GE2025: PAP wins Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC with 75.21% of vote and Marymount SMC with 70.7% of vote
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The PAP's Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC candidates (from left) Cai Yinzhou, Elysa Chen, Saktiandi Supaat and Chee Hong Tat greeting supporters at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on May 3.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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SINGAPORE - The PAP has scored a resounding victory in both Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Marymount SMC, capturing more than 70 per cent of the votes cast.
The four-man PAP team in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, led by Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat, garnered 75.21 per cent of the vote against Singapore People’s Party (SPP), which drew 24.79 per cent.
PAP’s vote share translated to 66,137 votes cast, while 21,799 votes were cast for the opposition SPP. There were a total of 98,708 voters, including 8,688 who did not vote. The number of spoilt votes totalled 2,084.
The PAP also won Marymount SMC, with Ms Gan Siow Huang drawing 14,868 votes or 70.70 per cent of the vote share, against 6,163 votes cast for PSP, which translated to 29.3 per cent of the vote share.
A total of 21,282 votes were cast and 251 votes were rejected. Those who did not vote numbered 1,993.
In Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, it was the PAP’s fourth win against SPP.
In 2020, when the PAP team was led by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, it garnered 67.23 per cent of the vote, which was higher than PAP’s overall vote share of 61.23 per cent. SPP attracted 32.77 per cent of the vote then.
In 2015, PAP secured 73.59 per cent of the vote share against SPP, which drew 26.41 per cent. In 2011, PAP triumphed with 56.93 per cent, compared with SPP’s 43.07 per cent.
Dr Ng, 66, confirmed that he would not be running in the 2025 General Election when he announced his retirement on April 18. He entered politics in 2001.
The 2025 PAP team comprised Mr Chee, 51, Mr Saktiandi Supaat, 51, who is head of FX research at Maybank, and political fresh faces Elysa Chen, 41, a charity director, and social entrepreneur Cai Yinzhou, 35.
After the win was officially announced, Mr Chee thanked the residents gathered at Yio Chu Kang Stadium for giving his team a “clear mandate”.
He said: “We will work hard to fulfil our promises and improve your lives.
“There are some areas that we need to do better. My team and I will continue to listen to your feedback and make improvements, step by step, year by year.”
Mr Chee also told reporters at a doorstop interview that starting next week, his team will begin their Meet-the-People Sessions, community activities, market visits and house visits.
He added: “The residents will be able to see me, regardless of which part of Bishan-Toa Payoh they are in.”
The 2025 SPP team included secretary-general Steve Chia, 54, party chairman Melvyn Chiu, 45, and two new faces, operations executive Muhammad Norhakim, 31, and operations manager Lim Rui Xian, 37.
At a doorstop interview outside Raffles Girls’ School just after the sample count was released, Mr Chia appeared resigned but still expressed surprise at the result, as he said many people had told him they would support SPP.
He added that the party would be reflecting on the outcome and considering its next steps, including whether to merge with other opposition parties, or give up and deregister SPP.
Over in Marymount SMC, Ms Gan, 50, successfully defended her seat against PSP candidate Jeffrey Khoo, 56, the chief executive of a regional risk consulting firm.
Ms Gan Siow Huang celebrating with her supporters at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on May 3.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
She is the Minister of State for Education and Manpower. In 2020, when she made her election debut in Marymount, she won 55.04 per cent of the vote against former PSP candidate Ang Yong Guan, who drew 44.96 per cent of the vote share.
Speaking to her supporters after the results were announced, Ms Gan said she is “deeply humbled” by her win and will work hard to improve Marymount estate and build a stronger, more caring community.
“My team and I hope to be able to, together with you, build a brighter future for you and your family and make every day a good day to be in Marymount,” she said.
“We have done well, and we will do better for Marymount.”
Mr Khoo was part of PSP’s A-team – led by party chairman Tan Cheng Bock – that was fielded in West Coast GRC during the 2020 polls.
PSP had lost with 48.32 per cent of the vote against PAPs 51.68 per cent – making it the narrowest win for the ruling party that year.
Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Marymount SMC are among the nine constituencies that saw no boundary changes in the March 11 Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report.
