Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong hopes to draw on his two decades of experience in politics to improve the lives of Punggol residents — for as long as he can.

The 66-year-old, who is contesting in his sixth general election, said while the decision on whether he stays beyond one term — if elected — lies with the Prime Minister, he wants to continue "building" Punggol in any capacity.

"Even if I am asked to step down, I will continue working with residents, serving the community in whichever way I can," DPM Gan told AsiaOne on Tuesday (April 29) after a walkabout at One Punggol. 

And if it were up to him? The People's Action Party (PAP) veteran said he would “continue for as long as [he] can.”

DPM Gan previously served as MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC for 14 years, holding key portfolios such as Manpower and Health, and now Minister for Trade and Industry.

"This is not a job, a vocation. It's a sense of mission… to serve people. That will continue to drive me on."

Responding to WP's 'attacks'

DPM Gan, who is leading the PAP team contesting Punggol GRC, was targeted by their opponents The Workers' Party (WP) at their rally earlier this week.

Leading the attack was WP chief Pritam Singh, who suggested that DPM Gan was near retirement and not all that an important member of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's team.

Pritam drew comparisons to DPM Heng Swee Keat’s surprise switch from Tampines GRC to East Coast GRC in the 2020 General Election.

"He [Heng] was supposed to be our next prime minister, all lined up, ready to take off… but then the PAP tells us, 'Sorry, runway too short'," he said. 

"Heng has now retired from politics… Mr Gan is older than him. If elected, in my view, he is going to be a one-term MP (in Punggol GRC)."

WP's Punggol GRC candidates Harpreet Singh and Alexis Dang also questioned DPM Gan’s “parachuting” from Chua Chu Kang GRC on Nomination Day to anchor PAP's four-member slate in the newly-created Punggol GRC.

When asked about these comments, DPM Gan told AsiaOne that his focus during the campaign is not on “paying too much attention” to the opposition — nor is he bothered by the long queues of residents lining up at Waterway Point to take selfies with WP candidates.

"Of course, you always keep watch [on what the opposition does]," he said. "But at the same time, focus a lot more on the residents — talk to them, know them, understand them and help them understand me. I think that's a more endearing way to run a campaign."

The WP team challenging DPM Gan and his two fellow political office holders — Dr Janil Puthucheary and Sun Xueling — is made up entirely of political newcomers, including a senior counsel and a senior director at a tech firm.

WP chairwoman Sylvia Lim went so far as to call the party's Punggol GRC team — along with its 20 other candidates —  the "most promising batch" the party has fielded in any election.

"If these candidates do not get elected this time, there may be no next time," she said in her rally speech on Monday.

In a hypothetical world, would DPM Gan see these "star catches" — with their glittering CVs — make the cut as political office holders, had they been fielded by the PAP instead?

"They are not PAP members, so it's going to be very presumptuous and dangerous to make an assumption that they can or cannot be political office holders," he said.

"I think to be a political office holder, the party leadership will have to understand them, know their style… their thinking.

"If their values are at the wrong place, we will not be able to use them as political office holders, even if they are very smart and capable."

Monkey problem in Punggol 

A week into a "hectic" election campaign period, DPM Gan, in his interview with AsiaOne, reflected on his "mission" of meeting as many residents in Punggol as he can.

These walkabouts, he said, helped him to identify municipal issues — like frequent monkey sightings in Northshore.

"I told them that you have a monkey problem. When I was in Chua Chu Kang, we had a chicken problem... so it's same but different," said DPM Gan. "Sometimes, you do see chickens crossing the roads and you wonder if they really know traffic rules.

"But I also told them that monkeys are a serious problem. And that if I'm elected, my plan is to work with NParks and the rest of the government agencies to see how we can reduce their population… to minimise the disturbance and disadvantage of residents."

On Tuesday, PM Wong said there is value in having a senior minister, like DPM Gan, anchor a GRC.

He cited how senior Cabinet ministers bring "experience and proven capabilities" and can think of new and innovative solutions to improve things on the ground.

DPM Gan said he has identified the need for more covered linkways in Punggol and suggested a "different approach to building connectivity there".

"If it works for Punggol, I think we can apply the new parameters for other towns that have a similar nature of open spaces and lots of parks," he added.

"This is something experimental, and we hope to be able to continue to evolve, working with residents here."

He also pointed to his stint as Health Minister from 2011 to 2021, during which he focused on Singapore's ageing population. 

It's an issue he wants to address in Punggol, such as ways to enhancing elderly care services for Punggol residents.

"I will bring some of those experiences to benefit residents here, particularly the younger generation who may need to look after their parents."

Election win in Punggol not guaranteed: DPM Gan

DPM Gan's other team members for Punggol GRC are Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and Health Puthucheary, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Sun and National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) assistant secretary-general Yeo Wan Ling.

"Janil was here for 14 years, Xueling for 10 years and Wan Ling for five years," he said. "In a way, they provide the anchor, the foundation on which I can build on.

Still, DPM Gan acknowledged that nothing is guaranteed in what has become a hotly contested ward — not even with a deputy prime minister in the PAP slate.

"This election is very important because Singapore is heading into a storm and the world is going to be very different after Liberation Day," he said in a personal message to Punggol residents, while referring to US President Donald Trump's global reciprocal tariffs.

"And when it recovers, it will not be the same world anymore, and we must prepare ourselves for the future.

"It's important for us to choose the right leaders to lead us forward and into the future."

chingshijie@asiaone.com

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