GE2025: Demographic shifts, three-way race put Potong Pasir in the spotlight
Potong Pasir SMC, which includes the Bidadari estate, is now younger, more populated and contested than before. PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE - Once the smallest single-member constituency in Singapore, former opposition stronghold Potong Pasir has evolved in recent years – it is younger, more populated and at this general election, more contested.
Three candidates will battle for the single seat on May 3 – PAP's Alex Yeo, Singapore People's Party's (SPP) Williiamson Lee, and People's Alliance for Reform's (PAR) Lim Tean.
In the 2020 General Election, the ward had just 18,551 voters. Today, that number has surged to 30,971 – a 67 per cent jump – according to data released by the Elections Department. Of the 15 SMCs in this election, only one, Bukit Panjang (33,596), has more voters than Potong Pasir.
About 61.5 per cent of its residents are aged 45 and below, compared with about 54.3 per cent in 2020 – according to The Straits Times' analysis using Department of Statistics data dated June 2024 – marking a demographic shift in a constituency once known for its greying population.
The transformation is largely driven by new Housing Board developments in the Bidadari estate, which has brought in young families.
Owing to the population spike, a portion of Potong Pasir was carved out and absorbed into the new five-member Marine Parade–Braddell Heights GRC for this election.
But even as the electoral map changes, Potong Pasir remains a politically symbolic battleground. Once the stronghold of veteran opposition leader Chiam See Tong – who held the seat for 27 years – it was wrested by the PAP's Sitoh Yih Pin in 2011 by a razor-thin margin of just 114 votes.
Since then, the PAP has held the seat for two straight elections, each time facing off against the SPP. In the last election, Mr Sitoh secured 60.67 per cent of the vote.
Now, with thousands of new voters and changing demographics, candidates have much ground to cover.
Campaigning in Potong Pasir has centred around bread-and-butter issues, as candidates report hearing from residents about the rising cost of living, particularly in housing and healthcare, while walking the ground and knocking on doors.
From three-generation households to young couples with no children, PAP's Mr Yeo said the ward's demographics have shifted significantly.
The PAP's Potong Pasir candidate Alex Yeo said the ward's demographics have shifted significantly.
PHOTO: ALEX YEO/FACEBOOK
The 46-year-old, who previously ran in Aljunied GRC in 2020, said: 'The Potong Pasir in 2020 is very, very different from the Potong Pasir in 2025.
'If I were (in Bidadari), I would want to know who my representative is. So to do that, I have to be there. I have to walk the ground, I have to knock on every door. I have to introduce myself to every single person.'
This has been the core of Mr Yeo's strategy. He prides himself on being contactable, even handing out his phone number to residents.
He added: 'Nothing beats coming face to face and asking (residents) for their vote… and looking them in the eye and telling them, 'Please, trust me. I have the plans for you. I promise you I will deliver.''
The first step, he said, is earning trust and then, delivering on his promises.
His challenger Mr Lee is banking on the SPP's legacy in the ward, as well as on fresh ideas.
The SPP's Potong Pasir candidate Williiamson Lee is banking on the party's legacy in the ward, as well as on fresh ideas.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
While the 45-year-old, who was part of the party's Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC team in the last election, wants to bring Mr Chiam's kampung spirit back to Potong Pasir, he is also keen to be seen as a candidate in his own right.
Mr Lee has been walking the ground in Bidadari, speaking to residents and proposing community-driven changes – from family-friendly events to gatherings for dog owners. Older residents have also asked for estate upgrades like sheltered walkways, he added.
It will be an uphill task this election, he acknowledged, noting that his, and the party's name, are not known among the newer and younger residents who are unaware of Mr Chiam's work in the area.
He added: 'I have to work hard, even harder, to prove to residents that I have the passion.'
For PAR's Mr Lim, Potong Pasir is not unfamiliar territory. The 60-year-old lawyer said he has been doing 'intensive work' on the ground over the past three years.
His campaign has included daily walkabouts and a steady stream of videos on social media. 'I am very happy with the way the campaign has gone,' he said. ' People know me, and it is evident.'
The PAR's Potong Pasir candidate Lim Tean said he has been doing 'intensive work' on the ground over the past three years.
PHOTO: LIM TEAN/FACEBOOK
Mr Lim said a 'vacuum' was left after the 2020 general election, when then-SPP chairman Jose Raymond retired from politics. The absence of an active opposition figure, he added, along with the area's rapid growth, compelled him to contest the SMC.
Running as an opposition candidate brings its own set of challenges, Mr Lim said, particularly when it comes to resources.
He added: 'In politics, resources are of utmost importance. But that is why I think it's important to win an SMC like Potong Pasir, because it helps you expand your base and your party.'
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