PAP Sec-Gen Lee praised LTC (NS) Ivan Lim on Facebook page two years ago

It was reported that People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate Ivan Lim Shaw Chuan has withdrawn from contesting in the coming General Election (GE), insisting that new allegations made against him after issuing clarifications are “baseless” (‘PAP’s Ivan Lim withdraws from GE, insists that new allegations made against him are “baseless”‘).

Lim, who was introduced as a PAP candidate on 24 June, has been criticized over the past few days on social media over his conduct and behaviour by his colleagues at Keppel Offshore and Marine (KOM) as well as fellow army comrades. Most criticised him as being “arrogant, selfish and elitist”.

According to an earliest online criticism of Lim, netizen Bryant Wong who said he was a combat engineer under Lim’s command during NS, Lim would always peppered their battalion briefings with his personal achievements in civilian life, like how he became a GM in Keppel and how many men were reporting to him at work, and so on.

“He was never well liked by the soldiers and commanders of the battalion due to his constant ‘humble brag’ and driving around camp in his expensive cars,” the netizen said. The netizen went on to ask how Lim would represent the ordinary folks in Parliament with Lim’s sort of character and personality?

Indeed, an online check revealed that Lim is, indeed, the Commanding Officer of HQ Army Combat Engineers Group, with the rank of LTC (NS). He even won the SAF Commendation Medal last year:

In any case, in Lim’s resignation letter to PAP Secretary-General Lee Hsien Loong, he revealed that his real reason for not contesting – that it’s hurting PAP’s election campaign. Lim wrote, “I have consulted and discussed the matter with the Party leadership. I recognize that the controversy over my candidacy has eclipsed the core issues of what this election should be about.”

Lee accepted his withdrawal from GE. “Ideally, there would have been a fair and deliberate consideration of these allegations. Unfortunately, the nature of the campaign is such that we do not have time for a thorough investigation,” Lee said.

Lee also seems to like Lim a lot. Two years ago, Lee posted on his Facebook page praising Lim. Lee talked about how Lim got a Keppel scholarship to obtain his diploma and degree to later become General Manager of Keppel Shipyard and President of the Keppel Young Leaders.

Perhaps Lee thinks that being “arrogant” and an “elitist” are traits that PAP candidates ought to have?