SINGAPORE: The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) on Sunday (Apr 13) unveiled its candidates to contest in Marsiling-Yew Tee Group Representation Constituency (GRC) for the upcoming General Election.

They are the party's organising secretary Jufri Salim, founder of alternative news site Wake Up Singapore Ariffin Sha, theatre director Alec Tok and Dr Gigene Wong.

SDP chief Chee Soon Juan introduced the candidates on Sunday after a walkabout at Marsiling Lane Market and Food Centre.

He said the party "feels very at home here", having contested in the constituency in the 2020 and 2015 General Elections. 

They lost both times to the People's Action Party (PAP), getting 31.27 per cent of the votes and 36.82 per cent respectively.

This year, they will face an unchanged PAP slate in the constituency, which will again be helmed by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Mr Chee described Mr Jufri as "one of the stalwarts" of the SDP. He has been spotted campaigning in Marsiling-Yew Tee over the last few months and did not contest in previous elections.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he is a manager at a music publishing company.

The remaining three candidates have been members of other opposition parties.

Mr Tok ran under the SDP's banner in Bukit Panjang in the 2011 General Election, but was part of Red Dot United's team in Jurong in the 2020 election. 

He is a theatre director and a film maker.

According to a previous profile, he produced and directed Singapore's first Chinese musical December Rains. He also directed Twelve Storeys - Singapore's first entry to the Cannes International Film Festival.

Dr Wong is not new to politics. She was the Progress Singapore Party's (PSP) candidate in Hong Kah North Single Member Constituency (SMC) in the 2020 election, and lost to the PAP's Dr Amy Khor.

She said in July 2022 that she had resigned as a PSP member to take care of her father, who has dementia, and to continue her studies.

Before venturing into politics, she spent 20 years working and living in China, with roles in multinational companies.

Mr Ariffin was the assistant secretary-general of the Singapore People's Party before he resigned in 2020. A legal executive, he is also the founder and administrator of Wake Up Singapore.

In August last year, he was fined S$8,000 over the publication of a fabricated account of a miscarriage at KK Women's and Children's Hospital. 

He has not contested in an election before this year. 

Earlier, the four candidates greeted residents at the Block 20/21 Marsiling Lane Market and Food Centre, flanked by SDP volunteers.

Former chairman of the SPP Jose Raymond was spotted during the walkabout and was seen speaking to Mr Ariffin and other members of the SDP.

PAP VS SDP

Since Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC's formation in 2015, it has been a straight fight between the SDP and PAP – no other party has contested in the constituency.

Last month, Dr Chee announced that the SDP would again contest the GRC. Since then, no other opposition party has announced plans to run there.

Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC is anchored by Mr Wong. The other Members of Parliament (MPs) are Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad, North West District Mayor Alex Yam and Ms Hany Soh.

Mr Wong, who is going into his first election as leader of the PAP, said on Saturday that he does not take the contest in his constituency lightly.

Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC's boundaries remain unchanged from GE2020. It will have 119,352 voters in the upcoming election.

"NORTHERN STRATEGY"

Dr Chee has said that the SDP will embark on a "northern strategy" in the coming General Election. He will be running in Sembawang West Single Member Constituency (SMC).

Bukit Batok, which Dr Chee contested in the 2016 by-election and GE2020, has been absorbed into the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.

Party chairman Paul Tambyah will compete again in Bukit Panjang SMC, where he stood in 2020.

Last week, the SDP unveiled its candidates for Sembawang GRC: Party vice-chairman Bryan Lim Boon Heng, treasurer Surayah Akbar, deputy head of policy James Gomez, as well as members Damanhuri Abas and Alfred Tan.

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