SINGAPORE — A chance encounter with a Singaporeans First (SingFirst) team on a walkabout at Tanjong Pagar last year inspired Mr Melvyn Chiu to take the plunge into politics.

“I find that it has a very powerful branding and not only that, its manifesto supports it as well. So, immediately, I decided to sign up as a member and, very quickly, I was involved with the party’s various activities,” said Mr Chiu, 36, after he was introduced yesterday as a SingFirst candidate for the upcoming General Election.

The party’s vision resonated with him as he has seen friends within his age group struggle when starting a family, while juggling being the caretaker of their elderly parents. At the same time, they have “huge housing loans to pay off”.

Besides his friends, he has also met other middle-class Singaporeans who have voiced similar concerns. That spurred his desire to speak up for this group.

“Many people around my age would like to have their first homes, but find that price levels are still too high. I don’t want to put a price tag (on) an acceptable level, but I feel the Government should put Singaporeans’ interests first,” the sales executive said, adding that the Government should not factor in land cost when pricingnew flats.

Melvyn Chiu Weng Hoe, 36

Sales executive at a multinational corporation

FACT FILE:

• Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Canberra and Master’s Degree in International Business at Monash University

• Topped the class at Monash University and was conferred the Best Graduate Award

• Currently works in the food sanitation and hygiene industry

• Speaks English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokkien

HE SAID: “Placing Singaporeans at the heart of the nation is very, very critical because people are our asset. We have to groom them, we have to make sure that these assets are properly taken care off to ensure that Singapore progresses properly into the future. Not just for the current generation, but for future generation as well.”

WARD: To be announced