SINGAPORE: Noted lawyer and former opposition politician Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss has commented on the redrawing of Singapore’s electoral boundaries, describing the experience of being reclassified as an East Coast GRC resident after a decade in Marine Parade GRC as “surreal.”
In a social media post on Tuesday (11 Mar), Ms Chong-Aruldoss reflected on how her electoral constituency has shifted over the years despite her physical home remaining unchanged.
“Once upon a time, I lived in a quaint town known as Joo Chiat SMC,” she wrote, referring to the former Single Member Constituency (SMC) that was absorbed into Marine Parade GRC in 2015. “One day in 2015, in a flash of lightning, Joo Chiat SMC vanished without ceremony, and I found myself living in Marine Parade GRC.”
Since then, Ms Chong-Aruldoss has come to identify as a Marine Parade resident, following local news and engaging with the community. “If I met someone living in Marine Parade, I would say, ‘Hey, we are neighbours’ and feel communal,” she said.
However, with the latest changes to Singapore’s electoral map announced by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC), she now finds herself placed in East Coast GRC. She wrote, “Today, at lightning speed, I was transported to East Coast GRC. I am in a new place! I am an East Coast GRC resident!”
Her post highlighted the irony of these boundary shifts, pointing out that while her home has remained “as stationary as a big rain tree rooted to the ground” for three decades, she has nonetheless been reassigned to different constituencies.
“By a magic wand spun from lightning bolts, I have been swayed from place to place, each place a different neighbourhood, with different news and newsletters to keep up with,” she remarked.
While her post was light-hearted in tone, Ms Chong-Aruldoss questioned the reasoning behind these boundary changes, acknowledging that the decision-making process behind them was beyond her understanding.
She asked, “Why am I being moved? I don’t know. It is beyond my ant-brain to know. The powers-that-be who wield the wand have their reasons. All I know is that I go from here to there without even moving!”
Comparing the process to a merry-go-round ride that creates the illusion of movement without real change, she suggested that while the redrawing of boundaries may give the appearance of transformation, the reality remains the same: “I imagine that for the gods who wave their wands, it is all par for the course. The illusion of change, but no real change. Status quo.”
Ms Chong-Aruldoss ended her post on a hopeful note, envisioning a future where electoral changes are not just symbolic but bring real and meaningful improvements to people’s lives.
She wrote, “But far more entertaining than a merry-go-round ride or the pleasant illusion of residing in a new neighbourhood is to entertain the prospect of real decisive change that will bring new hope and new ideas for a better life for us ant-brainers. Won’t that be something.”
Her remarks come as Singapore prepares for its next General Election, with the EBRC’s latest report prompting heated debate online with the way it has shaken up the electoral map. Only five Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) and four Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) remain 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.