By NNN-CNA,
Singapore : Incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs) from the ruling People’s Action Party and opposition candidates have moved into the next gear of preparations for the coming General Election due by February 2012.
Changes are in store for two of Singapore’s largest Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs), Pasir-Ris Punggol and Sembawang.
A new Single Member Constituency (SMC), Punggol East, will be carved out of Pasir-Ris Punggol, an area currently looked after by MP Michael Palmer.
“I think it is basically a population growth issue. Over the last three or four years, Pasir Ris- Punggol has grown tremendously with a lot of new flats coming up in Punggol as well as the Buangkok side of Sengkang,” Mr Palmer said.
“If you look at that, if they did not carve out one division, we would actually be enough for a seven-man GRC.
“With the new flats coming up particularly in the Punggol area, Pasir Ris-Punggol remains as a six-member GRC but with one division carved out as an SMC.
“It’s just a natural progression due to population growth. I have spoken to my key grassroots leaders; they are all very excited.
“They were quite surprised because the talk on the ground was that Punggol South was going to be carved out but seeing Punggol East being carved out, they see that as an affirmation and confirmation of the good work they have been doing and they are confident.”
Meanwhile, in the north, a new GRC – Nee Soon – will be formed from two SMCs Nee Soon East and Nee Soon Central.
MP for Nee Soon East Ho Peng Kee said he views the development with a tinge of sadness, but says being part of a GRC will enable residents to tap on more resources.
Minister for Home Affairs & Minister for Law and MP for Sembawang GRC K Shanmugam added that having the new Nee Soon GRC is a logical change as Sembawang GRC has become very large and the population in Nee Soon Town has increased.
As for the new Whampoa SMC, MP for Jalan Besar GRC Heng Chee How said he’s been looking after the area for the past 10 years.
“I certainly will know this area very well. I know the people here. I know every brick, every blade of grass here. I’ve walked the place. So it’s a strong network of relationship,” Mr Heng said.
Meanwhile, Minister of State Lee Yi Shyan who is Second Adviser to the Joo Chiat single division, said he hasn’t seen any opposition activity in the area.
Joo Chiat is currently helmed by Mr Chan Soo Sen.
Mr Lee said: “We are a party that does our work all the time, consistently, and what we have promised in our GRC, we have fulfilled them, and all the changes and improvements, they’re very visible, and can be seen.
“I think these are the kinds of preparations that we do. So we go in to the GE with, I believe, a strong track record”.
The opposition parties in Singapore have been busy studying the details of the electoral boundaries review committee report.
While the report would give the parties the clearest picture of the divisions, they can now stake their intentions to contest.
Some have also had to relook at the earlier plans of where they had wanted to field their candidates.
Reform Party secretary-general Kenneth Jeyaretnam said: “We intend to contest in Hong Kah North SMC, Chua Chu Kang GRC, Pioneer SMC, West Coast GRC, Radin Mas SMC and possibly Yuhua as well.
“They overlap precisely with where we’ve been conducting outreach since 2009, and so residents generally know us very well by now”.
The Workers’ Party said it has been working in the northern sector of Singapore.
Worker’s Party chairman Sylvia Lim said: “We would always like to focus on the areas we’re more familiar with.
“So off hand, I would say, as an initial comment, that definitely Aljunied and East Coast GRCs would be within our area of interest, and of course Hougang SMC and Joo Chiat SMC, which we contested previously as well,” Ms Lim said.
“At the last GE, we also contested in Nee Soon East and Nee Soon Central, and it’s now a five-member GRC. Because we have been working in that area, we would also be interested in that.
“In addition to that, we also noted there are two (new) SMCs, that are carved out in areas very close to Aljunied GRC, namely Punggol East and Sengkang West. And certainly we would be interested in looking at those as well”.
For the Singapore Democratic Alliance, it said it is interested in contesting in Punggol East, Radin Mas and Mountbatten SMCs and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
Singapore Democratic Alliance Secretary-General Desmond Lim said: “We have been well prepared, and we will go for the six-man GRC and the two single seats.
“However, all this is still subject to the Supreme Executive Council’s approval”.
Much activity can be expected in the coming weeks at the different constituencies in the run up to the elections.