S’pore’s First Female General To Contest In Marymount SMC, To Run Against Ex-Colonel
Singapore’s first female general Gan Siow Huang, 46, will be contesting Marymount Single-Member Constituency (SMC).
She revealed this to the media on the way to the nomination centre on Tuesday (30 Jun), Nomination Day for the 2020 General Election. Later, she was one of the first candidates to make their speech.
She will be going up against the Progress Singapore Party’s (PSP’s) Dr Ang Yong Guan, 65, who also has a background in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) – he spent about 20 years in the SAF and retired as a colonel.
Gan Siow Huang grew up in Toa Payoh
After she was announced as a candidate, Ms Gan uploaded a campaign video on Facebook, revealed that despite running in Marymount, she grew up in Toa Payoh.
After getting an Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Merit Scholarship in 1993, she went to study at the London School of Economics, then served in the SAF.
In 2015, Ms Gan made history when she was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General, thereby becoming the first female general in the history of the SAF.
Dr Ang was an army doctor
Dr Ang, on the other hand, is a psychiatrist, but also served in the SAF as a senior medical officer.
He reached the rank of colonel before leaving the SAF.
In his foray into politics, he joined the Singapore Democratic Party and contested together with Mr Tan Jee Say in Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency (GRC).
He also briefly joined the now-defunct Singaporeans First party with Mr Tan as chief.
Here’s what he had to say after being nominated.
Ex-SAF vs ex-SAF
Who do you think will win in the straight fight between an ex-general and an ex-colonel?
Dr Ang has the edge in experience, but Ms Gan has the edge in youthfulness and the backing of the ruling party.
We can’t wait to see who wins.
Featured images adapted from Facebook and Facebook.
