Chee Soon Juan Criticises Dissolution of Bukit Batok SMC as a Major Political Setback

“Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) leader Chee Soon Juan has voiced strong disappointment over the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee’s (EBRC) recent decision to dissolve Bukit Batok Single-Member Constituency (SMC), describing it as a major disruption to his long-term engagement with residents.

In a TikTok video, Dr Chee expressed frustration that his years of groundwork in the ward have been significantly affected by the changes. He first contested Bukit Batok SMC in the 2016 by-election, securing 38.8% of the vote. His presence in the area continued through the 2020 General Election, where he improved his performance to 45.2%, marking his strongest electoral result.

For nearly a decade, Dr Chee has been actively engaging with the Bukit Batok community, advocating for local issues and working to strengthen his connection with residents. However, under the latest boundary revisions, Bukit Batok SMC will now be absorbed into the newly formed Jurong East-Bukit Batok Group Representation Constituency (GRC), which also takes in portions of the former Jurong GRC.

Expressing his frustration, Dr Chee remarked, “After years of building trust with residents, the redrawing of boundaries has now multiplied the constituency’s size fivefold, making our efforts significantly harder to sustain.”

Despite this setback, he remains committed to his political journey, assuring supporters that he is actively planning his next steps and will announce his strategy for the upcoming election soon.

Electoral boundary changes have long been a contentious issue in Singapore, with opposition parties frequently criticising them as disruptive to voter bases and detrimental to their electoral prospects. As the political landscape shifts once again, attention will be on how the SDP adapts to these new challenges.”