SINGAPORE: The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has joined fellow opposition parties in voicing disappointment over the latest electoral boundary changes. Raising concerns about the transparency of the redrawing process, the party has asked why Yuhua Single Member Constituency (SMC) and Bukit Batok SMC have been erased from the map.
In a statement issued hours after the EBRC report was released on Tuesday (11 Mar), SDP criticised the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) for its lack of openness, especially in light of the party’s recent successful fundraising efforts for Bukit Batok SMC, where it contested in the 2020 General Election.
The EBRC report cited uneven population shifts as it introduced significant changes to Singapore’s electoral map, increasing the total number of constituencies from 31 to 33. Only five Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) and four SMCs remain unchanged from the 2020 General Election.
Among SDP’s key concerns is the removal of Bukit Batok and Yuhua as standalone constituencies. Both wards, which SDP had previously contested, have been absorbed into larger GRCs. “It seems coincidental that this happened so soon after the highly successful fundraisers for the SDP campaign in Bukit Batok,” the party said.
SDP’s Secretary-General, Dr Chee Soon Juan, had contested Bukit Batok SMC in both BE2016 and GE2020. In 2016, he secured 38.77% of the vote against the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Murali Pillai. His vote share increased to 45.2% in 2020, reflecting a stronger challenge in the ward. With Bukit Batok SMC now removed, the possibility of a one-on-one rematch has been eliminated.
Similarly, Yuhua SMC, which SDP contested in GE2011 and GE2020, has also been absorbed into a larger GRC, further reducing the number of constituencies available for smaller opposition parties to contest.
While Bukit Batok and Yuhua have been redrawn, Bukit Panjang SMC remains intact. SDP’s Chairman, Dr Paul Tambyah, contested Bukit Panjang for the first time in GE2020, securing 46.27% of the vote against PAP’s Liang Eng Hwa. Despite SDP’s strong performance in the ward, it was not altered in the latest boundary review.
Beyond specific constituency changes, SDP reiterated its broader criticism of Singapore’s electoral boundary review process, highlighting the lack of public consultation and transparency. “The whole process of redrawing electoral boundaries lacks transparency, done without open discussion among stakeholders. We have had to contend with this for the last few decades,” SDP said.
Despite these challenges, the party reaffirmed its commitment to contesting GE2025. SDP said it would carefully study the boundary changes before finalising its electoral strategy for the upcoming election.