GE2025: PAP wins Pasir Ris-Changi GRC

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SINGAPORE - The PAP has won Pasir Ris-Changi GRC – led by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah – with 67.66 per cent of the votes against the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), a coalition of two parties and a newcomer.

Ms Indranee’s teammates are Mr Desmond Tan, 54, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, one-term MP Sharael Taha, 43, and new face Valerie Lee, 39.

They faced a straight fight against a team from SDA comprising the opposition coalition’s chairman Desmond Lim, 58, secretary-general Abu Mohamed, 74, communications lead Harminder Pal Singh, 53, and newcomer Chia Yun Kai, 32. The team garnered 32.34 per cent of the votes.

The constituency, which has 100,957 voters, was formed by merging some districts under the former Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC with adjacent areas in East Coast GRC, after electoral boundaries were redrawn.

Pulau Ubin was subsumed under the new boundaries of Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.

In her speech at Bedok Stadium thanking voters for their faith and support, Ms Indranee said: “We will put in place the plans that we already have, but we are going to listen to you so that we can put together fresh plans.

“For those who didn’t vote for us, it will be our mission to understand why, and we will work hard for you too, because you are no less our residents than the others, and we will work hard for everyone.”

During the nine days of campaigning, Ms Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and National Development, had said that while the PAP has plans to address concerns such as the cost of living and jobs at a national level, her team at Pasir Ris-Changi GRC will explore issues and plans at the local level, including improving infrastructure.

Ms Indranee had moved from Tanjong Pagar GRC where she had served for 24 years to anchor the PAP team in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.

This was after Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, the former anchor minister in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, announced his retirement from politics after 33 years. Mr Teo had been an MP in Pasir-Ris Punggol GRC since 1997.

During campaigning, Ms Indranee had said at a rally about SM Teo’s “shoes” being too big to fill.

In an interview with the media at Bedok Stadium following the official results’ announcement, Ms Indranee said she will make her own footprints together with her team.

“And you know, everybody has different shoes; what is much more important is how you walk in those shoes with the residents.”

Separately, SDA’s Mr Lim said the results of this general election showed the highest support that the coalition has received since 2006.

The SDA had garnered 23.67 per cent of the votes in General Election 2020 while contesting the then Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

“I feel encouraged and motivated to continue working for the community,” said Mr Lim, adding that the alliance plans to focus on community engagement, refine its policies and the use of social media as well as build strong coalition with other political parties to address the issues that matter most to constituents.

The SDA is a coalition comprising the Singapore Justice Party, of which Mr Lim is the secretary-general; the Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS), of which Mr Abu Mohamed is the president; and Mr Chia, who initially announced he had founded his own party Most Valuable Party to contest East Coast GRC. Mr Chia joined SDA on Nomination Day on April 23.

During campaigning, the alliance had aimed to address the cost of living, issues on housing and healthcare as well as that of providing better job opportunities for Singaporeans amid competition from foreign talent.

Pasir Ris-Changi voters whom The Straits Times spoke to earlier on Polling Day said the voting process was smooth and hassle-free.

The day began with heavy downpours in the early morning of May 3 before clearing up to clear skies for the rest of the day.

Voters said issues such as the cost of living were on the top of their minds when it came to casting their votes.

“What’s more important for me is to choose the right team to take the country forward,” said 49-year-old housewife Noor Huda Abdullah.