Good group of potential Malay-Muslim PAP candidates identified for next GE: Masagos

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Good group of potential Malay-Muslim PAP candidates identified for next GE: Masagos


The Second Home Affairs Minister says the current batch of potential Malay-Muslim candidates is committed and 'quite different' from earlier ones, including himself.

By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia
POSTED: 24 Jun 2015 21:26 UPDATED: 24 Jun 2015 23:56



SINGAPORE: The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) has identified a good group of potential Malay-Muslim candidates for the next general election, which is due by January 2017. Second Home Affairs Minister Masagos Zulkifli revealed this in a wide-ranging exclusive interview with MediaCorp.

Mr Masagos said this particular Malay-Muslim batch is "quite different" from earlier ones, "particularly because they are committed and they are also single-minded about helping out, contributing to the party as well as to become part of the Government".

He added: “This is a big change from the past, including myself who was totally reluctant to participate in the leadership, to become part of the Government. And I think that is good because if they are committed, they are interested, (and) it is far, far better, easier for us to get them going, than if they are not."

At least seven potential Malay-Muslim candidates have been seen walking the ground and shadowing ministers. Mr Masagos said they come from both public and private sectors, and some women are among them.

The new faces that have been spotted include 42-year-old economist Saktiandi Supaat, who has been seen at Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, 36-year-old research scientist Ismail Muhammad Hanif, at Jurong GRC, 36-year-old lawyer Amrin Amin, at Sembawang GRC and 46-year-old Deputy Director with SMRT, Kahar Hassan, who has been active in the opposition-held ward of Aljunied GRC.

Mr Masagos said most of the other potential candidates are in their early 30s: "Most of them are young and therefore they will have a very good long runway to learn about leadership and to be moulded into credible and reliable leadership for the community, as well as for the nation."

But even though some have been identified as potential new faces, Mr Masagos said it does not guarantee that they will be fielded at the next elections.

"The only one who knows who will retire is PM,” said Mr Masagos. "So we do not know if six, seven, eight, nine will move, leave or only one will leave. Therefore the people who have been identified and put in the various PAP branches to study, shadow the MPs, there is no certainty they will actually be fielded. It is also subject to who steps down and who does not step down."

Asked if the group is ready, Mr Masagos had this to say: "I don't ever know anyone who's ready you know? Even for myself, after I was elected, the kind of work I was exposed to, I could not imagine ... and therefore what they need is someone who can mentor them, particularly for the Malay-Muslim MPs, because they are not just leading their constituencies, they are also the vanguards for the Muslim community.

“Therefore, we have to guide them, teach them (and) embrace them to become reliable respectable leaders for the community.”

- CNA/hs


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