Demographic shifts, three-way race put Potong Pasir in the spotlight

Once the smallest single-member constituency in Singapore, former opposition stronghold Potong Pasir has evolved in recent years - it is younger, more populated and, at this general election, more contested.

- Gabrielle Chan

Three candidates will battle for the single seat on May 3 - PAP's Mr Alex Yeo, Singapore People's Party's (SPP) Mr Williiamson Lee and People's Alliance for Reform's (PAR) Mr Lim Tean.

In the 2020 General Election, the constituency had just 18,551 voters. Today, the number has more voters than Potong Pasir.

About 61.5 per cent of its residents are aged 45 and below, compared with about 54.3 per cent in 2020 according to The Straits Times' analysis using Department of Statistics data dated June 2024 - marking a demographic shift in a constituency once known for its greying population.

The transformation is largely driven by new Housing Board developments in the Bidadari estate, which has brought in young families. Owing to the population spike, a portion of Potong Pasir was carved out and absorbed into the new five-member Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC for this election.

But even as the electoral map changes, Potong Pasir remains a politically symbolic battleground. Once the stronghold of veteran opposition leader Chiam See Tong, who held the seat for 27 years, it was wrested by the PAP's Sitoh Yih Pin in 2011 by a razorthin margin of 114 votes.