Latest news with #SembawangWestSMC
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
GE2025: Poh Li San edges out Chee Soon Juan in Sembawang West SMC with 53.19% of the vote
Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE – People's Action Party (PAP) candidate Poh Li San beat Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) secretary-general Chee Soon Juan to secure Sembawang West SMC for the ruling party, with 53.19 per cent of the vote. Ms Poh, 49, who was elected in the 2020 General Election as part of a five-member team in Sembawang GRC, has looked after the Sembawang West ward for the past five years. The senior vice-president at Changi Airport Group had said before the hustings that she was prepared for a tough fight. She eventually prevailed over Dr Chee, 62, one of Singapore's most recognisable opposition politicians. Her pitch to voters included more support for seniors, strengthening mental wellness programmes and speaking up for them in Parliament on jobs and bread-and-butter issues. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, who led the PAP team to win Sembawang GRC, had said he would continue to work closely with Ms Poh and pay close attention to Sembawang West SMC if they were both successful in the polls. Meanwhile, Dr Chee campaigned on several alternative policy proposals, on issues such as healthcare and the economy. These included removing the goods and services tax from basic necessities such as food, medication and education supplies, while raising it to 13 or 14 per cent for luxury goods to compensate for the loss in revenue. He also talked about SDP's healthcare proposal of switching to a national health insurance 'single payer' system for hospital bills. Dr Chee proposed organising town hall meetings to hear residents' issues as this would reduce waiting times at Meet-the-People Sessions. He also committed to being a full-time MP if elected. Ms Poh countered by saying that although his suggestions made for good rally speeches, they demonstrated a lack of understanding of how Meet-the-People Sessions work – offering a safe, private space for residents to talk about their life challenges. 'It is not a town hall for public political theatre,' she said at an April 28 rally. She acknowledged that Dr Chee is passionate and has walked a long political path, but has not served 'a community from within'. She said: 'Passion alone does not build playgrounds, nor support seniors, nor comfort a struggling family.' Sembawang West SMC, with 24,206 voters, was carved out from Sembawang GRC following the release of the report by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee on March 11. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
Business Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Times
Singapore election 2025: SDP's Chee Soon Juan and Paul Tambyah fail to win seats
[SINGAPORE] Both Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) leaders failed in their bids to win seats even though the party had a mixed showing in this year's general election (GE) – secretary-general Chee Soon Juan had an improved vote share at the polls even as he contested in a new Single-Member Constituency (SMC), while chairman Paul Tambyah lost ground. Dr Chee went up against People's Action Party (PAP) candidate Poh Li San in newly created Sembawang West SMC, and lost. Poh garnered 11,978 votes, or 53.19 per cent of the valid votes, while Dr Chee trailed with 10,541 votes, or 46.81 per cent. A total of 22,519 valid votes were cast, while 269 votes were rejected. Before Sembawang West was carved out of Sembawang GRC in the latest review of electoral boundaries, Poh looked after the ward. In GE2020, the PAP won the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) with 67.29 per cent of the votes, against a team from the National Solidarity Party. The SDP previously contested Sembawang GRC in 2006 and 2011, when Dr Chee was not eligible to contest due to his undischarged bankruptcy. After his return to politics, the party did not contest the GRC in 2015 and 2020. In GE2020, Dr Chee contested Bukit Batok SMC, garnering 45.20 per cent of the votes and losing to PAP's Murali Pillai. The single seat has since been absorbed into the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up While Dr Chee failed to take the Sembawang West SMC seat, his 46.81 per cent vote share was among the highest of the losing parties' candidates, just behind those of the opposition candidates in Jalan Kayu SMC and Tampines GRC. In this election, 10 opposition candidates were victorious in their GRCs. Under the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) scheme, if fewer than 12 opposition candidates are elected at a GE, the 'best losers' from among them will be declared as NCMPs to bring the total number of opposition MPs to 12. This means that Dr Chee narrowly missed out on an NCMP seat. The SDP peaked at three parliamentary seats following the 1991 election, and has not held any seats since 1997. Before this GE, 2020 was the closest that it managed to a return to the political stage, as Dr Tambyah's and Dr Chee's vote shares crept above 45 per cent. Losing steam in Bukit Panjang Meanwhile, PAP candidate for Bukit Panjang SMC Liang Eng Hwa secured 61.41 per cent of the votes for the single-seat ward – defeating SDP's Dr Tambyah by a larger margin than in their previous face-off. Liang ended up with 19,116 votes. Dr Tambyah garnered 12,015 votes, representing 38.59 per cent of the vote share. There were a total of 31,131 valid votes, while 350 votes were rejected. Liang is a managing director at DBS, while Dr Tambyah is an infectious diseases expert at the National University Hospital. Bukit Panjang SMC's boundaries remained unchanged from the election in 2020. The straight fight for the constituency this year marked a rematch between Liang and Dr Tambyah. PAP's margin of victory widened from the last election, when Liang secured 53.73 per cent of the votes, against Dr Tambyah's 46.27 per cent. That remains the slimmest margin of victory recorded for the PAP in the SMC. Dr Tambyah's profile rose significantly then, on the back of the Covid-19 crisis. Though GE2025 is the second time they are fighting against each other in Bukit Panjang SMC, they have also faced off elsewhere. In 2015, Dr Tambyah was fielded in SDP's Holland-Bukit Timah team, while Liang contested the GRC on the PAP's side. The mixed results came as the SDP was embroiled in controversy after Marsiling-Yew Tee candidate Gigene Wong went off script to refer to teammate Ariffin Sha by a racial slur and mispronounced his name as 'elephant'. She and Dr Chee apologised in later speeches. Dr Wong did not speak at any subsequent rallies. On the campaign trail, both Dr Tambyah and Dr Chee had called for more opposition voices in Parliament, which they said would improve the PAP's governance. The SDP envisions a Singapore 'where everyone can thrive', with policies from healthcare to education. PAP had criticised their policies and said they were 'mere populist calls' to win seats in Parliament. The SDP leaders also promised to make improvements on a municipal level, with more regular engagements and wise spending. In response, their opponents questioned their understanding of the roles of Members of Parliament. For more election coverage, visit our GE2025 microsite
Online Citizen
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Online Citizen
GE2025 Results: PAP's Poh Li San wins Sembawang West SMC with 53.19% of the vote
Sembawang West SMC has been officially called for the People's Action Party (PAP) Poh Li San, who secured 53.19 per cent of the votes. She defeated Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Dr Chee Soon Juan, who garnered 46.81 per cent of the votes. A total of 22,519 valid votes were cast, with 11,978 going to PAP and 10,541 to SDP. Poh, who was part of the PAP team that secured 67.29 per cent of the vote in Sembawang GRC during the 2020 election, represents the Sembawang West division. This area was carved out as an SMC following a review of the electoral boundaries earlier this year. Dr Chee contested in the 2020 General Election in Bukit Batok SMC but lost to the PAP's Murali Pillai with 45.2 per cent of the vote.
Straits Times
03-05-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
GE2025: Poh Li San edges out Chee Soon Juan in Sembawang West SMC with 53.19% of the vote
Ms Poh Li San has looked after the Sembawang West ward for the past five years. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG GE2025: Poh Li San edges out Chee Soon Juan in Sembawang West SMC with 53.19% of the vote Follow our live coverage here. People's Action Party (PAP) candidate Poh Li San beat Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) secretary general Chee Soon Juan to secure Sembawang West SMC for the ruling party, with 53 per cent of the vote. Ms Poh, 49, who was elected in the 2020 General Election as part of a five-member team in Sembawang GRC, has looked after the Sembawang West ward for the past five years. The senior vice-president at Changi Airport Group had said before the hustings that she was prepared for a tough fight but eventually prevailed over Dr Chee, 62, one of Singapore's most recognisable opposition politicians. Her pitch to voters included more support for seniors, strengthening mental wellness programmes and speaking up for them in Parliament on jobs and bread-and-butter issues. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, who helmed the PAP team contesting Sembawang GRC, said he would continue to work closely with Ms Poh and pay close attention to Sembawang West SMC if they were both successful in the polls. Meanwhile, Dr Chee campaigned on several alternative policy proposals, on issues such as healthcare and the economy. These included removing the goods and services tax from basic necessities such as food, medication and education supplies, while raising it to 13 or 14 per cent for luxury goods to compensate for the loss in revenue. He also talked about SDP's healthcare proposal of switching to a national health insurance 'single payer' system for hospital bills. Dr Chee proposed organising town hall meetings to hear residents' issues as this would reduce waiting times at Meet-the-People Sessions, and committed to being a full-time MP if elected. Ms Poh countered by saying that although his suggestions made for good rally speeches, they demonstrated a lack of understanding of how Meet-the-People Sessions work – offering a safe, private space for residents to talk about their life challenges. 'It is not a town hall for public political theatre,' she said at an April 28 rally. She acknowledged that Dr Chee is passionate and has walked a long political path, but has not served 'a community from within'. She said: 'Passion alone does not build playgrounds, nor support seniors, nor comfort a struggling family.' Sembawang West SMC, with 24,206 voters, was carved out from Sembawang GRC following the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) on March 11. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
AsiaOne
03-05-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
PAP's Poh Li San wins Sembawang West SMC with 53.19% of votes over SDP's Chee Soon Juan, Singapore News
Results for Sembawang West SMC in GE2025 Poh Li San (PAP) 53.19% Chee Soon Juan (SDP) 46.81% The People's Action Party (PAP) has won Sembawang West SMC against the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). PAP's Poh Li San received 11,978 votes while SDP's Chee Soon Juan received 10,541 votes. Sembawang West SMC has 24,206 electors. Sembawang West SMC is among the newly formed SMCs introduced ahead of the 2025 general election, and was contested for the first time. For our GE2025 microsite, visit here. editor@
