‘PAP needed a change, even though Kahar was hardworking’

Elaborating on why ex-People’s Action Party (PAP) Kaki Bukit branch chairman Kahar Hassan (picture) was asked to step down last month, former PAP chairman Lim Boon Heng said yesterday the party felt that it needed a change, even though Mr Kahar had been a “very hardworking person”.

Mr Lim also thanked Mr Kahar — who was dropped from the PAP slate totally — for his work in Kaki Bukit and for letting residents know that the party has “not forgotten about them”.

Speaking at a press conference to unveil the PAP’s team for Aljunied Group Representation Constituency, Mr Lim said the PAP has deployed their potential candidates on the ground much earlier compared with previous elections. This gave the party the opportunity to assess how the potential candidates relate with people and different stakeholders in the constituency, he added.

“In other words, it allows us what you might say in management jargon, a 360-degree assessment of the candidates. This time round, we have been more comprehensive in the assessment of our candidates and whether they fit in the constituency where we intend to field them,” he said.

“So, the party decided that they needed a change in Kaki Bukit although Kahar Hassan had been a very hardworking person. We should make a change if we could find somebody that is a better fit.” Mr Lim said the party was “very glad” that they were able to find a “better fit” in Mr Shamsul Kamar, the former head of Student Management at Spectra Secondary School.

Mr Kahar, 46, was asked to step down late last month, after working the ground for the past 16 months.

The business development director of an engineering company could not respond to media queries by press time. Mr Kahar announced his departure on Facebook on July 31 and in his earlier comments to TODAY, he said it was a party decision and his thoughts went out to the residents. SIAU MING EN