Singapore election: PAP bets big with deputy PM in Punggol GRC to face Harpreet Singh’s WP team

The May 3 election is seen as a test of public confidence in Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s leadership

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Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (second from left) waves with fellow People’s Action Party team members after delivering their speeches at a nomination centre on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 10:17am, 23 Apr 2025Updated: 11:38am, 24 Apr 2025

Corrected [8:06pm, 23 Apr, 2025]

[8:06pm, 23 Apr, 2025]
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the date of the last four-way contest in a Singapore general election. The correct date is 1992.

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Singapore’s Nomination Day began on Wednesday with some uncertainty, as the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) did not reveal its line-up in expected key battlegrounds, suggesting the possibility of eleventh-hour redeployments among cabinet ministers to shore itself up against its main opponent, the Workers’ Party (WP).

The PAP made several surprise moves as nominations began at 11am and ended at noon, with Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong making a switch from the northwest to the new group representation constituency (GRC) of Punggol in the northeast.

This move will pit Gan against the WP’s star candidate, senior counsel Harpreet Singh, who leads the team in Punggol, an area bordering the party’s strongholds in the multi-seat constituencies of Sengkang and Aljunied.

Although Marine Parade GRC had been touted as a key battleground, the PAP ultimately sailed through with a walkover, as the opposition did not field any team in the constituency.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, secretary general of the ruling People’s Action Party, waves to supporters on Wednesday following his nomination ahead of the general election. Photo: AFP

The city state will hold its 14th general election since independence on May 3, which analysts view as a test of public confidence in Lawrence Wong’s leadership. This election marks Wong’s first time leading the party as prime minister since taking office last May.

But the vote represents more than just a referendum on Wong. It will also serve as a barometer for how effectively his team of fourth-generation – or 4G – leaders has addressed pressing issues such as the rising cost of living, job security and affordable housing.