GE2025: PAP wins West Coast-Jurong West GRC with 60% vote share, keeps Pioneer SMC
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SINGAPORE - The PAP has come out on top with 60.01 per cent of the vote in West Coast-Jurong West GRC against the PSP's team, which included its chair Tan Cheng Bock, a former PAP stalwart.
The PAP also emerged victorious in Pioneer SMC, where it retained the constituency with 65.42 per cent of the vote.
During the 2020 General Election, the PAP secured 51.68 per cent of the vote in a tight race with the PSP in the former West Coast GRC. As the 'best losers' of GE2020, two PSP candidates – party chief Leong Mun Wai and first vice-chair Hazel Poa – were offered seats in Parliament as NCMPs.
In the latest rematch in the five-man GRC, the PAP received 88,347 votes or 60.01 per cent of the votes, while the PSP team garnered 58,863, or 39.99 per cent of the votes.
The PAP team was led by Minister for National Development Desmond Lee, 48. He took over as anchor minister following the departure of former transport minister S. Iswaran, who stepped down in 2024 after a corruption probe.
Joining Mr Lee were Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Education Shawn Huang, 42, and three-term MP Ang Wei Neng, 58. The line-up also included two new faces: orthopaedic surgeon Hamid Razak, 39, and lawyer Cassandra Lee, 33.
They went up against PSP chairman Dr Tan, 85, Mr Leong, 65, and Ms Poa, 54, along with newcomers Sumarleki Amjah, 53, and Sani Ismail, 49.
In the case of Pioneer SMC, PAP's labour unionist Patrick Tay, 53, defeated PSP's Stephanie Tan, 37, who was contesting her first election. He secured 15,323 votes, or 65.42 per cent, while Ms Tan received 8,101, or 34.58 per cent of the votes.
The PAP's Pioneer candidate Patrick Tay secured 15,323 votes, or 65.42 per cent.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
In GE2020, there was a three-way fight for the single-seat, with Mr Tay facing off against the PSP and independent candidate Cheang Peng Wah, and winning 62 per cent of the vote.
This year's contest for the group representation constituency saw key members from both sides returning to the fray.
Mr Lee and Mr Ang had been part of the PAP team contesting the then-West Coast GRC five years ago. The PSP had also fielded its top three leaders – Dr Tan, Mr Leong and Ms Poa – in the last election.
The boundaries of West Coast GRC had been redrawn ahead of this election, with about 41,000 voters from Jurong GRC – mainly from Jurong Spring and Taman Jurong – added to the renamed West Coast–Jurong West GRC. Meanwhile, areas such as HarbourFront and Sentosa were shifted to Radin Mas SMC, and Dover and Telok Blangah to Tanjong Pagar GRC.
The reconfigured five-member GRC now comprises Boon Lay, Nanyang, West Coast, Ayer Rajah–Gek Poh, Taman Jurong, and parts of Jurong Spring. The number of voters rose from 146,089 to 158,836.
Speaking to reporters after the sample count results — which closely matched the final outcome — were announced at Bukit Gombak Stadium where PAP supporters had gathered, Mr Lee thanked voters in West Coast–Jurong West GRC. He acknowledged the PSP for mounting 'a very strong contest, for raising good ideas and for engaging with us for a better Singapo re'.
Asked how he felt about the result, given the narrow margin of victory in GE2020, Mr Lee said it was not a result he expected because it was a very intense contest.
'But it was a very dignified one. It was robust. Everyone had very robust debates in public as part of the campaign. But I think ultimately we conducted it in a dignified way, and it's a maturing of our system, I think this bodes well for Singapore.'
National Development Minister Desmond Lee taking a wefie with supporters at Bukit Gombak Stadium on May 3.
ST PHOTO: ANDREW WONG
In a statement released after the official results, Mr Leong thanked the voters who had supported the party and said that the party was shocked by the results.
'We will study seriously and humbly into our failure, and reconsider how we can gain further trust from Singaporeans. We may need to review our strategy and regroup ourselves to fight another day,' he said.
Mr Lee's team had campaigned on a nine-point plan tailored for the GRC. Key proposals included measures to cushion the impact of rising living costs, help residents secure better jobs, improve the area's sustainability efforts and support seniors in ageing well.
The PSP built its campaign on its ability to debate with the PAP on national issues, such as the GST hike and housing, citing its track record in Parliament over the past five years. Early on in the campaign, the PSP had challenged its opponents to a debate on national policies.
This invitation later sparked an exchange of words between the PSP and Mr Lee on the role of an MP, with Mr Lee saying that the election season already provides multiple platforms for political parties to present and contest ideas, and that voters should instead ask contesting parties on their plans for the area.
Boon Lay resident Sandra Rethinasamy, a 71-year-old healthcare worker who has lived at Boon Lay Place for more than 20 years, said she was heartened by the result.
'I really support Desmond Lee because I've been following him on his house visits over the past year, and he is very caring and kind,' she said. 'He always takes care of residents, and sometimes his Meet-the-People Sessions can go on until 3am or 4am.'
Another Boon Lay Place resident, 79-year-old retired civil servant Mr Hashim Katon, who has lived in the area for over 30 years, was at Bukit Gombak Stadium to show his support for the PAP's West Coast–Jurong West GRC team.
'I am supporting Desmond Lee because he is very nice, doing a very good job, and always listens to residents no matter how long it takes,' said Mr Hashim.
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