SINGAPORE - Boundary charges to the Yuhua single-member constituency in Jurong were expected, as it is a mature estate with a declining number of voters, said Ms Grace Fu, who is the MP for the area, on March 12.
“I expected boundary changes to happen in Yuhua because, Yuhua as you know, is actually the smallest SMC, and because it’s quite a mature estate, the number of voters actually has been on a decline,” said Ms Fu, who is Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations.
“On the other hand… across the expressway, the town in Bukit Batok West is actually growing very quickly,” she added.
Ms Fu was responding to questions from the media on the recently announced changes to electoral boundaries. Under the changes announced on March 11, parts of Yuhua SMC will merge with the Jurong group representative constituency, Bukit Batok SMC, Hong Kah North SMC to form a new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.
Yuhua SMC has the lowest voter count of 20,525 among the SMCs.
Asked if she will be the anchor minister for the GRC, which currently does not have an anchor minister, Ms Fu said: “That’s a decision for the Prime Minister to make.”
The anchor minister of Jurong GRC had been President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who represented the area for over two decades while he was an MP, until he stepped down in 2023 to contest the presidential election.
“I hope to be able to stand if he thinks that I have something to offer in the coming election, and if I’m being fielded, I hope to stay in where I’m familiar with and that’s in Yuhua,” Ms Fu added.
She was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the official opening of Rainforest Wild Asia – Singapore’s fifth wildlife park – where she was guest-of-honour.
ST20250312-202537600577-Lim Yaohui-Chin Hui Shan-hsgrace12/ Official opening of Rainforest Wild Asia on March 12, 2025. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, Ms Grace Fu officiated the launch of Singapore’s fifth wildlife park, welcoming the first park-goers before embarking on a rainforest adventure. (ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI)
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu officiated the launch of Singapore’s fifth wildlife park on March 12.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Ms Fu first entered politics in 2006, and has been representing Yuhua since then. At that time, Yuhua had been a ward under the Jurong GRC.
It became an SMC in 2011, and remained a single-member seat in the 2015 and 2020 general elections.
“It’s really a full circle for me because I came from Jurong GRC the first term and it’s great to be returning back to the family,” Ms Fu said.
The new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC will have 142,510 voters, incorporating 62,424 from the current Jurong GRC, according to the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report released on March 11.
In addition to absorbing parts of the existing Jurong GRC, the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC will take in adjacent polling districts – Bukit Batok SMC, Yuhua SMC and Hong Kah North SMC.
Yuhua SMC will be split under the new changes. Parts of it will be absorbed into Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, while its remainder will become part of the new Jurong Central SMC.
The new Jurong Central SMC will be carved out from Jurong GRC, encompassing 29,620 voters, with 25,668 from the group representation constituency and the rest from Yuhua SMC.
Ms Fu said she is saddened that part of her SMC is moved into the Jurong Central SMC, but assured her residents that she will continue to look after their interests.
With her constituency splitting into two parts, she said: “I have to really assure the residents that, you know, they don’t have to worry and I’m sure my colleagues later on will look after their interests and have that interest at heart.”
Since the electoral boundaries were announced, opposition party Red Dot United has indicated that it will be contesting in Jurong East- Bukit Batok GRC.
Asked her response to this, Ms Fu drew parallels between the General Election and a “major exam” which one has to work hard for and prepare over the years
Ms Fu said: “I’m sure we will have to contest very hard. I have a lot of respect for my opposition. I’m sure they’ll put up a good fight.
“... Also, I have a lot of respect for my residents, my voters, because I’m sure they want the best for their interest, and it is for us to work very hard to get their endorsement, get their trust and confidence again.”
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