SINGAPORE: Voters in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC will decide between the People’s Action Party (PAP) and Red Dot United (RDU) come Polling Day on May 3. 

PAP’s slate is helmed by Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan while RDU’s team is led by financial consultant Fazli Talip. 

Candidates from both parties successfully filed their nomination papers at Methodist Girls’ School on Wednesday (Apr 23). 

PAP’s team is unchanged from the 2020 General Election: Dr Balakrishnan, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann, Deputy Speaker Christopher de Souza and MP Edward Chia.

RDU’s lineup comprises Mr Fazli with three newcomers: music teacher Emily Woo, engineer Sharad Kumar and operations manager Nizar Subair. Mr Fazli is a former member of the National Solidarity Party (NSP) and also contested East Coast GRC in 2011 under the Workers’ Party’s banner.

In 2020, the PAP team secured Holland-Bukit Timah GRC with 66.36 per cent of the vote against the opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP).

Delivering his balcony speech after his team's candidacy was confirmed, Dr Balakrishnan thanked the constituency’s residents for the “privilege” to serve them for “many years”.

“We’ve walked with you, listened to you, and we delivered consistently. You know us, you know what we stand for and what we believe,” he said.

“We’ve done our best to upgrade our towns, stood with your families in good times and hard times. We’ve protected our greenery. But there’s so much more to be done.”

He added: “We will secure a better future for your children and your grandchildren. But we need your support, so we ask for your vote.”

Mr Sharad, one of RDU’s newcomers, asked voters to give the team a mandate to serve them in parliament.

“We must feel like first class citizens in our own country, the only home we have. Let’s make Singapore fairer," he said.

RDU SWITCHEROO

Earlier in the day, the RDU team entered the nomination centre in a van with tinted windows, fuelling speculations of a last minute shuffle in its lineup.

The party had previously included businessman Patrick Tan – not Ms Woo – in its prospective candidates announcement for the GRC. Ms Woo was presented as RDU's potential candidate for Jurong Central SMC.

In a surprise move, the party fielded Ms Kala Manickam – who was previously set to contest Jalan Kayu SMC – to Jurong instead. RDU said on Tuesday that it would bow out of Jalan Kayu to make way for the Workers’ Party.

Speaking to reporters after nomination proceedings, Mr Fazli, the RDU team's anchor candidate in Holland-Bukit Timah, said it was a decision by the party leadership to switch Mr Tan with Ms Woo in lineup. 

He said Mr Tan remains a "valuable member" of the team and the party, and will contribute from a non-candidate capacity.

Asked for her views on being fielded in a different ward at the last minute, Ms Woo said she was comfortable with the constituency as she grew up in Ghim Moh. 

“So, it’s like coming home. I’ve spent many years here, so I know the area very well,” she said. 

“I have done my best for Jurong Central. But I believe Ms Kala will also do her best. She’s a hard worker, and I have full confidence in her.”