review insight 쐽 THE STRAITS TIMES SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 2010 PAGE A39
2006
FROM
PAGE A38
boundaries adjusted. Seven new
constituencies in HDB areas were
created.
Explained the committee: “It
was essential and logical to create
new electoral divisions in HDB
new towns. On the other hand,
population shifts away from areas
in or around the city have result-
ed in substantial depletion in elec-
torates.”
Yet, the generous deviation
rule might be seen to contravene
the principle of mathematical
equality, as it offers enormous
flexibility, especially in group rep-
resentation constituencies
(GRCs).
For instance, a six-MP GRC in
2006 could range from having
108,000 to 204,000 electors.
Says Assistant Professor Eu-
gene Tan, a constitutional law
specialist: “This has implications
for fair and balanced representa-
tion.”
Noting that the deviation rules
for New Zealand and Australia
are 5 per cent and 10 per cent re-
spectively, he argues: “If much
larger countries with more un-
even spreads of population
throughout the country can do
with 5 to 10 per cent deviation,
our 30 per cent deviation is over-
ly generous and may allow for
large variations in the electoral
rolls for the various GRCs and
SMCs.”
But this downside might argua-
bly be offset by another considera-
tion: It allows for the retention of
boundaries as much as possible,
even as people move homes
across the island.
There are other considera-
tions.
One pertains to the physical
landscape. Clearly defined natu-
ral features such as rivers and hill
ridges or roads should be used as
boundaries where possible in-
stead of “arbitrary boundaries”,
asserted the committee of 1958.
So while Changi had a “low”
voter strength, it was not “suita-
ble to vary the boundaries by tak-
ing in other areas since the drawn
boundaries take proper account
of affinities and natural fea-
tures”.
And in a consideration that has
clearly fallen out of fashion in
more recent decades, the 1954
committee said: “It has been our
general aim to keep the divisions
compact and regular in shape.”
Odd-shaped constituencies
with snaking tentacles began ap-
pearing in the 1990s, and in 2001,
a new precedent was set when
Aljunied GRC was drawn to en-
close Hougang. In 2006, Bukit
Panjang was carved out in the
middle of Holland-Bukit Timah
GRC.
When Aljunied Road
is not in Aljunied GRC
BECAUSE it has to balance differ-
ent factors, some of them conflict-
ing, reviewing boundaries is a
complex process that goes be-
yond cut-and-dried numerical
calculations.
Other considerations are more
subjective – and have also
evolved in significance as Singa-
pore changed.
One is the early emphasis on
Bukit
Panjang
SMC
Hong Kah GRC
Chua Chu Kang
SMC
Jurong GRC
Holland-Bukit Timah
GRC
West Coast GRC
2,157,840
electors
84 divisions
9 SMCs
14 GRCs
community identity: that a con-
stituency should be bound by a
common interest, whether fishing
in the 1950s, or later on, the par-
ticular needs of a new HDB town.
After all, it would be the elect-
ed representative’s wish to “repre-
sent a division where the commu-
nity of interest and its distinct-
ness from the interests of others
is clear, and in speaking for which
he can make his contribution to
the deliberations to the Assembly
more distinctive and valuable”,
said the 1954 committee.
However, this principle ap-
“It was not practical or desirable to limit the
size of every electoral division to 21,000 as that
would entail massive redrawing of boundaries.
The committee, following practice since 1968,
decided to adopt a deviation from average to
minimise changes to electoral boundaries.”
1984 committee
pears to have become less impor-
tant as time went by.
In 1967, the Government
wrote in its response to the com-
mittee recommendations that
there was “a tendency for some
of the depressed areas to remain
depressed and for some of the
constituencies to remain isolated
constituencies”.
It thus felt that these areas
“would have a better chance of
achieving a quicker rate of devel-
opment if they were merged with
more developed areas” as they
would not have to compete for de-
velopment funds.
What appears to be a push to-
wards a socio-economic and eth-
nic mix within constituencies was
accelerated particularly with the
creation of GRCs in 1988.
In cobbling them together, the
committee took into account
“one or more” of the following
factors: HDB housing estates; are-
as traditionally associated with
Malay, Indian and other minority
communities; and the need to
spread the GRCs islandwide.
The effect is that today, there
is no particular sense of common
affinity within the constituencies.
A HDB dweller in Braddell will
be hard put to see how his inter-
ests are aligned with those of a
landed property owner in East
Coast. Yet they vote for or
against the same teams of candi-
dates vying in Marine Parade
GRC.
As Aljunied resident Ong Seng
Lau, 41, puts it: “I am curious
why Aljunied Road and the sur-
rounding area are not part of Alju-
nied GRC. If you do a taxi driver
test, that is, hop into any taxi and
say, ‘Take me to Aljunied’, I won-
der how many will take you to
any part of Aljunied GRC.”
Such constituencies may help
prevent class or ethnic divisions
along constituency lines, but Pro-
fessor Thio wonders if there is al-
so a “divide and conquer” strate-
Sembawang GRC
Nee Soon
Central
SMC
Nee Soon
East
SMC
Ang Mo Kio
Yio Chu Kang
Bishan-
Toa Payoh
GRC
Tanjong Pagar GRC
gy at work.
“If you divide up residents in
area X who might have a same in-
terest, and put them in areas A
and B, then you dilute the force
of that interest and the possibility
that this interest could generate
political influence,” she specu-
lates.
Another consideration in the
delineation of boundaries appears
to be grassroots ties.
In 1967 and 1971, the commit-
tees were tasked to adjust bounda-
ries without eliminating any con-
stituencies.
쏆 is about 27,500. Taking in a 30
One reason, said the commit-
tee, was that they have “well-es-
tablished and active” citizens’
consultative committees.
“Elimination of any of these
constituencies would certainly
disrupt this relationship and undo
all the good work that has already
been done,” said the 1971 commit-
tee.
But in 1976, this disappeared
as a rationale. That year, for the
first time ever, constituencies
were wiped off the electoral map.
They included Bras Basah, Craw-
ford, Hong Lim, Kampong Kapor,
Sepoy Lines and Stamford.
Those with a suspicious mind
may wonder if politics lay behind
the move.
But an examination of their
previous election results showed
that they were PAP strongholds,
some helmed by popular minis-
ters.
Teo Ser Luck to anchor
a single-seat ward?
LOOKING ahead, how might the
next incarnation of Singapore’s
electoral boundary map look like?
One thing for certain is that
there will be changes aplenty, giv-
en recent reforms made to the
electoral system.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien
Loong has already indicated what
would be in his terms of reference
for the next committee. “There
will be at least 12 SMCs, fewer
six-member GRCs and a range of
smaller GRCs,” he said in Parlia-
ment last year.
It was perhaps the ghost of
changes past that prompted
Workers’ Party leader Low Thia
Khiang to then rise and ask if the
PM would add an additional term
of reference: to “keep the existing
electorate as far as possible”.
“Because our biggest com-
plaint on the GRC system is that
there is a tendency of gerryman-
dering, like in the Cheng San GRC
where you cut up the whole
GRC
SMC
Pasir Ris-Punggol
GRC
Hougang
SMC
Tampines GRC
Aljunied GRC
Potong
Pasir East Coast GRC
SMC
Macpherson
SMC
Jalan Besar
GRC Joo Chiat SMC “The
Marine committee...
Parade GRC
proposed the following
single-member
constituencies and group
representation constituencies
taking into account population shifts
and housing developments, and
balancing against other factors, including
the requirement to maintain a minimum
of eight SMCs and keeping, as much as
feasible, the number of electors in each
constituency within the respective
ranges.”
The committee’s terms of reference were to note
Cheng San GRC to Ang Mo Kio,”
significant changes in the number of electors, population
shifts and housing development, and have at least eight
he said, referring to the constitu- single-member constituencies (SMCs).
ency adjacent to Ang Mo Kio that
saw a hot contest in 1997.
Mr Lee’s reply: “I think it is
best to leave them to decide in ac-
cordance with the situation on
the ground.
“They do not disturb bounda-
THE COMMITTEE
ries unnecessarily but when the WHAT IT IS
population has changed, bounda- THERE is no law that mandates the creation or
ries have to recognise these elec- operation of the electoral boundaries review
torate changes.” committee, whichfirst came into being in 1954 ahead
His reassurance notwithstand- of the Legislative Assembly elections.
ing, speculation about impending Since Singapore’s Indepdence in 1965, it has been
changes continue to swirl around the Prime Minister who appoints the committee. He
questions like which PAP MPs also issues the terms of reference.
will be fielded in SMCs, who are The committee recommends the number of group
retiring, and whether the ground representation constituencies (GRCs) and single
in a particular constituency is member constituencies (SMCs), and their boundaries.
sweet. The time taken for the review has ranged from two
to seven months.
As things stand now, the aver-
The Cabinet decides whether or not to accept the
age number of electors per ward
committee’s recommendations. The accepted changes
are then gazetted.
per cent deviation, only Nee Soon
The time from the release of the report to Polling
East (too big) and Potong Pasir
Day has ranged from 17 days to six months.
(too small) lie outside the range.
But more tweaks will have to In March this year, Deputy Prime Minister Wong
Kan Seng said the committee for the next election
be made to take into account the
had not been convened.
new terms of reference.
One speculation is that one
SMC is likely to emerge from the WHO IS IN IT
Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC. Bets are IN the 1950s, the committee comprised
on the likeable Senior Parliamen- representatives from political parties. After Singapore
tary Secretary Teo Ser Luck being attained self-government, it has been made up of
sent to helm it. civil servants.
Another possibility is that Sem- In more recent decades, it has been chaired by the
Cabinet Secretary, who heads the office that offers
bawang GRC may be split into
administrative support to the Cabinet. He reports to
two constituencies, as it is cur-
the Prime Minister.
rently anchored by two popular
The current Cabinet Secretary is Mr Tan Kee
ministers.
Yong, who assumed the post last December.
There is also speculation that
The members of the last boundaries committee,
Hong Kah GRC, the only one
with their designations in 2006, were: Mr Lam Joon
among 14 not to have a minister
Khoi, CEO of the Singapore Land Authority; Mr John
on the PAP team, will absorb
Keung Man Yin, deputy CEO of the HDB; Mrs Leow
Chua Chu Kang SMC, now repre- Bee Geok, Acting Chief Statistician; and Mr Lee Seng
sented by Manpower Minister Lup, head of the Elections Department, which is the
Gan Kim Yong. committee’s secretariat.
How do demographics fit into
the picture? No one is quite sure.
xueying@sph.com.sg