SINGAPORE – Jurong GRC MP Xie Yao Quan said he hopes to stand in the new Jurong Central SMC in the upcoming general election, so he can continue serving residents there.
Mr Xie, who has represented the Jurong Central ward since he was elected in 2020, said: “We have rolled out a number of initiatives and programmes in the last few years, but in our minds, really, we’ve only just begun.”
“Whether I will stay here or not, ultimately, it’s up to PM (Lawrence Wong) to decide,” he told reporters during a walkabout in Jurong West on March 23.
He added that the plan is for Jurong Central to form a town council with Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, if the ruling party’s MPs in those constituencies are elected.
“So in terms of municipal matters, Jurong Central SMC will be well taken care of,” he said. “As it is, the Jurong Central division, together with four of the divisions in the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC are already served by the same town council, so we want some continuity there.”
Jurong Central SMC will have 29,620 voters, drawing 25,668 from Jurong GRC and the rest from Yuhua SMC, which will be dissolved.
Current Yuhua MP Grace Fu said on March 20 that residents have asked her the reason for the change.
Ms Fu, who is Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, said she explained to residents what prompted the boundary changes and assured them that there will be a proper handover.
Mr Xie said he has been in “very active discussions” with Ms Fu on the existing programmes in Yuhua and Jurong Central, and how these will come together.
He added that they are working out the details, and said their focus is to ensure residents continue to be well taken care of.
Opposition party Red Dot United (RDU) has said it plans to contest in Jurong Central SMC, as well as Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.
When asked about RDU, Mr Xie said he hopes the single seat will be contested.
“It is going to be good for residents to have a chance to exercise their democratic right, and to make a choice that’s in their best interest,” he added.
In previous elections, Jurong GRC has been one of the PAP’s strongest-performing constituencies.
A key figure behind the ruling party’s strong performance was President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who represented the area for over two decades until he stepped down in 2023 to contest the presidential election.
When asked about his chances in the election without Mr Tharman around, Mr Xie replied: “My mantra is, we take good care of residents, we let the rest take care of itself.”
Mdm Ng Choon Khim, 62, a housewife who has lived in Jurong Central for over 40 years, said she was used to having a group of representatives in a GRC, but welcomed the change to a single seat.
She said Mr Xie has visited her estate about three times in the last five years, and added in Mandarin: “I’m confident in Mr Xie. He’s usually on the ground and is very approachable.”
Christine Tan is a journalist at The Straits Times reporting on crime, justice and social issues in Singapore.
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