing elderly folks like me, whether walking or in wheelchairs, kindly calling me ‘Brother Leng.’ That’s enough for me. Not just the elderly, but also the younger generation and babies… when I hug them, I imagine having many grandchildren, which gives me great satisfaction.”

Regarding the impact of former leader Tan Chuan-Jin’s resignation in July 2023 due to an extramarital affair, Dr Tan said that while the incident was regrettable, the grassroots projects and activities initiated during Tan Chuan-Jin’s tenure continue to run.

Dr Tan credited this continuity to volunteers and grassroots leaders who work quietly behind the scenes to keep these initiatives going, whether during the pandemic or under other circumstances.

“I hope residents give us a chance, give us a strong mandate, and we will work even harder to serve our voters,” Dr Tan added.

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Loh Huey Xin