At the intersection of Woodlands Avenue 4 and Avenue 7, eagle-eyed road users may notice different MPs featured on the four banners flanking the junction perimeter.

If one faces north at the cross junction, they will see a "Woodlands" banner on their left and a "Sembawang West" banner on their right.

Turn 180 degrees to face south — a "Woodlands" banner would also be on the left, but at the right side of the street stands a "Woodgrove" banner.

Why the differing names?

Well, this junction divides the constituencies of Sembawang GRC and Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC as well as the new Sembawang West SMC which has been carved out of Sembawang GRC ahead of GE2025.

Currently, Sembawang GRC MPs Mariam Jaafar and Poh Li San represent the Woodlands and Sembawang West divisions respectively, while Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC MP Hany Soh represents the Woodgrove division.

Speaking to AsiaOne, a Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC resident, who wanted to be known only as Patrick, said the boundaries are "very confusing".

"If I have a problem here, which MP should I look for? Should I go here? Should I go elsewhere?" said the 67-year-old who lives in a flat near the intersection.

But he also acknowledged that "there is a reason" behind how electoral boundaries are determined.

Sembawang GRC resident Piria Ravi, 17, was intrigued by the junction, remarking: "I thought this whole area is Admiralty."

Of the 10 residents living in Sembawang West whom AsiaOne spoke to, seven were aware that the division had become an SMC.

A resident, who wanted to be known as Dominic, said he is also aware of the three wards bordering the junction.

The retail worker, who has been living in Sembawang GRC for 30 years, said he was "shocked" that Sembawang West had been carved out but believes that the way the estate is managed will not be affected by the change.

The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee had said in its March 11 report that the creation of Sembawang West SMC is due to significant growth in the number of electors in Sembawang GRC.

Singapore Management University law professor Eugene Tan told AsiaOne there could be multiple ways of demarcating the new SMC and "there is no perfect boundary delimitation".

"It would appear that the MRT line was the feature relied upon to demarcate the end point of the new (Sembawang West) SMC," he said, pointing out that such division of electoral boundaries may be unusual but not uncommon.

Checks by AsiaOne revealed that most constituencies are demarcated along expressways or MRT tracks.

Prof Tan said that some confusion among residents at the 'borders' as to which GRC or SMC they belong to and which MPS they should attend is likely, but that the confusion will be cleared before long.

On the usage of community spaces across different wards, Prof Tan believes that Sembawang West SMC will likely be part of the same town council as Sembawang GRC.

"Where usage of community spaces such as community clubs/centres, I am sure the town council(s) and PA will exercise flexibility in residents' usage of those areas," he said.

Health Minister and Sembawang GRC MP Ong Ye Kung said in March that the new SMC's upgrading and development plans will continue to be part of the GRC and town development plan.

"After the GE, and if we are returned as MPs, I intend to assign Galaxy Community Club to the SMC, even though the CC falls just outside of the SMC boundaries," he said in a Facebook post.

Additional reporting by Eriko Lim and Liv Hana Roberts

lim.kewei@asiaone.com

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