The People's Action Party Sengkang team's value proposition is their "sincerity, diligence and determination", said Lam Pin Min, chairman of the PAP Sengkang West Branch, during a walkabout today (Mar. 30).
Lam is leading three new faces in Sengkang against three incumbent Workers' Party (WP) Members of Parliament (MPs).
Young and passionate team determined to win residents' hearts: Lam
The new faces from PAP are Elmie Nekmat, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore, Theodora Lai Xi Yi, a business development director at a venture capital firm, and Bernadette Giam, director of Creative Eateries.
The Workers' Party (WP) Sengkang team currently consists of Jamus Lim, Louis Chua and He Ting Ru.
Speaking to the media at the walkabout at Rivervale Shores, Lam said that the new PAP team is younger, passionate, and has a good gender representation.
"I hope through our sincerity, diligence and determination we will be able to win over the hearts of Sengkang residents," he said.
The PAP team was meeting residents at the coffeeshops at Rivervale Shores and Sengkang Grand Mall's hawker centre, giving out PAP Sengkang teddy bear plushies as well.
"Teddy bear is a symbol of love and comfort, and we hope that by distributing this little gesture of love and comfort to our residents, we are able to send love to them as well as to reach out to them and know them better," Lam told the media.
Lam shared that the team received feedback on eateries and the crowding on LRT trains during their routine house visits.
These are the issues he and his team will try to address if they were elected as MPs, he said.
Views from some Sengkang residents
A young couple who recently moved into Rivervale Shores a year ago told Mothership that they have observed efforts from the PAP team to engage residents.
In the past year, there were two events including a tree planting event that came with two lines of buffet food which was a nice surprise.
While they had met former Sengkang East branch chairman, Marcus Loh, they have not met Giam yet.
Giam replaced Loh in January 2025.
The couple, who are in their early 30s, said that they are quite happy with their estate.
Even though it's not the most convenient estate, that's where they chose to live and they have no qualms about it, one of them told Mothership.
When asked who they would vote for, the husband said that it depends on the candidate that the WP will field to replace former MP Raeesah Khan.
"If they give me a tier B one, then I'll look at PAP already (sic)," he said but added that the same applies to PAP and they hope the ruling party fields "someone of good calibre".
The couple are "supportive" of Jamus Lim and Louis Chua, adding that the WP puts in the effort to run the estate with the resources they have.
"While Louis is a bit more quiet, he does his job," the husband commented.
Another 27-year-old Sengkang resident who voted for the WP in the last election told Mothership that she has seen WP MP He Ting Ru thrice in her estate since the last election.
This resident, who will be voting for the second time in her life this time round, has not met anyone from the PAP yet.
However, she said that it could be because she lives in a condominium.
She hopes to see an indoor running track in Sengkang and hopes the badminton balloting situation can improve.
She also said that what the MPs' parliamentary performances will also affect whom she votes for in the coming election.
WP's recent townhall with Sengkang residents
The WP Sengkang team held a townhall meeting with over 50 residents on Mar. 29 where they assured residents that they will continue to be their voice if they remain elected.
This meeting was part of an ongoing series of conversations that the WP MPs have had with residents in Sengkang since 2022.
A number of attendees were first-timers, who were compelled to attend due to the upcoming election, The Straits Times (ST) reported.
ST added that issues raised by residents at the meeting ranged from municipal to national matters.
Chua who is the vice-chairman of the Sengkang Town Council said that the team is planning to share ideas with the Urban Redevelopment Authority in April to rejuvenate Sengkang and improve amenities.
All images by Zheng Zhangxin
