SINGAPORE: Progress Singapore Party’s (PSP) Jeffrey Khoo will be its candidate standing in Marymount SMC at the upcoming General Election.

"The party has asked me to come here to serve as the candidate for Marymount," Mr Khoo told journalists at Bishan North Shopping Centre on Thursday (Apr 17). 

The 56-year-old was spotted with PSP’s secretary-general Leong Mun Wai on a walkabout in Marymount on Apr 12, the same day the party announced it would contest Kebun Baru, Marymount and Pioneer SMCs.

Formerly a member of the party’s central executive committee, Mr Khoo contested as part of PSP’s West Coast GRC team in 2020. The five-seater constituency saw the closest fight of that election.

The PAP team, led by former Transport Minister S Iswaran, won with 51.69 per cent of the vote against the PSP. The tight contest secured the opposition party’s two Non-Constituency Member of Parliament seats for Mr Leong and party vice-chairperson Hazel Poa.

Party founder and chairman Tan Cheng Bock said Mr Khoo is a hard worker whose profile fits Marymount SMC.  

“Jeffrey is not an inexperienced politician. He has been with us since day one and has combed West Coast very thoroughly… I really valued him (there) but his call of duty is here,” he said

Mr Khoo currently serves as CEO of a regional risk consulting firm, said the party. He has held various leadership roles at the National University of Singapore Society (NUSS) in the past 15 years.

He told journalists the top three issues for him this election are the cost of living, jobs and education.  

The party has also confirmed its plans to contest West Coast-Jurong West and Chua Chu Kang GRCs, bringing the total number of candidates it could field to 12.

PSP previously fielded candidates in all three SMCs during the 2020 election.

Then, the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Gan Siow Huang edged out PSP’s former assistant secretary-general Ang Yong Guan in Marymount SMC, garnering 55.04 per cent of the votes.

With Dr Ang formerly active in the area, the PSP has “a lot of friends” in Marymount, Mr Khoo added.  

“I would say that we understand the place well. (But) to say that we have that deep roots here and all that, not yet,” he said, adding that organising more events on the ground will “take a bit of time”.

The People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR) has also indicated its intentions to contest Marymount SMC.

When asked about whether PSP has spoken to PAR about avoiding a three-corner fight, Mr Khoo said his party is speaking to the opposition alliance, adding that he thinks the talks will “pan out well”.

Singaporeans will go to the polls on May 3 for the country’s 14th General Election.