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5 SMCs gone in GE2025: What's next and what are their MPs saying?

5 SMCs gone in GE2025: What's next and what are their MPs saying?

5 SMCs gone in GE2025: What's next and what are their MPs saying?
SMCs which were removed include MacPherson SMC chaired by PAP's Tin Pei Ling (left) and Punggol West SMC chaired by PAP's Sun Xueling (right).
PHOTO: Instagram/Tin Pei Ling, Instagram/Sun Xueling

The changes outlined in the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee's (EBRC) report came as "no surprise", said Punggol West MP Sun Xueling, despite her SMC being removed from the electoral map.

In the EBRC report released earlier this month (March 11), Punggol West SMC was one of five SMCs removed from the electoral map, while six new ones were created.

When asked about this, Sun, who is the Minister of State for Home Affairs, and Social and Family Development, told AsiaOne that she doesn't see herself "changing my outreach to my residents".

Regardless of the result, there will still be continued outreach to the community, she added.

Here's what some of the MPs of these five removed SMCs have to say about it. 

Punggol West SMC 

The People's Action Party's (PAP) Sun told AsiaOne that despite the outcome of the EBRC report, she will continue to focus on meeting the needs of young families in Punggol as the area remains predominantly a new estate.

"We have worked very hard to ensure that there are sufficient pre-school places," said Sun, adding that efforts were made to ensure the affordability of pre-school fees in the area.

A new four-member Punggol GRC will absorb Punggol West SMC, and the Workers' Party (WP) is expected to contest this GRC in the upcoming general election. 

Sun said that being part of a GRC has its advantages, including access to more shared resources and the support of a broader group of MPs. 

Punggol West SMC was won by Sun with 60.98 per cent of the vote in GE2020 against WP's Tan Chen Chen.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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MacPherson SMC 

Currently under the leadership of the PAP, MacPherson SMC will be incorporated into the new Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC in the upcoming general election, potentially facing a multi-cornered contest with WP and the National Solidarity Party (NSP).

MP for MacPherson SMC Tin Pei Ling said that she will continue to do her best to serve MacPherson if given the opportunity, reported The Straits Times earlier this month. 

"I have grown alongside MacPherson over the past 14 years. My heart is with my residents, and I will continue to do my best to serve MacPherson," said Tin. 

Tin received 71.74 per cent of the votes against People's Power Party's (PPP) Goh Meng Seng in GE2020.

Tin has been the MP for MacPherson SMC since 2015. 

Hong Kah North SMC

With 45,586 electors, Hong Kah North SMC was considered too large to remain as an SMC, according to the EBRC report.

The constituency has grown since the last election and is expected to continue expanding due to ongoing housing developments in Tengah and Bukit Batok West.

As such, the Tengah estates in Hong Kah North will be absorbed into Chua Chu Kang GRC while estates in Bukit Gombak and Hillview will be carved out to form the new Bukit Gombak SMC. 

Members of the opposition Progress Singapore Party (PSP) have been spotted at a walkabout in Bukit Gombak in Chua Chu Kang GRC earlier this year.

During a walkabout in Bukit Batok last week, Hong Kah North SMC MP Amy Khor said she will continue to focus on serving residents. 

She shared with AsiaOne the experiences and fond memories of serving the Hong Kah North region for 24 years.

Describing her journey with residents thus far as "very meaningful and satisfying", she recalled how some residents have even moved from other regions to Bukit Batok West, which was part of the SMC.

She said that her standing in the upcoming election is a decision that PM Wong - who is also the Secretary-General for PAP - will decide.

"But in the meantime, I will continue to focus on serving residents and really understanding their needs, assisting them, as well as continuing to enhance their living environment as I have done," she stated.

Dr Khor has been the MP for Hong Kah North SMC since 2011. She won 60.98 per cent of the votes against PSP's Gigene Wong at GE2020. 

Yuhua SMC

Under the EBRC changes, parts of Yuhua SMC will merge with Jurong GRC, Bukit Batok SMC and Hong Kah North SMC to form a new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.

Opposition party Red Dot United (RDU) had reportedly identified Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC as one of the constituencies it plans to contest.

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) had previously contested Yuhua and Bukit Batok SMCs which have now been absorbed into Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.

An SDP spokeswoman told The Straits Times earlier this week that they are currently focusing their resources on Sembawang West SMC, Sembawang GRC and Bukit Panjang SMC, and that they have yet to finalise their plans for other areas.

Among the SMCs, Yuhua SMC has the lowest number of the voters with just 20,252 voters. 

Grace Fu, who is the MP for the area, took to her Facebook a day after the announcement was made informing residents of the restructuring. 

Fu, who is the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, assured residents that she will work alongside other incumbent MPs to ensure a smooth transition while keeping their interests at heart. 

She also mentioned that she is familiar with four of the five wards that make up the new GRC - Bukit Batok, Bukit Batok East, Clementi, and Yuhua - as they are managed by the same town council, reported The Straits Times earlier this month.

"Hong Kah North, on the other hand, is an area that I'm less familiar with," said Fu, adding that she will be putting in extra effort to better understand the people and the area.

Fu won a fourth term as the MP for Yuhua SMC in GE2020 after gaining 70.54 per cent of the vote share against SDP's candidate Robin Low who received 29.46 per cent of votes.

Bukit Batok SMC

Similar to Yuhua SMC, Bukit Batok SMC will also be absorbed into the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.

Bukit Batok SMC has 29,821 voters, according to the EBRC report.

PAP's Murali Pillai won Bukit Batok SMC against SDP's Chee Soon Juan in GE2020.

Murali secured 54.8 per cent of the vote, defeating Dr Chee who garnered 45.2 per cent.

Following the announcement of Bukit Batok SMC's removal, Dr Chee has confirmed that he will contest in the newly formed Sembawang West SMC.

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xingying.koh@asiaone.com

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