SINGAPORE - Health Minister Ong Ye Kung expects at least one new member to be added to the People’s Action Party (PAP) team at Sembawang GRC in the upcoming general election, saying it is part of the ruling party’s renewal process every election cycle.

“As of now, I expect at least one new member on the team,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the launch of Bazar Raya Utara@Woodlands, an annual Ramadan bazaar, on Feb 23.

“I do not know who he or she is yet, (and) I am as eager as you to find out who, and when I know, I will quickly introduce him or her,” he said in response to a question about possible changes to the Sembawang GRC slate.

Besides Mr Ong , who is anchor minister for the constituency, the other MPs for Sembawang GRC are Mr Vikram Nair, Dr Lim Wee Kiak, Ms Poh Li San and Ms Mariam Jaafar.

All of them were present at the event on Feb 23, save Ms Poh , who was overseas on a work engagement.

When asked if he expects a new member because the GRC is expanding, or if a person is leaving, he put it down to the PAP’s bid to regularly refresh its line-up with each election.

“This is a tradition of the PAP, (where) every election, we try to refresh a quarter to a third of all our candidates... so this being a five-person (constituency) , I must expect one or even two persons will change up,” he said.