SINGAPORE: Red Dot United (RDU) has unveiled its slate of potential candidates for Nee Soon GRC in the upcoming General Election, including its secretary-general Ravi Philemon and chairman David Foo. 

RDU made the announcement on Sunday (Apr 20) at Block 701C in Yishun Avenue 5, which is within Nee Soon GRC.

Both men are not new to the scene, having contested in previous elections.

Dr Foo, 60, a research chemist, was among a team fielded in Jurong GRC in 2015 under the banner of the now-defunct Singaporeans First political party. 

Mr Philemon, 56, was a Singapore People's Party (SPP) candidate for Hong Kah North SMC in 2015 and contested Jurong GRC in 2020 under RDU. He is the managing partner of a media company focusing on health and wellness.

First-timers Mr Pang Heng Chuan, Ms Sharon Lin and Dr Syed Alwi Ahmad – who were previously named as the party’s team leads for the GRC – make up the rest of the five-member team.

RDU will face a People’s Action Party (PAP) slate likely led by Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, alongside four new candidates.

At an event on Saturday, Mr Shanmugam introduced Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, Ms Goh Hanyan, Mr Jackson Lam and Ms Lee Hui Ying, but did not confirm if they would represent the PAP in Nee Soon. 

The PAP is expected to announce its official slate for the constituency on Monday. 

In 2020, the PAP’s team comprising Mr Shanmugam, Mr Louis Ng, Ms Carrie Tan, Mr Derrick Goh and Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim won 61.9 per cent of the vote in Nee Soon GRC.

That year, they faced a Progress Singapore Party (PSP) team made up of Mr Bradley Bowyer, Mr Muhammad Taufik Supan, Mr S Nallakaruppan, Mr Tay Chye Seng and Ms Kala Manickam, who has since joined RDU.

The electoral boundaries of Nee Soon GRC have not changed since the 2020 election. There are 151,634 registered voters in the constituency, up from 146,902 in the previous contest.

RDU'S NEW FACES

SHARON LIN

Ms Lin, 40, is a senior consultant in the IT services sector. She has experience in cybersecurity and digital systems, having worked in multinational corporations and national-scale tech projects.

She grew up in Yishun and her parents still live there, so she “continues to stay rooted in the community,” RDU said in her candidate profile.

Her conversations with residents have strengthened her resolve to advocate for affordability, transparency and fairness in public policy, the party said.

RDU added Ms Lin believes the government is responsible for building strong safety nets to help its citizens.

SYED ALWI AHMAD

Dr Alwi, 57, is a teacher and a theoretical physicist with a background in quantum field theory and black hole physics.

In RDU, he heads the policy team and Malay bureau, and believes that policymaking must be inclusive, principled and grounded in the lived realities of Singaporeans.

He is particularly committed to advancing the Malay-Muslim community, “not out of favouritism but out of fairness”, the party said.

"Empowering underrepresented groups is not about division, but about dignity, equity, and ensuring no one is left behind," it added.

PANG HENG CHUAN

Mr Pang, 56, is a director at an international company based in China, and has overseen projects in branding, e-commerce and gaming.

RDU said he honed his leadership skills through working with multinational companies locally and overseas.

His expertise makes him a strong advocate for policies that promote innovation and job security, the party added.

Mr Pang was previously spotted during a walkabout at Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC. He volunteered with RDU during the previous election and has walked the ground in various constituencies including Nee Soon, Radin Mas and Tanjong Pagar.