GE2025: PAP to field new face Gho Sze Kee in Mountbatten SMC, replacing 4-term MP Lim Biow Chuan

SINGAPORE: Shipping lawyer Gho Sze Kee, 46, will be fielded in Mountbatten SMC under the People’s Action Party (PAP) in the upcoming General Election, the party announced on Sunday (Apr 20). 

Mr Lim Biow Chuan, a four-term MP who was formerly Deputy Speaker from 2016 to 2020, will step down from the ward.

He first entered politics close to 20 years ago as part of the PAP’s slate for Marine Parade GRC in the 2006 General Election. 

After Mountbatten was carved out of the GRC to form Mountbatten SMC in 2011, Mr Lim was re-elected as a Member of Parliament for the ward three more times in 2011, 2015 and 2020.

In 2020, he won 73.82 per cent of the vote against first-time candidate Sivakumaran Chellappa of the Peoples Voice party.

Secretary-general of the People's Alliance for Reform Lim Tean said it would field 14 candidates in seven constituencies in the upcoming General Election, including in Mountbatten SMC.

For the coming polls, the ruling party will instead field Ms Gho, who is an associate director at AsiaLegal, a local law firm which specialises in maritime issues, such as shipping litigation and marine insurance. 

Introducing Ms Gho, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, who will be helming the Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC team, said that she “has her work cut out for her”, citing the upcoming Build-to-Order flat developments in Tanjong Rhu.

Ms Gho said: "For 13 years, I have been a community leader as well as a branch activist. So over the years, I've served with dedicated activists, advocating for you, helping with your problems and listening to your hopes and aspirations."

She has been actively involved in community events alongside Mr Lim, including having accompanied Mr Lim on house visits in areas within the single-seat ward.

A longtime party activist, Ms Gho has appeared at numerous constituency events, including Edusave Award ceremonies and Chinese New Year celebrations.

In 2023, Ms Gho was awarded the Public Service Medal as vice-chairperson of Bukit Timah Citizens’ Consultative Committee.

Ms Gho made headlines in 2021 after delivering a speech at that year’s party convention. 

She spoke about the importance of renewal with diversity at all levels in her capacity as the PAP’s Bukit Timah branch secretary.

BIG SHOES TO FILL 

Paying tribute to Mr Lim, Ms Gho said on Sunday she has "big shoes" to fill.

"So for me, what I have to do is literally work harder. He's built solid foundations, and we have seen how Mountbatten has grown and thrived under his loving care. He's been very nurturing in ensuring that the residents are very well taken care of.

"So now, it is up to me to build on the foundations that he has laid, and this is my promise to the residents - that they will see me on the ground, that I will be a listening ear and be there for them."

Ms Gho acknowledged Mr Lim's "stellar" results in previous elections and said he taught her the importance of amplifying residents' voices in parliament.

In 2020, Mr Lim defeated Peoples Voice candidate Sivakumaran Chellappa, taking almost 74 per cent of the vote - well above the PAP's national vote share of 61 per cent.

"He wants every one of us to do more than just that," she said, recounting how Mr Lim had urged her to think about what more she could bring to the plate for Mountbatten residents.

"I talked about the last-mile coverage and reviving the kampung spirit," she said.

"I'm a mother of two teenagers, and I like to bring my personal touch, motherly touch. And what I hope to achieve is that when residents find themselves in a difficult or stressful situation, and if the first person they do think of is me, I think I will be very, very happy, and I'd be most grateful for that chance."

On Thursday’s launch of the PAP’s manifesto, she was lauded by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong for her “fighting spirit”. 

“I have no doubt she will make a good MP,” said Mr Wong.

Under the redrawn electoral boundaries for the upcoming elections, a polling district in Mountbatten SMC will be absorbed by the adjacent Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC. 

According to the report released by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) in March, Mountbatten SMC has 22,754 eligible voters.

Editor's note: This article has been updated after the PAP clarified that while reference was made to Lim Biow Chuan retiring at the media conference, this meant he is stepping down from Mountbatten SMC, but he is not retiring from politics.