Electoral Boundaries - Opposition parties, MPs react to boundaries report

 The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report has been accepted by the government. (Photo: Yahoo!)

Residents living in Sengkang West and Punggol East could be in for some excitement when the General Election comes around as at least two opposition parties have expressed interest in the soon-to-be formed Single Member Constituencies.

The Workers’ Party (WP) and Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) expressed interest in these two areas on Thursday, following the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report.

WP chairman Sylvia Lim explained their interest saying, the two new SMCs are close to Aljunied GRC, which the party is familiar with.

Together with a People’s Action Party candidate, there could well be three parties contesting in the two SMCs.

MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol Michael Palmer, who was surprised to find his ward, Punggol East, carved out into a SMC, told Yahoo! Singapore he welcomes the challenge.

Given his consistent work in the area, he is confident of voters’ support should he be fielded to contest in the SMC, he said. “I’m excited and happy to run in a single man ward,” he added.

Besides the two SMCs, the SDA also plans to contest in the six-member Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, said its secretary-general Desmond Lim. This is subject to the Supreme Executive Council’s approval.

SDA could, however, give up the Sengkang West SMC to avoid a three-cornered fight with WP, Mr Lim told media later in the day. More details will be released after the council meets next week.

According to the report, Jalan Besar and Hong Kah GRCs will be taken off the electoral map and two new GRCs, Choa Chu Kang and Moulmein-Kallang will be formed. Eight new SMCs have been created, while five current SMCs will be absorbed into other GRCs.

PAP MPs were not surprised with the changes.

MP for Jalan Besar Denise Phua said, “We knew that more single wards will be carved out and wards sitting at the edge of GRCs are more susceptible.”

She had only expected either Whampoa or Kreta Ayer Kim Sengin Jalan Besar GRC to be carved out, but says there is “good reason” for both to be taken out. Ms Phua hopes to run in the new Moulmein-Kallang GRC, where the current ward Kampong Glam in.

MP for Hong Kah GRC Amy Khor and MP for West Coast Ho Geok Choo attributed the changes to the GRCs size.

Dr Khor said, there has been a “significant increase in population” in Choa Chua Kang and Yew Tee.

“A Choa Chu Kang GRC is more appropriate,” she said. A large part of the Hong Kah GRC is, in fact, within the Choa Chu Kang area, such as Yew Tee and Keat Hong. There will be a new Hong Kah North SMC instead.

And while she waits for the PAP to announce its candidates, Dr Khor said, she will continue to work hard to serve residents at her ward, Hong Kah North.

“We’re all quite prepared that in Jurong and West Coast, we would have two or three SMCs carved out (because of the GRC size),” said Mdm Ho. Pioneer SMC will be carved from West Coast GRC, while Yuhua SMC will come from Jurong GRC.

On the different configurations of SMC and four to six-member GRCs, Mdm Ho said, “The variety will make (the elections) very interesting.”

“The different sizes will mean that the programmes and approaches could vary a little bit, from the small to medium to large sized (constituencies),” she said.

Some opposition political parties, however, felt the review committee could have gone further in allowing for more competition.

“Overall, we believe there is gerrymandering in the ruling party’s favour,” said WP’s Ms Lim.

The party noted, Hong Kah and Jalan Besar GRCs which will be dissolved are helmed by Ministers ( Mr Yeo Cheow Tong and Dr Lee Boon Yang respectively) who have stepped down from the Cabinet and plan to retire.

Ms Lim said, “seven polling districts close to Hougang SMC (block 600+ Hougang Ave 8), where WP has significant support, has been carved out and given to Ang Mo Kio GRC (and) six new precincts in Marine Parade GRC (Bedok North) have been carved into Aljunied GRC.”

“As the number of electors under the new Aljunied GRC is not significantly different from those under Aljunied GRC in the last GE, one has to ask – why the changes?” she questioned.

She added, the two SMCs WP contested in 2006, Nee Soon Central and Nee Soon East, have been dissolved. A five-member Nee Soon GRC is formed instead.

Mrs Lina Chiam whose husband is Mr Chiam See Tong, secretary-general of the Singapore People’s Party, said that it is good news that there is no change made to Potong Pasir. She also revealed that she will contest in the constituency as she is well-informed on the area since she has always been by the side of her husband.

National Solidarity Party secretary-general Goh Meng Seng said, “Among all opposition parties, NSP is hardest hit.”He explained, areas where the party has concentrated on (Jalan Besar and some SMCs) have been dissolved.

Mr Goh, however, commended the return of the four-member GRC. It was last implemented in 1991.

He said, the party will contest in Tampines and Jurong GRC, with Mr Goh leading the Tampines team. They aim to field between 20 to 30 candidates.

Reform Party secretary-general Kenneth Jeyeratnam was disappointed the committee only recommended the minimum 12 SMC s.

The Reform Party intends to contest in Hong Kah North SMC, Pioneer SMC, Radin Mas SMC, Chua Chu Kang GRC and West Coast GRC, said Mr Jeyeratnam. He declined to confirm the number of candidates contesting.

Said Mr Lim of SDA, “I thought the number of GRCs were to be reduced. But it’s okay, we are well-prepared. We’ll still be able to take them on.”

According to the report, there will be 15 GRCs, one more than the current 14.

The Singapore Democratic Party secretary-general Chee Soon Juan has called for the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee to present its findings and explain its recommendations.

“There doesn’t seem to be any logical explanation as to the way the boundaries have been drawn. They seem to have been carved up in a haphazard way to benefit the PAP,” he said.

SDP will leverage on the Internet in the campaign and will step up its ground campaign in the coming weeks, said Dr Chee. “We will be confirming our slate of candidates in the weeks ahead and we will announce them at the appropriate time.”

[ By Alicia Wong – February 24th, 2011 ]