SINGAPORE - The opposition National Solidarity Party (NSP) on April 20 announced that it will contest Sembawang GRC and Tampines GRC at the upcoming polls.
It will go up against the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the incumbent PAP in Sembawang GRC. In Tampines GRC, it will face off against the PAP as well as the WP, which is expected to contest there.
Leading NSP in Sembawang GRC is party secretary-general Spencer Ng, 45, who also helmed a team to contest there in the 2015 and 2020 elections.
While Mr Ng did not reveal the full slate for both Sembawang and Tampines, he introduced two new faces – Republic Polytechnic lecturer Verina Ong, 46, and financial planner Zee Phay, 32 – on April 20 following a party walkabout at Kampung Admiralty.
Mr Ng also announced that the party will not be contesting the newly formed Sembawang West SMC, backing down from a three-cornered fight with SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan and the ruling PAP. The incumbent MP for the Sembawang West ward is Ms Poh Li San.
NSP will also be stepping away from Tampines Changkat SMC, Jalan Besar GRC and Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, Mr Ng told the media.
“Considering the various parties’ interests in the various constituencies, we will let the other opposition parties take a shot at the constituencies they are interested in,” said Mr Ng.
“To balance our philosophy, our idea of opposition unity, we (will) let Dr Chee have a straight fight with Ms Poh Li San,” he added.
The party’s decision to withdraw from those constituencies comes after SDP and NSP held talks in a bid to avoid a multi-cornered fight in Sembawang GRC. NSP has been active in Sembawang since 2011.
In early April, SDP asked NSP to contest Holland-Bukit Timah GRC instead, a proposal which NSP rejected. At that time, Mr Ng likened the proposal to the “exchanging of wives”.
On April 12, Red Dot United said that it would withdraw from a coalition of opposition parties formed in 2023, after NSP, which is also part of the coalition, refused to back down from a three-cornered fight in Sembawang GRC.
Mr Ng said NSP’s slate for Sembawang and Tampines GRCs will be revealed on Nomination Day, on April 23.
New candidate Ms Ong, a lecturer at Republic Polytechnic’s School of Hospitality, could run alongside her partner and previously introduced candidate, swimming coach Raiyian Chia.
As an educator, Ms Ong wants to push for greater critical thinking and creativity in students, while championing young people’s mental health.
“They are very afraid (for) their grades. Students are limiting themselves to very standard and safe answers. I think we need more diverse pathways because exams do not define your child,” she said.
NSP, SDP fail in talks to avoid three-cornered fight in Sembawang GRCRDU withdraws from opposition coalition over NSP’s refusal to back down from 3-way fight
Mr Phay, who started volunteering with the party in 2011, is a former student of Mr Ng, who taught at North Vista Secondary School.
As the father of a one-year-old boy, Mr Phay is calling for greater support for infant care services and early childhood professionals, who he says are overworked. He also hopes to see more secondary school students learn about financial literacy.
On April 20, the party also revealed its campaign slogan: Your future, our priority. A bright future for Singapore.
Among its focus areas are proposals to reduce housing prices and boost the country’s fertility rate.
In the 2015 General Election, the NSP secured 27.72 per cent of the vote in Sembawang GRC. The party improved slightly upon that performance in the 2020 General Election, garnering 32.71 per cent of the vote.
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