PAP and WP to contest East Coast GRC in GE2025, with three-time candidate Yee Jenn Jong leading WP slate

SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) and Workers’ Party (WP) will contest the East Coast GRC in the upcoming General Election on 3 May.

Both parties officially submitted their nomination papers at Yusof Ishak Secondary School on Wednesday, 23 April 2025, confirming their candidacies for the five-member constituency. This marks the beginning of what is expected to be a highly competitive race.

The PAP slate will be led by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Edwin Tong, alongside Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How, and current MPs Jessica Tan and Hazlina Abdul Halim.

They will be joined by newcomers Dinesh Vasu Dash and Hazlina Abdul Halim, bringing a blend of experience and fresh perspectives to the team.

While the team’s line-up seemed largely predictable, the absence of Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who had previously led the PAP team in 2020, came as a surprise.

Heng, who had been the subject of a last-minute switch from Tampines GRC to East Coast GRC in 2020, entered the nomination hall with his fellow candidates, but his name was conspicuously absent from the official nomination papers.

Shortly after the nomination process, Heng announced his retirement from politics via a Facebook post, marking the end of his long political career.

Despite Heng’s exit, the PAP is determined to continue its efforts in East Coast, with Tong expressing confidence in his team's ability to connect with voters.

"We will listen to your hopes and concerns. We will turn your aspirations into reality. If elected, we will serve all of you with everything that we have," he said during his speech.

Tong acknowledged the challenge ahead, describing the upcoming contest as "tight" and emphasising that the team would work extra hard to ensure victory.

WP Faces PAP in a Historic Showdown

The WP slate for East Coast GRC will include former Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong, along with 2020 General Election candidate Nathaniel Koh, and new faces Jasper Kuan, Sufyan Mikhail Putra, and Paris V Parameswari.

Yee and Koh, both experienced candidates, had contested in Marine Parade GRC in the last election, while the new members bring a fresh wave of talent to the opposition.

Yee, in his confirmation speech, highlighted the dedication of his team, acknowledging the hard work of past volunteers and candidates who had contributed to the party’s efforts in East Coast over the past two decades.

"We will be your voice in Parliament," he said, focusing on the party’s commitment to representing the interests of the people.

However, his team did not engage with the media following the nomination submission.

Despite their readiness, the WP team faces a steep challenge as they seek to build on the momentum from their previous strong showing in 2020.

In that election, East Coast GRC became one of the most closely contested constituencies, with PAP narrowly edging out the WP by just 53.39% of the vote. This result marked one of the PAP’s smallest margins of victory in the 2020 General Election, significantly down from their 60.73% victory in 2015.

The WP’s performance was notable, as it was their strongest showing in the GRC since 2006, despite the high-profile contest against DPM Heng.

The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee’s decision to redraw East Coast GRC earlier this year has altered the makeup of the constituency.

Significant changes included the inclusion of the Chai Chee Housing Board estates and Siglap private estates from neighbouring Marine Parade GRC, while several other areas were shifted to the new Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.

These boundary changes have added 150,691 voters to the electorate as of February 1, 2025, making it an even more pivotal battleground in the upcoming election.