Deep Dive - GE2025: PAP’s Elysa Chen on being 'kicked into politics' and overcoming imposter syndrome

30 Apr 2025 07:41AM

18 mins

Politics was never part of Elysa Chen’s plan, who used to think of the PAP as “paternalistic” and “out of touch”. But one tea session with the PAP led to another, and now, the party’s new face is standing in GE2025. She tells Steven Chia on the Deep Dive podcast why contesting in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC feels like a “homecoming”.

Deep Dive - Cabinet reshuffle: No big surprises but key moves to align the ministries under PM Wong’s 4G team

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong unveiled his Cabinet and one surprise was the lack of a second deputy prime minister. Instead, the new Cabinet includes three coordinating ministers. What does that signal? And will there be more changes to come? Steven Chia speaks to independent political observer Dr Felix Tan and Dr Elvin Ong of the National University of Singapore.

22/05/2025 20 mins

Deep Dive - GE2025: Are independent candidates a new force to be reckoned with?

For the first time in 53 years, an independent candidate received more than 35 per cent of vote share, performing better than some smaller opposition parties. Jeremy Tan, who ran in Mountbatten SMC, and Darryl Lo who contested in Radin Mas SMC, join Steven Chia and Otelli Edwards to talk about lessons learnt from their campaigning and their future after GE2025.

15/05/2025 21 mins

Deep Dive - GE2025 results: A closer look at the strong PAP mandate and the opposition strategy

Voters gave the People's Action Party and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong a clear mandate in GE2025. What accounted for the result and why couldn't the opposition parties make good on gains from the last election? Steven Chia and Otelli Edwards speak to Associate Professor Eugene Tan from the Singapore Management University and Dr Reuben Ng from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

06/05/2025 23 mins

Deep Dive - WP's Jasper Kuan on the 3-hour chat with former chief Low Thia Khiang that convinced him to run for GE2025

East Coast GRC candidate for the Workers’ Party Jasper Kuan admits this may not be the right “season” for him to jump into politics because of his three young children. But he tells Steven Chia how a three-hour conversation with Low Thia Khiang changed his mind and why as a former Gifted Education Programme teacher, he believes the education system needs structural changes.

30/04/2025 20 mins