SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) will field lawyer Alex Yeo as its candidate for Potong Pasir SMC in the upcoming General Election, replacing Mr Sitoh Yih Pin.

The announcement was made on Wednesday (Apr 16), a week ahead of Nomination Day, marking a significant transition for the single-seat ward. 

Mr Sitoh, 61, is stepping down after serving three terms since 2011. His win that year ended the opposition’s 27-year hold on the constituency. The Singapore People’s Party’s (SPP) Chiam See Tong left Potong Pasir that year to contest Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

Mr Yeo, 46, who stood for election in Aljunied GRC at the 2020 polls, has experience in both legal practice and grassroots engagement. He was previously the branch chairman of PAP’s Paya Lebar division.

Speaking at the event at PAP Potong Pasir Branch, Mr Yeo thanked Mr Sitoh for his past 25 years of service.  

“Personally, he's been a dear mentor of mine, and I've learned a lot about community leadership and service from him,” he said. 

Mr Yeo added that having helped Potong Pasir residents through the Community Legal Clinic he set up in 2016 and his pro bono Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) program, a part of him has “never left”. 

“So returning to Potong Pasir now, the familiarity with residents, volunteers, with activists, feels like I've come home,” he said. 

Potong Pasir is now also home to many residents of young and three generation families, couples and seniors, he said. 

“I believe that the key for any team looking to serve Potong Pasir residents well over the next five years must have a keen understanding of how to blend the rich heritage of the past, with the dreams and aspirations of residents in the future,” he said. 

Mr Yeo added that there are plans to refresh and rejuvenate older estates to improve the living environment for seniors. This includes bringing mobile clinics to the area.

Even newer estates like Bidadari may still need infrastructure upgrades, he said, pointing to the possibility of a sheltered linkway from the back of Cedar Primary School to the nearest block of public housing flats.

Mr Sitoh narrowly clinched Potong Pasir in 2011 with 50.36 per cent of the vote against Mrs Lina Chiam of the Singapore People’s Party (SPP). He later increased his winning margin to 66.39 per cent in 2015, and secured 60.67 per cent in the 2020 contest against SPP’s Jose Raymond.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Sitoh thanked Potong Pasir residents for their love, support and encouragement over the 25 years he spent in the constituency. He lost to Mr Chiam in 2001 and 2006 before being elected into parliament.

"Whether ... it is in moments of defeat or victory, to me, they're all good moments to remember," he said.

He said he plans to spend more time with family, pointing out that in 2000, his younger daughter was aged one, and he now has a three-year-old granddaughter.

But Mr Sitoh stopped short of saying he was retiring from politics. 

"The honest answer is I really do not know, because as in every General Election, many pieces on the chessboard are still in play," he said.

In the PAP, "we go wherever our leaders ask us to", with Mr Sitoh adding that he has a duty and responsibility to serve Singaporeans.

Whether he stands in this election will be confirmed on Nomination Day, he said. Nomination Day is on Apr 23.

The SPP and the People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR) have indicated their intention to contest Potong Pasir SMC this year.

Mr Yeo said he appreciates the political history of Potong Pasir, and knows what voters expect of their elected representatives.

"I know I cannot simply ride on the good work of my predecessors. I understand that trust and relationships cannot be inherited – they must be earned," he said.

Two precincts from Potong Pasir SMC were moved to Marine Parade GRC in the latest Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report. This adjustment came in response to rapid population growth from new developments in Bidadari. As of Feb 1, the constituency has 30,897 registered voters, up from 19,731 in 2020.

When asked about this increase in the constituency, Mr Yeo said he and his team must work even harder to serve them.

He also noted that the residents here are a very diverse group.

"We must be very observant and be able to understand what these different needs are," he said.