SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) has acknowledged the changes to the electoral map, following the release of the report by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) today (March 11). Affirming its readiness for the upcoming General Election, the ruling party assured residents that its branches and activists would make the necessary adjustments to prepare for the polls.
In a media statement, the PAP encouraged residents to continue seeking assistance from their existing PAP branches and asserted that it will remain committed to working closely with residents and understanding their needs.
The statement comes in the hours after the release of the EBRC which detailed substantial changes, with only five Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) and four Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) remaining unchanged from the 2020 General Election.
The total number of electoral divisions has increased from 31 to 33, with 18 GRCs and 15 SMCs. A total of five new GRCs and six new SMCs have been created. With these changes, the next Parliament will see an increase in elected Members of Parliament (MPs) from 93 to 97. Each MP will now represent approximately 28,384 voters, slightly fewer than in the previous election.
The newly created GRCs are Pasir Ris-Changi, Punggol, Jurong East-Bukit Batok, Marine Parade-Braddell Heights, and West Coast-Jurong West. The six new SMCs are Bukit Gombak, Jalan Kayu, Jurong Central, Queenstown, Sembawang West, and Tampines Changkat.
Five former SMCs—Yuhua, Bukit Batok, Hong Kah North, MacPherson, and Punggol West—have been erased from the electoral map and have been absorbed into GRCs.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment of Singapore Grace Fu, who has served Yuhua residents for almost 20 years since 2006, penned a note on Facebook assuring her residents of her “unwavering” commitment to them. She wrote: “Until the General Election is over, I will continue to watch over your interest and look after your needs in every way I can, to the best of my ability.
According to the EBRC, the revisions were made in response to significant voter growth in certain areas, leading to necessary adjustments in adjacent wards. The committee also took into account geographical considerations, realigning some boundaries along major roads.
The release of the report has heightened election buzz. While the next General Election must be held by November 2025, political pundits and ordinary Singaporeans alike are speculating that the the country may go to the polls much sooner, perhaps as soon as May.