Residents at Marine Parade GRC could be in for more surprises in
the coming elections, going by the plans revealed by the opposition
parties.
Some of the parties told The Straits Times (ST)
yesterday they are interested in contesting for the single-member
constituencies (SMCs) that may be carved from the Marine Parade
GRC.
This comes after Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong revealed
that Braddell Heights, Mountbatten and Kaki Bukit wards have a
higher chance of being turned into SMCs in the upcoming elections,
due by February 2012.
The three areas lie on the outskirts of the Marine Parade
GRC.
Singapore People’s Party chairman Sin Kek Tong, who stood at
Braddell Heights in 1991 and 1988, told the paper he would make the
ward his priority should it become an SMC again.
He plans to visit Braddell Heights next month.
Both the Socialist Front and Reform Party said they were
interested in contesting in a single-seat ward carved from the
Marine Parade GRC.
The Socialist Front intends to contest in at least two SMCs,
while the Reform Party intends to contest in Chua Chu Kang SMC and
at least one new SMC.
Mr Goh Meng Seng, the secretary-general of the National
Solidarity Party, welcomed the news but decline to reveal more.
The Worker’s Party and Singapore Democratic Party also reserved
comment. The latter will hold a meeting soon to discuss these
developments.
The parties interviewed called for the boundaries report to be
released soon, and some also speculated this move to create SMCs in
Marine Parade GRC was to bait Workers’ Party chairman Sylvia Lim,
who led the team in Aljunied GRC in 2006.
According to new rules, there will be at least 12 SMCs in the
next elections, from the current nine.
- Yahoo! Singapore News
