The People’s Power Party (PPP), founded by former National Solidarity Party (NSP) Secretary-General Goh Meng Seng, has indicated that they will contest Chua Chu Kang GRC in the upcoming general election.
The NSP had contested that constituency in the last elections, but was defeated by the People’s Action Party (PAP), who received over 60 per cent of the vote.
Following the review of electoral boundaries, the constituency has been redrawn from a five-member to four-member GRC.
“Chua Chu Kang is the next natural ground after Tampines for me as NSP under my leadership has contested there,” Goh told The Online Citizen. “In fact, from today’s outreach, there are quite a number of people remember me as part of the NSP campaigning effort there.”
Since the last election, Goh has divided his time between Singapore and Hong Kong. “This is a globalized world but internet and new media has made physical distance less important. I have been flying in and out of Singapore since the last GE due to my nature of business, just like many other politicians do. There is nothing wrong with that. But I am confident to say that I have written and voiced equally more current issues or even more than other politicians in Singapore,” he said.
“As a politician without a parliamentary seat, I guess that’s the best we can contribute to the political public discourse in Singapore. Distance is not the issue. It is where the heart lies matters most,” he added.
He declined to reveal the team that would be contesting Chua Chu Kang GRC, saying that he would prefer to wait until after the meeting of all opposition parties scheduled for Monday.
Goh has posted a public apology to the voters in Tampines GRC for not contesting in that constituency. In his apology, he said that the NSP has worked hard on the ground in Tampines, and therefore it would be “totally inappropriate” for PPP to attempt to contest there.