NTU marketing professor introduced as new face in Tampines East
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(From left) NTU assistant professor of marketing Charlene Chen, Mayor for North East District Desmond Choo, PM Lawrence Wong, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment and for Transport Baey Yam Keng on June 15.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
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SINGAPORE - A new grassroots leader for the Tampines East ward of Tampines GRC was introduced to residents by anchor minister Masagos Zulkifli on June 15.
Speaking at the Tampines Learning Festival,
Former MP Cheng Li Hui, who used to be MP for the area, resigned in 2023 due to an extramarital affair
Noting that Prof Chen has been appointed second adviser to the grassroots organisations in Tampines GRC, Mr Masagos said she had volunteered to step in.
“I have... two divisions. It’s very hard to run everything, and it’s not fair for the residents,” the minister said. “She said she will help us, and she will be working with me in serving residents in Tampines East.”
Prof Chen, who was wearing a polo shirt with the word “Tampines” emblazoned on it, was flanked on stage by Mr Masagos and two other Tampines GRC MPs – Mayor for North East District Desmond Choo, and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment and for Transport Baey Yam Keng. She said it has been a couple of weeks since she joined the team.
“I’ve been amazed by the amount of dedication the grassroots leaders here have, and they are a wonderful bunch that are very concerned about raising the well-being and welfare of residents here. I’m very glad to be able to support them,” she said.
“Please don’t be shy to say hello to me when I walk about in your neighbourhood, when I do my house visits. Please feel free to come up and share your concerns and issues with me. I’ll always be there to be a listening ear,” she added.
Prof Chen, a social and consumer psychologist who holds a PhD in marketing from Columbia Business School, was appointed a member of Tampines Town Council on May 1 for a two-year term.
On the same day, she made a post on her public Facebook account, which was created on April 21, expressing gratitude for the support she received from the grassroots and residents in Buona Vista, where she appears to have volunteered previously.
She has since been posting about her various engagements in the Tampines area.
In October 2023, Prof Chen was among the speakers at a PAP Policy Forum dialogue held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, where she spoke about the need to take a softer, less top-down approach when engaging with young people.
While there is no firm indication yet whether she will be fielded as a People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate at the next general election, which must be held by November 2025, Prof Chen is the latest of several “new faces” to be appointed second adviser to grassroots organisations here.
Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao reported on June 14 that another prospective PAP candidate, Dr Choo Pei Ling, was recently appointed second adviser to Marine Parade grassroots organisations, looking after Kembangan-Chai Chee – Mr Tan’s former ward.
The assistant professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology’s Health and Social Sciences cluster was introduced as a new grassroots leader in Marine Parade GRC by Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in April.
Similarly, Dr Hamid Razak, an orthopaedic surgeon who has been active in Jurong GRC and touted as a future candidate there, is second adviser to Jurong Spring grassroots organisations.
In the past, Tampines GRC MP Desmond Choo and Nee Soon GRC MP Carrie Tan had also been second advisers to grassroots organisations before they stood for election.
Correction note: An earlier version of the story said Dr Hamid Razak is an orthopaedic surgeon at Sengkang General Hospital. This is incorrect. He is currently in private practice. We are sorry for the error.
