PAP TO ANNOUNCE ALL ELECTION CANDIDATES BEFORE AUG 23

The People’s Action Party will be announcing its entire slate of candidates for the coming General Election over the coming fortnight, before the National Day Rally takes place on Aug 23. The MPs who will retire before the GE will also be announced, said party Organising Secretary Dr Ng Eng Hen.

“Over the next two weeks, till the National Day Rally or so, PAP will be making a number of announcements," said Dr Ng on Monday (Aug 10).

"First of retiring MPs, which we have started this week, and I would say I’m very happy with the way some announcements have come through. It was a much better way of announcing retirements. A much more deliberate and dignified way of announcing retirements, and I'm very glad about the reception that we’ve had and we’ll continue that up to the Rally or so.

"Second, we will be introducing new candidates. Not only who they are, but where they are standing; what they have done in the constituency in which they are standing in the last one, two, some even more than two years.”

Added the Defence Minister: "Third, in line with that, we’ll be introducing the whole slate to the constituency. This is a radical change - in other words, whereas previously we only announced the whole slate of candidates on Nomination Day, we’re telling you who’s going to stand well before Nomination Day, whatever day that comes. “

Dr Ng said this strategy was adopted following feedback from residents in the last GE.

“We believe that this is better politics. It’s better to tell the residents up front who is standing in their constituency so they can examine on record, what candidates have done, can do and they can make intelligent choices after examining whoever the political parties who are standing, who can better serve them," he said.

"We feel that for the PAP, this is a better way of doing it and I think the residents will prefer that approach and we’ll be starting soon, after this holiday weekend is over.”