6 new SMCs for GE2025, five single seats gone
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There will be a total of 15 single-member constituencies for Singapore’s upcoming general election.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE – Six new single-member constituencies have been created, while five will be removed from the electoral map.
The new SMCs in the latest report by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC)
The five that will be removed are Bukit Batok, Hong Kah North, MacPherson, Punggol West and Yuhua.
There will be a total of 15 SMCs for Singapore’s upcoming general election, which is one more than the previous election in 2020.
The remaining SMCs are Bukit Panjang, Hougang, Kebun Baru, Marymount, Mountbatten, Pioneer, Potong Pasir, Radin Mas and Yio Chu Kang.
Based on the report’s recommendations, the total number of MPs will increase from 93 to 97 – 15 per cent of whom will be elected from SMCs.
There will be an average of 28,384 electors per MP, a slight decrease from the 28,510 electors for each MP five years ago.
In all, 400,484 electors will be voting in the 15 SMCs.
With the removal of Punggol West SMC, the EBRC recommended that it be merged with Punggol estates in the growing Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC to form a new four-MP Punggol GRC.
Hong Kah North SMC has grown and will continue to expand due to housing developments in Tengah and Bukit Batok West. With 45,586 electors, it was deemed too big to remain as an SMC.
The Tengah estates will be absorbed into Chua Chu Kang GRC, while a new Bukit Gombak SMC will be formed to take in estates from Bukit Gombak and Hillview.
The remaining polling districts of Hong Kah North SMC, together with the adjacent polling districts in Bukit Batok and Yuhua SMCs, will be merged with Jurong GRC to form a new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.
Sembawang West SMC and Tampines Changkat SMC will also be formed in view of the growth in Sembawang GRC and Tampines GRC.
Sembawang GRC MP Poh Li San, who is the representative for Sembawang West, told The Straits Times she hopes the People’s Action Party (PAP) team there will be able to achieve a good result in the upcoming general election.
She said: “We are glad that in view of the expanding population (in Sembawang GRC), the EBRC has increased the number of MPs serving the area. This will help to better serve the needs of our residents.
“Hopefully, the PAP team can get a good result in the coming general election, and we will continue to carry out our programmes and plans for the town as a big family.”
Tampines GRC MP Desmond Choo, who is the representative for Tampines Changkat, said he remains focused on serving the residents there.
He said: “Regardless of the boundary changes, Tampines Changkat team is and will be focused on serving Changkat residents as we have been over the last many years. We have been working with our residents to understand their needs and aspirations to build a better community for all.”
Ang Mo Kio GRC, which has 190,800 electors, is the electoral division with the most number of electors. Its size will be reduced by having some of its polling districts carved out to form a new Jalan Kayu SMC.
Potong Pasir SMC, which has had high population growth due to new Housing Board developments in Bidadari, will have some polling districts moved to Marine Parade GRC.
The group representation constituency will absorb MacPherson SMC and an adjacent polling district from Mountbatten SMC.
A new Jurong Central SMC will be formed with some polling districts carved out from Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.
Jurong GRC MP Xie Yao Quan said in a Facebook post that he plans to continue serving and representing residents of the new Jurong Central SMC.
“To all residents, I assure you that my work to serve and represent you continues unchanged,” he said. “My team and I will also press ahead with the many plans we have to enhance all residents’ welfare. Together, let’s make Jurong Central even better.”
Radin Mas SMC will take in estates in HarbourFront and Sentosa, which are currently part of West Coast GRC.
A new Queenstown SMC will be carved out of Tanjong Pagar GRC to maintain it as a five-MP GRC.
In total, the EBRC recommended 33 electoral divisions, comprising 18 GRCs and 15 SMCs.
The Government has accepted the recommendations and will implement them in the next general election, which must be held by November.
The report is the penultimate step before Parliament can be dissolved for the upcoming general election, which will be Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s first electoral outing since taking over Singapore’s top political post in May 2024.
Chin Soo Fang is senior correspondent at The Straits Times covering topics such as community, politics, social issues, consumer, culture and heritage.