SINGAPORE: Former Nominated Member of Parliament Syed Harun Alhabsyi told reporters on Friday (Apr 11) that he is a potential People's Action Party (PAP) candidate for the upcoming election.

Dr Syed Harun was speaking at a media event at a Nee Soon Central coffee shop where Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim announced that he will be moving to Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC for the upcoming election.

While Dr Syed Harun stopped short of saying where he could contest, he was introduced by Assoc Prof Faishal as someone who will be continuing his work in Nee Soon and taking care of the Malay-Muslim community in the Group Representation Constituency.

Dr Syed Harun was also seen meeting Nee Soon residents prior to the interviews, along with another potential candidate Goh Hanyan.

Besides Assoc Prof Faishal, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam and former Nee Soon MP Lee Bee Wah were at the event with the new faces, doing the rounds and taking photos with residents at the coffee shop.

"What's been heartening for me as a potential candidate has been to see Prof Faishal win the hearts and minds of the residents of Nee Soon, where it is very clear that there is a bond that he has with the residents here, and it's very clear that they will miss him dearly," said Dr Syed Harun.

"I hope to be able to continue his good work, build on the solid foundations that he has had, as well as build on the relationships that he has had with the residents in particular, also with the Malay Muslim community here, to be able to respond to their needs, to be able to work with them, and to be able to further strengthen the bonds of cohesiveness within Nee Soon GRC."

Dr Syed Harun, 39, a consultant psychiatrist at the Starfish Clinic of Psychiatry & Mental Wellness, quit his NMP post on Feb 14 amid speculation that he will be contesting the general election.

His resignation, along with that of fellow NMP Raj Joshua Thomas, raised concerns among some former NMPs that them entering politics under the banner of political parties could tarnish the premise of non-partisanship during their time in the House.  

In response to such concerns, Mr Shanmugam said the Constitution “expressly provides” for a NMP to join a political party after resigning from the position.

Dr Syed Harun started appearing alongside Mr Shanmugam at Nee Soon GRC community events from end-March.

Ms Goh, another potential candidate and a former senior civil servant, was previously spotted on Apr 7 at a Meet-the-People Session at the PAP’s Nee Soon Central branch.

"We have been walking the ground for the last few weeks and met with many residents, and it's very clear the strong bonds that Prof Faishal has forged with the community and the strong foundation he has built. It's big shoes to fill, but I'll try my best and do the best I can to take care of the residents here if I get the chance to," said Ms Goh, 39.

Ms Goh’s last post was as a director in the Smart Nation Strategy Office in the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, from December 2023 until she left the service reportedly on Apr 3.

She was also director for policy and strategy in the ministry's National Artificial Intelligence Group.

Before that, she had been in the Strategy Group of the Prime Minister's Office, and she spent about a decade in the Economic Development Board before that.