New Sembawang West SMC to be part of Sembawang family: Ong Ye Kung

SINGAPORE – Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said the new Sembawang West SMC will remain an integral part of the Sembawang family.

The Sembawang GRC MP said in a Facebook post on March 12 that the single-member constituency’s upgrading and development plans will continue to be part of the group representation constituency’s town development plan.

Mr Ong said: “As an SMC, it will be able to have more autonomy and flexibility to implement initiatives to address the specific needs of its residents.”

The Elections Department said on March 11 that the Government accepted

the report and recommendations submitted

by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC).

The EBRC report said voter numbers have grown significantly in Pasir Ris-Punggol, Sembawang and Tampines GRCs, as well as in the single seats of Hong Kah North and Potong Pasir, due to population shifts and new housing developments in these areas.

Voter numbers in each of these constituencies have increased by more than 10,000 since the 2020 General Election, it added.

In his Facebook post, Mr Ong said: “The change is not surprising, as over the past few years, more residents have moved into Sembawang GRC, and the population has expanded considerably.

“Increasing the number of MPs from five to six in the area will help to better serve the needs of our residents.”

The EBRC recommended 33 electoral divisions: 15 SMCs, up from 14 previously, and 18 four- and five-member GRCs.

There will be eight four-member GRCs, up from six; and 10 five-member GRCs, down from 11.

Mr Ong said: “The key change for Sembawang GRC is that from a five-person GRC, it will become a five-person GRC plus an SMC, which is Sembawang West, with the 700 series blocks comprising six Resident Networks.”

It is not yet known if incumbent Sembawang West MP Poh Li San will take the lead for the new Sembawang West SMC.

Sembawang GRC has five MPs: Mr Ong, Ms Poh, Mr Vikram Nair, Dr Lim Wee Kiak and Ms Mariam Jaafar.

In February, Mr Ong said

in a news report

that he “expects at least one new member to be added to the People’s Action Party team at Sembawang GRC in the upcoming general election”.

He said it was part of the ruling party’s renewal process in every election cycle.

He also said he intends to assign Woodlands Galaxy Community Club (CC) – located in Woodlands Avenue 6 – to the SMC, even though the CC falls just outside the SMC’s boundaries.