“That’s how PAP plays its game”: Opposition parties speak out on GE2025’s boundary changes

On March 11, the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (ERBC) announced major changes to Singapore’s electoral divisions ahead of the upcoming General Election.

These revisions will affect 22 out of the current 31 constituencies, leaving only five Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) and four Single Member Constituencies (SMCs) unchanged from the previous election.

And it looks like the opposition parties have not taken kindly to these adjustments, especially as two key opposition-contested areas, West Coast GRC and Bukit Batok SMC, are expected to be significantly impacted.

While some have voiced their disappointment, others have outright accused the changes of being a form of gerrymandering. Here’s what the opposition parties have said so far:

1. Workers’ Party (WP)

Following the announcement of the new electoral boundaries, WP released a statement acknowledging the release of the ERBC report, adding that it contained “some brief justifications for the redrawing of boundaries, such as the population growth of certain electoral districts.”

However, the party noted that “significant changes” had been made to areas where WP had been “working consistently for the last few years.”

Aljunied GRC Members of Parliament (MPs) Sylvia Lim and Gerald Giam have also voiced disappointment over the transfer of three polling districts from Aljunied GRC to Tampines GRC, The Straits Times reported.

Lim, who also chairs WP, highlighted that Aljunied MPs—especially Giam—have actively engaged with residents in these areas for years. She added that the town council has been “working hard” to tackle issues in the GreenGem estate, including rat infestations and waste management concerns.

Currently, the three districts that are being reassigned belong to the Bedok Reservoir-Punggol division, which falls under Giam’s jurisdiction.

Giam added that residents from the affected areas have also reached out to express their disappointment over being moved to another constituency.

2. Progress Singapore Party (PSP)

PSP has also responded to the ERBC report, with the party’s Secretary-General, Hazel Poa, expressing that PSP is “heartened” by the EBRC’s increased transparency in explaining its decisions—an improvement from its previous report in 2020.

However, she noted that “much” of the committee’s decision-making remains “unexplained.”

“The EBRC could have accounted for the population shifts without making drastic changes to existing major electoral boundaries,” Poa said.

She specifically pointed out the changes to Hong Kah North SMC, which was absorbed into Chua Chu Kang GRC due to the population growth in the new Tengah estate. 

The population changes to Hong Kah North SMC because of the new Tengah estate could have been dealt with by merging it with Yuhua SMC and Bukit Batok SMC to form a new GRC.

Instead, this was used to justify changing the electoral boundaries of Jurong GRC, West Coast GRC, Chua Chu Kang GRC, Tanjong Pagar GRC, and Radin Mas SMC.

In the 2020 General Election, PSP narrowly lost West Coast GRC to the People’s Action Party (PAP), securing 48.31% of the votes against PAP’s 51.69%, marking the closest contest of that election.

3. Singapore Democratic Party (SDP)

The new electoral boundaries will result in the dissolution of two constituencies where the SDP was active: Yuhua SMC and Bukit Batok SMC. These areas will be absorbed into the newly created Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, which also includes parts of Hong Kah North SMC and Jurong GRC.

SDP Secretary-General Chee Soon Juan made a video in response yesterday (March 13), in which he criticised the changes and accused the PAP of “gerrymandering the boundaries” to maintain power.

That’s how the People’s Action Party (PAP) plays its game. It’s been doing this for decades.

Chee had contested Bukit Batok SMC in GE2020, but lost to PAP’s Murali Pillai with 12,787 votes to 15,500.

Reflecting on past elections, he noted that after the SDP lost by just 858 votes in the 1991 Bukit Batok election, the boundaries were redrawn, placing it in the larger Bukit Timah GRC. He also highlighted his progress in 2020, stating that he “made headway” by securing 45% of the vote.

Editor’s Note: Minister-in-charge of the Public Service, Chan Chun Sing, has previously stated in Parliament last year that the process of determining electoral boundaries is “fair and transparent,” and is “meant to serve the interests of Singaporeans and not the interests of political parties.” He also clarified that the EBRC does not consult with any political party when making its decisions.

Chee shared that he had worked hard for the residents of Bukit Batok, pushing for improvements to their walkways, building up the community, and helping out whenever he could. Following the changes to the electoral boundaries, he said that he would be “rethinking” his strategy.

4. People’s Power Party (PPP)

In a Facebook post on March 11, PPP Secretary-General Goh Meng Seng acknowledged that the electoral boundary changes did not significantly impact the constituencies his party planned to contest.

However, he went on to describe the boundary changes as a “massive gerrymandering in plain sight,” accusing the ERBC of manipulating the electoral map to safeguard the PAP’s interests.

Although the constituencies we intended to contest have not undergone major changes, we are disappointed with the EBRC’s report, which appears to be skewed to protect the People’s Action Party’s electoral interests.

“This is really unhealthy for democratic development, disruptive and wasteful of resources in reorganising Town Councils, and disrespectful to Singaporeans at large,” he added.

5. National Solidarity Party (NSP)

In a press statement issued on March 11, the NSP strongly criticised the ERBC report, calling it an act of “continued gerrymandering” that disadvantages opposition parties.

The party also condemned the GRC system, arguing that it undermines the principles of nation-building.

6. People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR)

The PAR alliance is made up of the People’s Voice (PV), Reform Party (RP), and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

On March 11, Lim Tean, the chief of PV and Secretary-General of the PAR, asserted in a Facebook post that “no good reasons were given” for the redrawal of electoral boundaries.

PAR is outraged at the wanton redrawing of the electoral boundaries with no good reasons given.

In particular, we protest that parts of Potong Pasir SMC and Mountbatten SMC, where PV has been active for the last four and seven years, respectively, have now been absorbed into the new Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC without any justification.

7. Red Dot United (RDU)

In a statement on their website, RDU expressed “deep disappointment” with the EBRC report, which it said drastically altered the political landscape in the west of Singapore, particularly Jurong GRC, where the party had built strong relationships with residents over the years.

“For the past two General Elections, Jurong GRC has remained unchanged; and over the years, we have built strong relationships with the people there, earning their trust and support,” said the party.

For the upcoming polls, Jurong GRC will be split into four constituencies.

The party also pointed out that while the ERBC is composed of civil servants, it is chaired by the Secretary to the Prime Minister, which raises “inevitable doubts” about whether political considerations have influenced these changes.

They have called on the PAP government to “explain why so many constituencies in opposition-contested areas in the west have been redrawn, while the ruling party’s strongholds remain largely untouched.”

8. Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA)

Since the publishing of the EBRC report, the SDA released a statement highlighting its concerns about the division of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, which was the only constituency the party contested in the 2020 General Election.

The party is “closely monitoring the developments regarding the EBRC report” and “actively evaluating the situation to understand all potential implications.”

9. Singapore People’s Party (SPP)

In response to the Straits Times’ queries, SPP said that it would require “some time” to review the ERBC report and its recommendations before providing a detailed response.

Featured Image Credit: Workers’ Party/ Progress Singapore Party/ Singapore Democratic Party/ People’s Power Party