For the second time in the 32-year history of the GRC scheme, a multi-cornered fight is taking place - and again, it involves Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean.

The first time was when he was a newcomer to politics and now, as leader of a People's Action Party (PAP) team with three new faces.

The team is defending Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC against the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) and the Peoples Voice (PV) party.

Asked about the three-cornered fight, Mr Teo, 65, replied: "Well, I had been in (a) four-cornered (fight) before."

That was in 1992, when he was a new face in the PAP team that won Marine Parade GRC in a by-election, garnering 72.94 per cent of the votes.

The Singapore Justice Party, Singapore Democratic Party and National Solidarity Party were hoping to snag the group representation constituency from the PAP team led by Mr Goh Chok Tong, who was then the prime minister.

Mr Teo, who leads a five-member team, added: "We welcome all those who are contesting, but we hope the voters will see that we can offer them a better tomorrow, and a stable and secure future."

With three new faces, his team has the highest number of newcomers among PAP's GRC teams.

The GRC was previously a six-member constituency, but Punggol West has been carved out for this election to form a singlemember constituency, where incumbent Sun Xueling is seeking re-election in the July 10 polls.

With her departure, Dr Janil Puthucheary, 47, remains Mr Teo's sole running mate from the 2015 election in the PAP stronghold, following labour chief and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Ng Chee Meng's move to helm the PAP team for the newly formed Sengkang GRC.

Two MPs have stepped down: Mr Zainal Sapari, 54, National Trades Union Congress assistant secretary-general; and Mr Teo Ser Luck, 52, an entrepreneur.

The team's new faces are Mr Mohamed Sharael Taha, 39; Ms Yeo Wan Ling, 44; and Mr Desmond Tan Kok Ming, 50.

Mr Sharael is a vice-president at Singapore Aero Engine Services, while Mr Tan was a former brigadier-general in the Singapore Armed Forces and former chief executive director of the People's Association. Ms Yeo, who used to work for the Economic Development Board, runs social enterprise Caregiver Asia.

The SDA team features two new faces: operations manager Kelvin Ong, 34; and electrical engineer Kuswadi Atnawi, 57. They join three old-timers: Mr Desmond Lim Bak Chuan, 53; Mr Harminder Pal Singh, 48; and Mr Abu Mohamed, 69. This is Mr Singh's third time running in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and Mr Abu's and Mr Lim's second.

The PV slate comprises Mr Gilbert Goh, who contested in 2011 in Tampines GRC on the National Solidarity Party's ticket. He ran in Ang Mo Kio GRC in the last election on the Reform Party's ticket.

His running mates are personal driver Lim Kay Cheow Jireh, who also goes by the name Simon Lim; business financial manager Prabu Ramachandran; lecturer Mohamed Nassir Ismail; and pre-school educator Vigneswari V. Ramachandran. The party did not disclose the age of its candidates.

In the last election, the PAP won 72.89 per cent of the votes in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, with the SDA taking the remaining 27.11 per cent.

PIONEER SMC

The single-seat constituency is also facing a three-cornered fight.

Mr Patrick Tay, a two-term PAP MP for West Coast GRC, is contesting the seat formerly held by Mr Cedric Foo. Mr Tay, 48, is up against Mr Lim Cher Hong, 42, of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP). The author and chartered financial consultant, who was introduced by the party last week, is contesting for the first time.

In a surprise twist, independent candidate Cheang Peng Wah, a business consultant who declined to give his age, is also contesting the seat.

Another independent candidate, Mr Victor Ronnie Lai, 65, also turned up at the Jurong Pioneer Junior College nomination centre. But the retired financial accountant, who carried a bunch of sunflowers and a Singapore flag, could not get enough assenters to enter the centre. He left after an hour of waiting.

PV's Mr Gilbert Goh, 59, who runs a non-governmental organisation counselling unemployed Singa-poreans, had originally planned to contest Pioneer SMC, but changed his mind, saying he is "giving way" because PSP is there.

He opted to contest Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC with his party instead.

In the 2015 general election, PAP's Mr Foo received 76.34 per cent of the votes in a face-off with the National Solidarity Party's Mr Elvin Ong.