GE2020: PAP introduces new candidate Xie Yao Quan to replace Ivan Lim in Jurong GRC

• New PAP candidate Xie Yao Quan, 35, is head of healthcare redesign at Alexandra Hospital
• He said that he is at a stage in life where his purpose is “to serve”
• Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam said that reserve candidates are “still part of first team”
• Mr Lim’s case has “not affected the morale” of the Jurong GRC team, Mr Tharman added

 

SINGAPORE — The People’s Action Party (PAP) on Monday (June 29) introduced new candidate Xie Yao Quan to replace Ivan Lim, who withdrew his candidacy on Saturday following online criticisms of his character.

Mr Xie, 35, the head of healthcare redesign at Alexandra Hospital, will be fielded in Jurong Group Representation Constituency (GRC) along with new face Shawn Huang, 38, a director for enterprise development at Temasek International, a unit of state investor Temasek Holdings.

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who is heading Jurong GRC's PAP team, said: “As you know, we had intended to field Ivan Lim in Jurong. Ivan was working very well on the ground, (and was) very well-received by residents. He made a tough decision to prevent the allegations against him from eclipsing the core issues that are facing us in this election.

“And we respect and appreciate that decision he made. He put the interests of the party and of Singapore ahead of his own.”

Mr Tharman introduced Mr Xie to the media at the PAP branch office in Bukit Batok East on Monday morning.

Last Wednesday, Mr Lim was presented as a new candidate by PAP but shortly after that, several claims surfaced online on his attitudes while in military service and in his career at Keppel Offshore and Marine. He was accused of displaying elitist behaviour during a military exercise and being arrogant, among others.

Then there days later, PAP announced that Mr Lim has withdrawn from contesting in the July 10 polls — less than a half a day after he broke his silence on the matter to refute some of the allegations.

Mr Tharman said that in each election, the party has “a full cast of people who are ready”.

“We deliberately have more candidates than are necessary for the seats we're going to contest. We do that each time. This is not the first time that we've made substitutions relatively late in the day.” 

He added that those who are on the “sidelines”, are “fully suitable to be fielded” as they are still “part of the first team”.

“They’re not in the second team. But we have to decide on the cast we initially put on the ground and then we make some changes along the way.”

Mr Tharman said that it was an “easy decision” to bring Mr Xie into Jurong as he has been “here working very hard for the last five years”, taking the lead on many initiatives on the ground and spending time with the residents and volunteers.

“I’m very happy that Yao Quan is part of our cast and ready to come in at short notice. Short notice doesn't mean unprepared. He's been preparing for five years,” Mr Tharman stressed.

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While introducing himself, Mr Xie, who previously worked in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), said that he is at a stage in life where his purpose “has never been clearer”.

“And that is to serve. To serve Singapore and fellow Singaporeans, be it in the SAF, in public health care or in the community,” he said.

He hopes to be able to ensure that Singaporeans will continue to get quality and affordable health care, even as the population becomes older.

When asked how being called up “last minute” will affect his plans, Mr Xie said: “I have spent a considerable amount of time outside of work serving the residents here and if I’m elected, I see this as doing so in a different capacity. The work doesn’t change, the effort that I’m prepared to put in doesn’t change, so the plan doesn’t change.”

Mr Xie was also asked how he plans to “prove himself” to those who might view him as being “second best” since he is a replacement.

“I believe that residents will recognise me and know that I will continue the good work that I’ve been doing in Jurong to help serve residents better,” he said.

The five-member PAP team at Jurong GRC also includes Dr Tan Wu Meng, 45, and Ms Rahayu Mahzam, 40, who were both first elected in 2015. 

The incumbent MPs include Mr Desmond Lee and Mr Ang Wei Neng, but the party did not say whether they will be fielded elsewhere. 

In the 2015 General Election, Jurong GRC had secured the best result for the party, winning more than 79 per cent of the vote against the Singaporeans First party.

This year, the team is set to compete against a team from Singapore's newest political party Red Dot United.

Mr Tharman, who has been an MP for Jurong GRC since 2001, said that he is “very comfortable” with the PAP slate for the constituency this time, which is a “strong team”.

When asked about the criticism that has surfaced regarding Mr Huang in the midst of Mr Lim’s saga, Mr Tharman said: “I’ve known Shawn for 10 years. I’m very confident about him. 

“He comes with very strong testimonials and a record on the ground. A record not just from me because he was working for me for 10 years, but a record from ex-inmates, a record from low-income families, from the kids, older people he’s been working with and a record from the men and women who were with him in the air force.”

Mr Huang, the parade commander for the National Day Parade in 2018, was accused of "(throwing) food back" at officers during rehearsals in a Facebook post by someone named Lin Leo.

After Mr Huang put up an account of the events, the Facebook user removed the post and said that she may have overreacted and apologised for her harsh language.

Mr Tharman said he noted that since the allegations against Mr Huang surfaced, “quite spontaneously, there’s been a whole surge of support for him”.  

“Shawn is someone whom I am very confident in and there’s been quite a strong expression of support for him from all those who have dealt with him."

When asked if Mr Lim’s case has “affected the morale” of the Jurong GRC team, Mr Tharman said “(not) at all”.

“We’re never overconfident but we are very comfortable with what we are doing on the ground and with our ability to take it even further. And our morale comes from what we’ve been doing,” he said. 

Mr Tharman added that the party will “come back to the issues” concerning Mr Lim after the elections “because we don’t want to leave them unresolved”. 

“But we really have to move on now and focus on the issues of this election,” he said.