GE2025: New Queenstown SMC to see straight fight between PAP’s Eric Chua and PAR’s Mahaboob Batcha
The new Queenstown SMC was carved out from Tanjong Pagar GRC into a single seat and has 28,857 electors.
The People's Action Party's Eric Chua and People's Alliance for Reform's Mahaboob Batcha address supporters after their successful nomination on Apr 23, 2025. (Photos: CNA/Mak Jia Kee)
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
SINGAPORE: Voters in newly formed Queenstown SMC will decide between the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Eric Chua and the People's Alliance for Reform’s Mahaboob Batcha at the polls on May 3.
Mr Chua and Mr Batcha were confirmed as the respective party’s candidates in the single member constituency after they successfully filed their nomination papers at Bendemeer Primary School on Wednesday (Apr 23).
Mr Chua – Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth and Social and Family Development – made his political debut as part of a five-member PAP team contesting Tanjong Pagar GRC in the 2020 general election.
The PAP won with 63.1 per cent of the votes against the Progress Singapore Party. Mr Chua then oversaw the Queenstown ward until parliament was dissolved on Apr 15 for the 2025 election.
Under the redrawn electoral boundaries, some estates in Queenstown have been carved out of Tanjong Pagar GRC to form the new SMC with 28,857 electors.
Going up against Mr Chua is Mr Batcha, the treasurer of the Reform Party (RP), one of the three constituent parties in the PAR. The other two are Peoples Voice (PV) and the Democratic Progressive Party.
Mr Batcha, 57, is a director in an oil and gas firm and has been a Queenstown resident for over 30 years.
This is his electoral debut.
Mr Batcha was first introduced as a prospective candidate for Queenstown SMC by the People's Alliance for Reform (PAR) on Apr 18.
Food and beverage entrepreneur Jay Ishaq Rajoo earlier this month indicated his intention to contest Queenstown SMC as an independent candidate, but decided later to step back to prevent a three-cornered fight.
Speaking to the crowd of supporters gathered at the Bendemeer Primary School nomination centre, Mr Chua thanked Queenstown residents for the “privilege” of representing them in Parliament for the past five years.
He added that he comes with a “sincere heart and strong commitment to serve”.
The rest of his speech was drowned out by supporters’ rowdy cheers.
Mr Batcha spoke next — to a significantly more muted crowd response.
“I seek your support. Please support me,” he said.
Speaking to the media after his candidacy was announced, Mr Batcha said that he was not here to "challenge" Mr Chua. Rather, he wanted to focus on serving Queenstown residents and have his actions speak for themselves.
He said that those living in the constituency were facing "a lot of problems" as they have to walk very far to reach places such as polyclinics and mosques.
In the coming days until the polls open on May 3, he plans to "knock on every door" to gather support and see residents face-to-face.
Mr Batcha was also hoping to take part in rallies which, he said, the PAR intends to hold this week. But he stopped short of sharing more details, pointing out that secretary-general Lim Tean was in charge of the rallies.
