SINGAPORE: Singapore’s electoral boundary changes are a reflection of the country’s population growth, said Dr Janil Puthucheary, after the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) released its report on Tuesday (Mar 11).
Dr Janil, who is Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information as well as Health, was replying to a question by CNA938 on the rationale behind what some have described as “extensive” changes to the electoral boundaries.
Five new Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) and six new Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) have been created, while some existing wards have been removed and redrawn, according to EBRC’s report. This leaves just five GRCs and four SMCs unchanged from the last election.
The total number of electoral divisions for GE2025 is 33, comprising 18 GRCs and 15 SMCs. This is one more GRC and one more SMC than in 2020.
Singapore’s next parliament will also have 97 seats, up from the current 93.
On the electoral map changes, Dr Janil said: “What we do know and what we can see, it’s about the population growth. It’s about the need to make sure that the number of electors per MP remains within a certain boundary.”
He added that it is the first time the Elections Department has discussed the rationale for the electoral map changes in such great detail.
“I think it’s very clear to anyone who reads the report, yes, (there are) lots of speculation on the media, but I think if it’s one GRC, one SMC, four extra seats as a proportion of our existing legislature and our existing electoral base, would you call that extensive? I think it’s appropriate.”
According to EBRC’s report, the Pasir Ris-Punggol and Jurong GRCs have been removed, while five new GRCs -Pasir Ris-Changi, Punggol, Jurong East-Bukit Batok, Marine Parade-Braddell Heights and West Coast-Jurong West – have been added.
West Coast, East Coast and Marine Parade constituencies, which were among the most closely fought in the previous General Election, will undergo major electoral boundary changes.
For instance, West Coast GRC will become West Coast-Jurong West GRC after taking in estates from the neighbouring Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC and losing polling districts in Harbourfront, Sentosa, Dover and Telok Blangah estates.
On the changes to various GRCs on the electoral map, Dr Janil reiterated the role that population growth played.
The new Punggol GRC was formed by carving out estates from Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC – which has seen the largest increase in electors since the last GE – and merging them with Punggol West SMC.
The new Pasir Ris-Changi GRC was created by merging the remainder of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC with adjacent polling districts in East Coast GRC.
Dr Janil, who is Member of Parliament (MP) for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, said the population in Punggol has grown so much that there is a need to carve out a new GRC.
That, in turn, will then have a “consequential effect” on Pasir Ris.
“Pasir Ris without Punggol is currently three electoral divisions, and you need a little bit more population number to justify … a fourth MP.
“It’s a little bit like a sudoku puzzle. You know, you sort of solve one bit, and then it has an impact all the way down through the rest, so there’s a knock-on effect,” he added.