GE2025: Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan to contest in Sembawang West SMC

SINGAPORE: Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan said on Sunday (Mar 23) that he will contest in the new Sembawang West Single Member Constituency (SMC) in the upcoming General Election.

Speaking after a walkabout in Woodlands where he distributed flyers in the area, Dr Chee said he would have to leave Bukit Batok, where he had contested in the 2016 by election and the 2020 General Election.

Dr Chee added that the party's chairman, Professor Paul Tambyah, will compete again in Bukit Panjang SMC, where he stood in the 2020 General Election.

"That means I have to leave Bukit Batok, and I do it with a heavy heart. You don't spend 10 years, getting to know the residents, building up the community, entering the lives of the residents there and then have it yanked away from you with the stroke of a pen, without feeling that void," Dr Chee said.

SDP's announcements on Sunday come after the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee's report on Mar 11, which saw extensive changes made to Singapore's electoral map.

Sembawang West is among six new SMCs that have been carved out. It will have 24,153 voters.

Yuhua and Bukit Batok SMCs - where SDP contested in the 2020 General Election - have been absorbed into the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok Group Representation Constituency (GRC).

In 2020, the party also contested in two other GRCs, Holland-Bukit Timah and Marsiling-Yew Tee, but failed to win any seats in parliament.

NORTHERN STRATEGY

Dr Chee told reporters on Sunday that the party will now embark on a "northern strategy", and will also send a team to contest in Sembawang GRC.

The constituency is currently helmed by a five-member team from the People's Action Party - Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Mr Vikram Nair, Dr Lim Wee Kiak, Ms Mariam Jaafar and Ms Poh Li San.

In response to CNA's question on who will be fielded for the constituency, Dr Chee said that the party will "get to that in a couple of weeks" and that it was taking things "one step at a time".

In 2022, SDP said it intended to contest Sembawang GRC in the next General Election, a constituency it ran in during the 2006 and 2011 elections. 

Noting this, Dr Chee said: "This is not new to SDP. We've been here in the 2000s, when we campaigned here. So in a way, it's back to old stomping grounds." 

Earlier in the day, the SDP chief also met with Ms Poh, who was in the area with volunteers. They shook hands and exchanged greetings briefly. 

After about an hour into the walkabout, about 70 party members and volunteers convened at Woodlands Mart, where Dr Chee addressed the crowd. 

"It's no mean feat to cover an entire constituency in one morning with all flyers, so that when residents wake up, they will see my announcement of standing in this SMC," he said.

"It's that kind of commitment that makes me so proud to be standing here with you."

He also responded to a question on a possible three-cornered fight, given that the National Solidarity Party (NSP) had previously said that it would contest in Sembawang West SMC and Sembawang GRC. 

SDP is "always" in touch with fellow opposition parties and will be discussing with them to work out a decision, Dr Chee said. 

Going forward, the party will be "camped out here", he said, adding that the flyer distribution was just a "first take" of what residents can expect.

"I think just across the street, that's Sembawang GRC; and you can well imagine the size of this at stake.

"But we will be making sure that this GRC, this SMC, both of them, come into play."

There are also plans to conduct house visits in the SMC in the next two days.

Prof Tambyah said that he has been walking the ground in Bukit Panjang and has covered 135 out of 150 blocks. 

His team has met residents who have become familiar with party members, he said. 

"Bukit Panjang will continue and we are definitely looking forward to a good contest both in Sembawang GRC and especially in Sembawang West SMC."