SINGAPORE — Even though the odds are against him, Mr Lee Hong Chuang - who was introduced today (Aug 15) by the People’s Action Party (PAP) as its candidate for Hougang - said he would be going into the General Election (GE) with the intention of wresting back the Opposition stronghold for the PAP.

Mr Lee, 45, said: “My priority really is to serve (the residents) first. Definitely, I came in wanting to win it back for the party. Every election is a new game and we see how we can go about doing it.”

Hougang has been under the Workers’ Party’s (WP) rule for almost a quarter of a century, since the 1991 GE. Mr Lee is taking over Mr Desmond Choo who was unsuccessful in two bids - the 2011 GE and the 2012 by-election in Hougang - to win back the seat for the ruling party. Mr Choo is expected to be redeployed to another constituency.

Asked if he was confident of his chances, Mr Lee said that while he has been well received by residents so far, it would depend on the residents’ decision on who to vote for on Polling Day. Mr Lee said his strategy was to gain the trust of the residents. “To understand them better, make friends with them, really understand the main concerns and some of the main challenges they face,” he said, adding that he would go all out in his efforts.

Mr Lee, who is a father of two children aged 10 and 12, has been volunteering for more than 26 years. Since September last year, the senior IT manager has chaired the Hougang Community Club Management Committee. He was also formerly the vice-president of Singapore Gymnastics, and has helped organise several national projects such as the Youth Olympic Games and the recently-concluded 28th South-east Asian Games

Speaking at the press conference to introduce the PAP candidates, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he expects Mr Lee to have a “tough fight” in Hougang. “He has fighting spirit and goes there with the full backing of the party,” the Prime Minister said. He added that the candidate has the party’s support to help him convince Hougang voters that their current MP, WP’s Mr Png Eng Huat, “is not serving them as well as he could or should, whether in the town council or in Parliament”.

Asked to elaborate, Mr Lee Hong Chuang said: “I think whatever they (the WP) have done, they have done it to a certain aspect (but) we can do it much better.” For instance, the PAP could provide more resources for the residents, he said. He added that he would unveil his plans for the constituency later.