PAP Candidate Koh Poh Koon expects keen competition in Punggol East by-election

The People's Action Party candidate Koh Poh Koon expects a tough contest against three other opposition candidates in his fight to retain the Punggol East seat. 

But he says he's ready to try to win over residents. 

Over 500 PAP activists occupied half the field at the Nomination Centre to support Dr Koh. 

But once the nomination process was over, the supporters fanned out, as the PAP campaign machinery kicks into high gear. 

Dr Koh says he's going to be speaking to residents, trying to understand their needs, to try to come up with solutions to their problems. 

Dr Koh also admitted that this is going to be a close and a tough fight, but he's ready for the challenge. 

"Over the next week or two as we visit the blocks, there'll be opportunities to interact and I think that'll be a good time for them to know me better and for me to know them better as well. Reaching out to voters, the strategy is always the same. Listen more, empathise more and also interact more." 

Backing Dr Koh is seasoned politician Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who has been re-elected to Parliament four times in the neighbouring Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC. 

Mr Teo himself was elected as an MP in the Marine Parade by-election in 1992. 

"Over the next few days, he'll go out and try and meet many many more residents, reach out to as many as he can. I think when they meet him, they will find that he is a sincere, down-to-earth person, works hard and wants to work together with them to make their lives better, to make Punggol East better." 

Mr Teo urged residents to carefully consider whom they think would best represent them in Parliament.