Aqil Hamzah

Singapore

Journalist at The Straits Times

I like to think of myself as Singapore's very own Clark Kent

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Articles

‘A plan for a fairer, more secure Singapore’: Gerald Giam on WP manifesto

1 week ago | straitstimes.com | Aqil Hamzah

Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE – The WP on April 17 unveiled its manifesto for the upcoming general election, covering 125 policy proposals in five sections. Titled “Working for Singapore”, it covers affordability and cost of living concerns, economic growth and opportunities, inclusion and equality in the society here, accountability and democracy here, and security and geopolitics.
GE2025: PAP’s Desmond Choo to contest Tampines Changkat SMC

1 week ago | straitstimes.com | Aqil Hamzah

SINGAPORE - After a decade overseeing the Tampines Changkat ward as part of the PAP’s Tampines GRC team, Mr Desmond Choo will contest the newly carved out Tampines Changkat single-member constituency. The 47-year-old was announced as the party’s candidate in the single seat by Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli during a press conference at Tampines GreenVines on April 16. Mr Masagos is the anchor minister for the PAP team in Tampines GRC.
GE2025: Ex-army chief David Neo, academic Charlene Chen confirmed among PAP’s Tampines GRC slate

1 week ago | straitstimes.com | David Sun |Aqil Hamzah

and SINGAPORE - Former Chief of Army David Neo will contest Tampines GRC in the upcoming general election for the ruling PAP. The 47-year-old will run alongside Dr Charlene Chen, 43, an assistant professor of marketing at the Nanyang Technological University, the constituency’s anchor minister Masagos Zulkifli said on April 16.
Opposition parties ramp up election preparations, as some criticise date of Polling Day

1 week ago | straitstimes.com | Deepanraj Ganesan |Aqil Hamzah

SINGAPORE - The various opposition parties will ramp up efforts to win over voters, as some expressed concerns over the short runway to the general election. Parliament was dissolved on April 15, with Nomination Day on April 23. Singaporeans will head to the polls on May 3 to elect 97 MPs across 33 constituencies. The various opposition parties put out statements after the Writ of Election was issued.
GE2025: CSA advises public to stay alert for cyber threats during election season

1 week ago | straitstimes.com | Aqil Hamzah

Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE – Fraudsters may set up fake social media accounts and political party websites, and send phishing e-mails to solicit donations to defraud Singaporeans ahead of Polling Day on May 3, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) warned.
GE 2025: PAP new face seen with five MPs at Hari Raya event in Marine Parade GRC

1 week ago | straitstimes.com | Aqil Hamzah

SINGAPORE - A long-time grassroots volunteer in East Coast GRC, tipped to be fielded in the 2025 General Election, has appeared at a Hari Raya event with PAP candidates for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC. PAP new face Diana Pang, who chairs both the Fengshan Women’s Executive Committee and the People’s Association Women’s Integration Network Council, was spotted on April 13 at the event held at Wisma Geylang Serai.
GE2025: ‘This would be the place I want to represent,’ says Desmond Choo on new Tampines Changkat SMC

1 week ago | straitstimes.com | Aqil Hamzah

SINGAPORE – Tampines GRC MP Desmond Choo has indicated he wants to stay put in his ward, which was recently carved out as Tampines Changkat SMC. Mr Choo said an MP in a single-member constituency can provide more dedicated attention to residents, while MPs in group representation constituencies have to consider the bigger picture and needs of the GRC. He added: “I’ve been here (in this ward) for 10 years. If there’s an opportunity, this would be the place I want to represent.
GE2025: People’s Power Party unveils two new faces at Tampines walkabout

1 week ago | straitstimes.com | Aqil Hamzah

SINGAPORE - A former civil servant and the founder of a green technology firm - both over the age of 60 - were unveiled as new faces by the People’s Power Party’s (PPP) on April 12. The introduction of Mr Martinn Ho, 64, and Mr Peter Soh, 65, came after a walkabout at Tampines Round Market and Food Centre. Mr Ho’s LinkedIn account shows he had worked at the National Environment Agency as a deputy principle engineer.
Election spotlight: Race hots up in Tampines as multi-cornered fights loom

3 weeks ago | straitstimes.com | Aqil Hamzah |David Sun

SINGAPORE – Since its formation in 1988, Tampines GRC has borne witness to a two-way electoral race at every general election except in 1997, when there was a walkover. But at the upcoming election, up to three opposition parties could end up contesting both the group representation constituency of about 147,900 voters and the newly carved out single seat of Tampines Changkat with around 23,800 voters.
‘I have a very sharply different view on Israel and Palestine compared to Mr Calvin Cheng’: Shanmugam

3 weeks ago | straitstimes.com | Aqil Hamzah

SINGAPORE - Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam has made clear that when it comes to the issue of Israel and Palestine, his views are very different from that of Mr Calvin Cheng. Speaking to the media at Masjid Maarof on April 2, he said: “I have a very sharply different view”, when asked to comment on the post by the former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP).