Despite the media hype and the fact that they still outshine the opposition, the new PAP MP candidates are a mixed lot. A few of them look like they have ministerial potential, notably former Chief of Navy Lui Tuck Yew and former International Enterprises of Singapore CEO Lee Yi Shyan. Some of the others we have met look quite weak, with limited political skills or policy experience. It looks as if the PAP was trying to meet an overall profile -- so many community activists, so many union officials, a few business figures, commented Conceicao.
PAP MP Chong admitted that the party had not succeeded in recruiting a number of "high-flying" business leaders to run. In fact, the party had to reach down to some of its second and third tier candidates to fill out its ticket. Those new candidates will all run in the Group Representative Constituencies (GRCs) helmed by higher profile ministers -- for example, four of them will run in Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong's uncontested district. Full story
