GE2025: PAP to field Xie Yao Quan in new Jurong Central SMC

SINGAPORE: The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) will field Mr Xie Yao Quan as its candidate in the newly created Jurong Central single-seat ward for the upcoming General Election.

Mr Xie currently serves as the MP for the Jurong Central division of the present Jurong GRC, having held the role since his electoral debut in 2020. He has also served as the chairman of the Jurong-Clementi Town Council for the last five years.

The announcement was made on Monday (Apr 14) during the party's unveiling of its candidates for both the Jurong Central Single Member Constituency (SMC) and the adjacent Jurong East-Bukit Batok Group Representation Constituency (GRC).

“In these five years, I’ve walked the ground, listened deeply to residents and put my heart into all that I’ve done to serve residents,” said Mr Xie said at the press conference.

Addressing residents of Jurong West who are now part of Jurong Central SMC, he said he was previously a community volunteer in the area from 2015 to 2020. 

“So this is, in a way, a homecoming for me,” he added. 

Mr Xie is expected to face an opponent from Red Dot United, which has signalled its intention to contest the Jurong Central seat.

The Jurong Central ward, which has 29,620 voters, is one of six new SMCs following the latest review of Singapore’s electoral boundaries. 

Jurong Central SMC was carved out of Jurong GRC and Yuhua SMC as part of a wider reconfiguration aimed at maintaining a consistent MP-to-voter ratio. At the same time, Bukit Batok SMC as well as sections of Jurong GRC, Hong Kah North SMC and Yuhua SMC were merged to form the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.

The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee said the reconfiguration was necessary due to population growth in areas like Bukit Batok West and Tengah.

The PAP slate for Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC will be led by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Yuhua SMC MP Grace Fu.

Joining her are two new faces: charity director David Hoe and former Hougang representative Lee Hong Chuang. 

Also on the slate are current Jurong GRC MP and Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mazam, as well as Bukit Batok SMC MP Murali Pillai, who is also Minister of State for Transport and Law.