Edwin Tong's role in team likened to that of Messi by PAP veteran

Three party veterans returned to the election stage to rally support for the PAP team in East Coast GRC on April 26.

- Joyce Lim Senior Correspondent and Esther Loi

Speaking at the PAP's first East Coast GRC rally, former Cabinet minister Lim Swee Say, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and outgoing Potong Pasir MP Sitoh Yih Pin took the stage at Bedok Stadium to urge voters to back the five-member team, vouching for the leadership of anchor minister Edwin Tong, 55.

The PAP team in East Coast GRC includes incumbents Tan Kiat How, 47, and Jessica Tan, 58, and new faces Hazlina Abdul Halim, 40, and Dinesh Vasu Dash, 50.

During his speech in Mandarin, Mr Lim, who retired from politics in 2020, said he had made few public appearances since stepping down. But when Mr Tong, the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, asked him to speak at the rally, he agreed without hesitation.

"I felt strongly about this," Mr Lim said.

Five years ago, Singapore faced the pandemic, he said. Today, the world faces new uncertainties, the latest being the economic turbulence in the US. In such times, he said, Singapore must have strong leadership.

Mr Lim, a former anchor minister for East Coast GRC, also urged Singaporeans to support the fourth generation of PAP leaders, to "walk and run together" and keep moving Singapore forward.

"The more you support them, the more effectively they can serve Singapore," he added.