SINGAPORE: Progress Singapore Party (PSP) founder Tan Cheng Bock confirmed that he plans to contest in the upcoming General Election. 

“As long as I am able and I’m still relevant, I will be around… you all will see me there,” said the 84-year-old political veteran on Sunday (Feb 23) when asked the question by members of the media. 

When asked again by the media to confirm if he would be at the nomination centre come nomination day, he said: “That’s a natural conclusion, right?” 

“I think so long as I am relevant, and I think the country needs people, and I feel that I can contribute to the country, I cannot shirk that duty.” 

When asked about his health, he added: “Look at me, I can still talk to you, I can still answer questions.” 

“Every year I go for my medical (and) my last medical was ok,” he added. 

He was leading a team of about 20 PSP members and volunteers for a walkabout at Clementi 448 Market and Food Centre, which is located within Jurong GRC.

Among the group were Non-Constituency Members of Parliament Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa, who is also the party’s secretary general. 

When asked why the party was walking about in Jurong GRC rather than West Coast GRC, which they had contested during the last General Election, Dr Tan said that West Coast is “too big”, and that there could be a possible redrawing of the electoral boundaries. 

“We have so many neighbours, we do not know what’s going to happen after the redrawing,” he said. 

“We could be part of them, and they could be part of us,” he said.   

Dr Tan was a Member of Parliament under the People’s Action Party (PAP) banner for Ayer Rajah SMC between 1980 and 2006, which was later absorbed into West Coast GRC. 

He led his team to contest West Coast GRC in the 2020 General Election, garnering 48.32 per cent of the votes and narrowly losing out to the PAP team. 

Along with Dr Tan were also other former PSP candidates in the last election: West Coast GRC team’s Jeffrey Khoo, Tanjong Pagar GRC team’s Harish Pillay, and Pioneer SMC team’s Lim Cher Hong. 

A new face, 36-year-old Stephanie Tan, was also spotted standing alongside Dr Tan as he shook hands at the food centre. 

She is described in PSP’s newsletter The Palm as a full-time housewife with two young children and having graduated from the Faculty of Law at the National University of Singapore. 

When asked if she would be a candidate, Dr Tan said: “Are you asking me my secret? I’m not telling you, you will see it on nomination day.” 

He said that the party’s philosophy is to bring in “new people”, because “our country (has) got to be run by new people”. 

“They will be the ones who craft all the policies for the future … The day we are afraid that all you young people come to take my seat, I think we are gone,” he said. 

Dr Tan was also asked about the PSP party conference, which will be held next month and is when the next Central Executive Committee will be elected. 

Dr Tan said that with every political party, at every such conference, there is bound to be change. 

“I think it is good also, because there will be a renewal and change, some people may feel they are tired, (others) may want to come and take over … I think it’s a good thing.” 

Chiming in, Mr Leong said: “We are 120 per cent focused on the election preparation, any change at the party conference will just be part and parcel of the democratic process.”