'Extremely disappointed': Residents react after WP bows out of Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC

Residents of the newly formed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC found out on Wednesday (April 23) that they will not partake in this year's general election.

The People's Action Party (PAP) was the only party to submit nomination papers for this constituency, resulting in a walkover — the first since the 2011 General Election.

The Workers' Party (WP) was expected to field a team in this constituency.

Several residents from that GRC shared their thoughts on the unexpected walkover with AsiaOne today. Of the 10 residents interviewed, about half voiced their dissatisfaction over the absence of an electoral contest in their constituency.

Jackie Lim, a 30-year-old who works in the advertising technology industry, told AsiaOne that she is "furious" that she won't be able to vote in the upcoming General Election. 

"When the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee released the drastic changes to the boundaries which I felt was strategically drawn, I was prepared for a situation like this to happen," she said.

Lim added that she preferred partaking in a general election, as it allows residents to "have credible options".

Fellow resident Christian Tan, 31, echoed her sentiments, saying he felt "betrayed" as a Singaporean.

"I am extremely disappointed that there is a walkover. I believe that in this day and age, all voters should have a chance to let their voices be heard," he said. "We should not find ourselves in this situation."

A 70-year-old stallholder from Promenade Market located at Marine Parade Central, who only wanted to be known as Ho, said: "If there is competition, it [would have been] better so you roughly know which team is more capable."

However, there were others who were happy at the lack of an electoral contest.

A man, who only wanted to be known as Tim, said: "It's great, because it's my first [time voting], so I don't have to vote."

"For me, I don't want to have to make a difficult decision in that sense."

The stay-at-home dad, who recently became a Singapore citizen, shared that he thinks PAP has been doing a "good job" running the constituency. 

Another man who went by Stan shared the same sentiment.

"When I had the chance to vote [in a past election], I felt I had the duty to vote, to make the right choice," the 35-year-old said.

"So now that I don't have to vote, there's no worry about that."

WP's Pritam Singh responds

WP chief Pritam Singh acknowledged the disappointment of some Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC residents on the sidelines of a walkabout at Sengkang today (April 24).

Speaking to reporters at Sengkang's Kopitiam Square, he said that WP had put forward the "best slate" possible in this upcoming General Election.

"I acknowledged and validated their [residents of Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC] disappointment that we will not standing there," he explained.

"But after I explained it to them, after I shared with them the reality of boundaries being redrawn, the reality of our own calculations as a party as to what is a better strategy, I think they understood where I was coming from."

The five-member PAP team — consisting of Seah Kian Peng, Tin Pei Ling, Assoc Prof Faishal Ibrahim, along with newcomers Goh Pei Ming and Diana Pang — were seen at Marine Parade Terrace greeting residents this morning, The Straits Times reported.

Tin and Seah noted that the team remain committed to their cause, with Seah adding that the team will also be helping PAP candidates in other constituencies in their campaign efforts.

Following the win, Tin took to her personal Facebook account on April 24 to thank residents for their well wishes.

In the caption, Tin wrote: "Did not stop just because we walked over. Work begins!"

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amierul@asiaone.com

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