GE2025 Hot Spots: With PAP facing a Tan Chuan-Jin-sized hole in its line-up, Marine Parade GRC could be the contest to watch

One afternoon in July 2023, mobile phones all around Singapore lit up with news notifications and forwarded messages from friends and family.

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, the affable and largely well-regarded Speaker of Parliament, had resigned from his parliamentary roles and from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), due to an extramarital affair with fellow party member Cheng Li Hui. 

It was a bolt from the blue and the ripple effect had a deep impact on the residents of Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC), over which Mr Tan had presided as Member of Parliament (MP). 

In his resignation letter to then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Mr Tan wrote: “I apologise to my fellow Singaporeans, residents, volunteers, colleagues and friends for having let them down.” 

Among the constituents, those words have been hard to forget. 

A resident of 11 years in Marine Parade, who wanted to be known only as Ms Ng, said that she and many others in the constituency did not expect Mr Tan to be embroiled in a scandal. 

The 50-year-old woman, who is a full-time caregiver, noted that Mr Tan was the patron of the Centre for Fathering, a non-profit organisation that promotes active and involved fathering. 

“That was such an irony,” she said. “He was advocating family values while simultaneously having an affair. I think the disappointment we had is more than justified.”

Group safety manager and fellow Marine Parade GRC voter Winston Longue, 50, had similar thoughts: "I was surprised someone at that level (in politics) could come to this. He should have known better."

Four men now stand in the GRC where five were first elected. 

Aside from Mr Tan, the PAP team that claimed Marine Parade GRC at the 2020 General Election comprised political office-holders Tan See Leng and Edwin Tong, then-chief executive officer of NTUC FairPrice Seah Kian Peng and Mr Fahmi Aliman, the mayor of South East Community Development Council (CDC). 

They defeated the team of candidates from the Workers’ Party (WP): Former non-constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong, lawyer Fadli Fawzi, senior assistant manager Ron Tan, IT professional Nathaniel Koh and small business owner Azhar Latip. 

However, that win in 2020 for PAP was not as emphatic as years past. It won 57.74 per cent of the vote in that election during the COVID-19 pandemic, lower than in 2015 when it had garnered 64.07 per cent. 

That was an improvement from 2011, when the party won 56.6 per cent of the vote against the National Solidarity Party in the midst of a broader swing against PAP that year.

However, before 2011, PAP ran unopposed in Marine Parade GRC in the 1997, 2001 and 2006 General Election. In the 1988 and 1991 elections and a by-election in 1992, it obtained at least 70 per cent of the vote share each time. 

Indeed, the GRC has long been a stronghold for the incumbent party with former Cabinet Minister Goh Chok Tong serving as its long-time anchor MP up until his retirement from politics in 2020.

Mr Goh, who was Singapore's second prime minister from 1990 to 2004, had represented Marine Parade since 1976 when it was a Single-Member Constituency (SMC) and he won the constituency through 11 elections, including the 1992 by-election.

What will happen, though, at this year's election is anyone's guess. With Mr Tan Chuan-Jin's absence and WP expected to put up a fight, political analysts told CNA TODAY that the constituents should gear up for a showdown. 

Dr Elvin Ong from the department of political science at the National University of Singapore (NUS) said that finding a suitable replacement for Mr Tan will be key for PAP. 

“It will be important to find a quality candidate to support Dr Tan See Leng and the broader Marine Parade team, as it is quite a geographically large GRC."

So who might make waves as potential candidates and what could tip the scales for either party in 2025? 

WHAT MARINE PARADE GRC RESIDENTS WANT

1. NATIONAL CONCERNS

Unlike younger constituencies such as Sengkang GRC, where more than half of the residents said that they would take “bigger picture” concerns and estate-level issues into equal consideration at the ballot box, national concerns seems to reign supreme for the Marine Parade electorate. 

More than four-fifths of the 50 people or so who were interviewed by CNA TODAY said they would vote for the party that they felt could best address Singapore’s present and future needs.

Chief among the concerns shared by these residents was immigration. With Singapore’s non-resident population increasing by 5 per cent from 1.77 million in June 2023 to 1.86 million by June 2024, some of the residents expressed unease about foreigners competing with Singaporeans for jobs and school placements. 

Mr Terence Tan, 62, who is self-employed, said he is worried that universities are admitting more foreign undergraduates, which in turn could lead to Singaporean students losing out on opportunities.

He said that his oldest son had failed to enter a public university in Singapore, even though he believes that his son's grades should have met the mark.

In 2022, the six public universities here took in 18,000 Singapore citizens and permanent residents, but demand was much higher, with 38,000 school-leavers applying for places in the universities that year. 

This translates to about two applicants for every university place.

“I believe that we should groom our people first," Mr Terence Tan said. "If you want Singaporeans to be somebody and do well, give more chances to the Singaporeans when they are young,”

Another resident, Mr Ian Gregory Tan who lives in Siglap, was of the view that Singapore should be attracting a more “varied” group of people to become residents.

The 40-year-old, who is unemployed and used to work in the game and finance industry, said: “I would like to see more diversity in the kind of people we bring in, a little bit of everywhere versus a lot from a few places.

“Monocultural groups are very dangerous to have. But if you have a healthy mix of people who are different enough, that brings vibrancy to Singapore and that’s where ideas really bloom. So to me, that’s important.”

Another key concern was the cost of living. Ms Ng, the Marine Parade resident and full-time caregiver, said that at the hawker centre she patronises, the price of the wanton noodle dish she likes has risen every year. 

“The store opened in 2015 – that time, it was S$3 a bowl. Now the signboard says S$5.50. I’ve never seen wanton mee so expensive.”

The government has been giving out vouchers, such as the CDC vouchers, climate vouchers, and those for past and present national servicemen, to assist with basic expenses in the past few years.

However, technology firm consultant Ensley Tan, 47, said that this in itself implies that rising costs might have become unsustainable for many Singaporeans.

“If you do it every year, there seems to be an underlying issue that might need to be addressed." 

On other matters, Ms Sandy Lim, 46, who is on a sabbatical, was concerned about her children’s future in the job market, saying that the pace of change in the economy has accelerated in the last few years with the rise of artificial intelligence. 

“There’s a lot that is unknown and that creates uncertainty. I’m worried especially since the world I knew in the last 20 years did not change so fast,” the Joo Chiat resident added. 

Additionally, some residents were hoping that more assistance can be given to caregivers who look after the elderly.

A 56-year-old resident who wanted to be known as just Mr Er acknowledged that the government has been doing “quite a bit” in supporting caregivers, but with an increasingly ageing population, there is still room for improvement, he said.

Mr Er, who works in sales, suggested that the government can look into reducing the levy amount for hiring foreign domestic workers. He said that his family has had to spend a considerable sum of money monthly for two workers to care for their parents. 

2. BETTER MAINTENANCE OF OLD ESTATES

Despite the relative agedness of many residential estates in the GRC, the majority of residents approached by CNA TODAY were satisfied with their cleanliness and maintenance. 

Those who were not, they talked about various troublesome spots.

For instance, several residents living at the Housing and Development Board (HDB) block next to Joo Chiat Complex said that the lift that takes them up to their flats “breaks down on a weekly basis”. 

One of them, 36-year-old communications manager Tan Wan Yi, said that she has found herself stuck in the lift three times since July last year. 

Some residents living in blocks 35 and 36 of Chai Chee Avenue said that the ceilings of the toilets in their flats have been showing cracks since a few years ago and they were concerned.

Ms Roziza Sahni, a 46-year-old housewife who lives in Chai Chee, pointed to the garbage area of her housing block, which has “too many cockroaches”. 

Elsewhere in Marine Parade, residents in different estates said that they were concerned about the “pigeon problem” that has been reported in other parts of the country as well.

Further up north in Serangoon Central, residents living in blocks 418, 419 and 420 said that there had been frequent cases of "illegal disposal" at the central rubbish disposal point and skip tanks, the large metal containers to collect rubbish, located in between their blocks.

They also said that they often have to put up with the loud noises that come with the dumping and dismantling of large, bulky items, as well as the unpleasant smell that emanates from the area, especially on hot and humid days. 

They recalled that there was a fire that broke out there several years ago at the rubbish disposal point, which caused them much distress. 

When contacted, the Marine Parade Town Council said that it was aware of these issues and is working on them. 

Regarding the lifts, it said that some past breakdowns were due to misuse, such as users wedging items to keep the doors open or the repeated impact from trolleys and prams, leading to damage.

The town council has rolled out a card access system, restricting lift usage at the HDB block to only residents, which it said has significantly reduced lift jams and improved waiting times. 

To maintain cleanliness in and minimise odours at the Braddell Heights estate, the town council has increased clearing frequency and stepped up enforcement efforts to deter illegal dumping, it said.

It has also limited dismantling works to specific hours to mitigate noise disturbances to residents, it added.

As for the pigeon-related matter, the town council has educated the public on the consequences of pigeon feeding, frequently cleaned affected areas and conducted monthly pigeon-trapping operations.

"We remain committed to providing a clean, safe and well-maintained environment for all residents," the town council stated. 

3. FREE SHUTTLE BUS FOR MARINE PARADE CLUSTER'S RESIDENTS

There was positive feedback, however, about the free shuttle bus service that was started by the constituency's MPs.

The service, for residents living in Marine Parade GRC, MacPherson SMC and Mountbatten SMC, offers seven routes within these areas and takes them to amenities such as polyclinics, hawker centres and MRT stations.

Marketing manager Gwee Siying, 34, said that the bus service is a good initiative for the ageing population because the polyclinics are a distance away from the nearest MRT, and that the routes had been well thought out by planners.

She encouraged her mother to ride the buses, though her mother has not used the service yet because it requires riders to download a mobile application, sign up and book a seat in advance, which is a hassle.

"I believe the Residents' Committee has stepped up to help the older residents to get onboard. Perhaps they can be more proactive and identify households with elders, especially those living alone, who are not using the service and find out the reasons why. Or perhaps, they can think of an easier way to reserve a seat," she proposed.

Ms Norlinda Ishnin, a 50-year-old teacher who lives in Kembangan, has never taken the shuttle bus because it was unclear to her what the routes and timings of the bus are.

When CNA TODAY visited some of the bus stops, information on the estimated bus arrival timings and route was available in the form of an A4-sized paper put up at the bus stops. However, Ms Ishnin said that it would “definitely help” if larger and more noticeable signs could be displayed.

CNA reported in October last year that the shuttle bus service was seeing starkly different levels of ridership, with some routes having no passengers at certain times, while others have more than 20 passengers. 

Residents had previously given feedback that the frequency of its buses were not enough, though they did appreciate the convenience that it provides. 

In response to CNA TODAY's queries, the Marine Parade Grassroots Organisations said that it had refined operations in mid-January this year by re-adjusting the schedules and routes of the Marine Parade shuttle buses, based on feedback from residents and ridership data.

"Since implementing the routes and scheduled improvements, we have seen a steady usage across most routes, which indicates that the initiative is meeting a community need," they said.

The grassroots organisations added that the service now has a "steady base" of more than 29,000 registered users.

LOSING TAN CHUAN-JIN: WILL IT MATTER?

Undoubtedly, the hot-button topic this coming election is the absence of Mr Tan Chuan-Jin for the GRC. 

Even though several residents said that they were disappointed by his affair and believed that resigning was the right thing to do, many also felt that it was a “personal indiscretion” that did not have an impact on his professional performance as an MP and his contributions to the Kembangan-Chai Chee ward. 

Ms Lim the Joo Chiat resident said that she had never doubted Mr Tan’s competency in his work: “It’s unfortunate that we had to lose him because of personal matters, because prior to this, I quite liked him.”

Ms Gwee, who encouraged her mother to use the shuttle bus, recalled how efficient Mr Tan had been in addressing her concerns. 

“When a brick dislodged and dropped all the way down from the top of my parents’ HDB block to ground level in 2020, I texted Mr Tan on Instagram and he immediately replied that he had contacted the Residents’ Committee to follow up on it. So that’s plenty of plus points for him.

“It was nice to know that there’s an MP who was behind me (and that) I didn't even need to go to a Meet-the-People’s session to see him. Even through email, I could tell he was very passionate in serving the residents.”

Agreeing, another resident living in Mr Tan Chuan-Jin's former ward of Kembangan-Chai Chee who wanted to be known only as just Mr Loh said that Mr Tan was “a popular figure among residents”. 

Mr Loh had attended a town hall that Mr Tan had organised for new residents in the district and felt that the former Speaker of Parliament was quite engaging and demonstrated care for the residents. 

On the flip side, at least one resident said that he was dissatisfied with how the government handled Mr Tan's affair.

A 26-year-old Kembangan-Chai Chee resident, who is unemployed and wanted to be known only as Mr Lam, said he was surprised that the affair had been going on for a few years and had not been revealed to the public sooner. 

After Mr Tan's resignation, former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a press conference that he had known of the affair since the last General Election concluded in 2020, and that he had urged Mr Tan and Ms Cheng to end it.

Mr Lee said he later discovered that the pair had continued their affair and that he then spoke to Mr Tan in February 2023 about it, before the scandal was made public in July that year.

Regardless of how they felt about the controversy and its handling, the residents interviewed said that this incident would not be a major factor in deciding how they vote this year.

Mr Edmund Teo, 48, who works in information technology, said that the affair was just “a personal failure”, adding that “nobody is infallible”. 

“I won’t use this personal matter to penalise the government.” 

Regarding this vacancy in the PAP team, political analysts said that the opposition parties might view it as an opportunity to make an impression with their own choice of candidates. 

ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES MAY CHANGE

The geographically large nature of Marine Parade GRC, and its neighbourhoods that are notably distinct from each other, has over the years sparked some confusion among its residents.

One voter who lives along Lorong Lew Lian, a five-minute walk to the Serangoon shopping mall Nex, said he feels “awkward” that his neighbourhood is somehow a part of Marine Parade. 

“If you look at the (electoral) map, we’re just this sliver of Marine Parade,” the 47-year-old arts and culture professional said, giving his name only as Mr Alex. 

“The GRC is a long stretch and that’s fine, but we are at the tip of that long stretch," he continued. “We are very much in the heartlands, but I wouldn’t give that label to some other parts of Marine Parade.”

Over at the Joo Chiat ward in the GRC, voters there live in private housing.

Political analysts noted that the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee’s mandate takes into account population shifts and new housing developments when determining the electoral boundaries for use in future elections. 

Potong Pasir SMC, which is directly west of Marine Parade GRC, had 19,731 electors in 2020's election. However, new residential developments in Bidadari means that the figure had grown to 31,268 as of July 2024 – a 58 per cent increase. 

Associate Professor Eugene Tan, law lecturer from the Singapore Management University (SMU) and a former nominated MP, said that changes to Potong Pasir SMC’s boundaries could lead to the boundaries of Marine Parade GRC being shifted as well. 

FRESH FACES ON BOTH SIDES

A major question on the minds of many Marine Parade residents is how PAP will fill the vacant spot left behind by Mr Tan Chuan-Jin. 

It certainly will not be an easy task, political analysts said.

Dr Mustafa Izzudin, a senior international affairs analyst with consultancy Solaris Strategies Singapore, said: “Mr Tan Chuan-Jin did not become well-liked overnight. He had worked really hard on the ground and obviously, his personality shone through.”

He added that it will take some time for residents to resonate with a new member. 

The profile of this new member will matter as well, given that the four remaining MPs are all men above the age of 50. 

Dr Ong from NUS said that a well-rounded team might be more persuasive to prospective voters than an all-male, middle-aged one. 

“Although the electoral rules only formally specify the need to have diversity in race, it is more important than ever to also have diversity in gender, age or experience.” 

Right now, the clear favourite to replace Mr Tan Chuan-Jin is Dr Choo Pei Ling, the second adviser to the Kembangan-Chai Chee grassroots organisations who is a neuroscientist and physiotherapist. 

She has been active in the community for several years and has been seen walking the ground alongside the rest of the GRC’s MPs since March last year. 

Dr Choo was even heralded by Mr Goh as the “present and the future” of Marine Parade at the estate’s 50th anniversary event in April last year. 

Mr Loh, the resident from Kembangan-Chai Chee, said: “She’s relatively new, quite low-profile compared to Mr Tan and only became active on social media last year.

"I think she has pretty big shoes to fill considering that Mr Tan was a very popular MP among not just the young Singaporeans but also the older Singaporeans.” 

Another potential addition to the GRC is Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim, who is the chief executive officer of Make-A-Wish Singapore, a charity that grants the wishes of children with critical illnesses.

She is also a board member of various social organisations including Persatuan Pemudi Islam Singapura (PPIS), a non-profit focused on women empowerment, and MigrantWell Singapore, which provides welfare services for migrant workers. 

In recent months, Ms Hazlina has been spotted at several events in the Marine Parade Cluster, which includes the MacPherson and Mountbatten SMCs.

Based on her LinkedIn profile, Ms Hazlina was the public affairs adviser for the United States Embassy in Singapore between 2019 and 2022, during which she coordinated the media plan for then United States Vice-President Kamala Harris’ inaugural visit to Singapore in August 2021. 

Before that, Ms Hazlina was working at Mediacorp as a journalist, editor and television presenter for 15 years. 

WP has also made its presence felt across various wards in Marine Parade GRC, with two notable new faces canvassing the eastern districts. 

Senior counsel Harpreet Singh, co-founder of boutique law firm Audent Chambers, has been seen on walkabouts in the area since as far back as August 2023.

Some residents, including Mr Lam the Kembangan-Chai Chee resident, told CNA TODAY that they were impressed by his credentials.

“The opposition parties in Singapore often struggle to get established or experienced candidates, so he’s a pretty good addition,” Mr Lam said.

Also walking the ground for WP is technology professional Jeraldine Phneah, an account director for market intelligence platform AlphaSense. 

Ms Phneah, who started volunteering with WP's Jalan Besar team in the 2015 General Election, was seen in photos posted on WP's social media channels last December, when the party had walkabouts and outreach activities in both East Coast and Jalan Besar GRCs.

More recently, she was a part of the WP team’s visits to Kembangan and Serangoon estates alongside Mr Nathaniel Koh and Mr Fadli Fawzi, who both contested in 2020.

Ms Phneah has been vocal about socio-economic issues on various social media platforms, including her newsletter, where she regularly details her views and experiences as a young working professional. 

NOT A STRAIGHTFORWARD FIGHT

With the two familiar figures of Mr Goh and Mr Tan no longer on PAP's team, what was once the party's stronghold may soon be the ground of a fierce battle for votes.

By most residents’ accounts, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng has held the fort admirably, and political watchers pointed out that the existing PAP line-up is not a featherweight one by any means, with two political office-holders, the speaker of parliament and a mayor. 

However, if Marine Parade GRC undergoes boundary shifts that come with widely varied demographic voter profiles, the play to win over voters’ hearts will not be simple. 

Assoc Prof Tan of SMU said that with national issues top of mind for this constituency, it is key for parties contesting to show that they have “feasible and sustainable solutions” to address them. 

As one Braddell Heights resident, 64-year-old semi-retiree Cheryl Liu, put it: “National issues affect your livelihood, they affect our next generation. The importance of what is in our estate pales in comparison to that.”