PAP could face WP, NSP in three-cornered fight

With battle lines redrawn and significant changes to many constituencies, which will be the ones under the spotlight in GE2025? The Straits Times dives into the issues and concerns on the ground in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.

- Joyce Lim Senior Correspondent and Shermaine Ang

As the general election draws near, substantial changes have been made to Marine Parade GRC, starting with its name.

The boundaries of the renamed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC will shift significantly as well. It will absorb all of MacPherson SMC, take in polling districts from Mountbatten and Potong Pasir SMCs, and cede the entire Joo Chiat ward and Chai Chee Housing Board estates to neighbouring East Coast GRC.

But one thing is set to stay the same—the five-member group representation constituency will be hotly contested again.

In the 2020 election, the PAP retained Marine Parade with 57.74 per cent of the vote against the Workers' Party.

The PAP team has since had to deal with the departure of former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, who led its slate in 2020. Mr Tan resigned in 2023 after his extramarital affair with fellow MP Cheng Li Hui came to light.

With the redrawing of boundaries, another key member of the team—Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong—is set to move out.

Mr Tong, who has served as MP for Joo Chiat since 2015, pledged in an interview with The Straits Times to continue supporting residents in the ward after it is moved to East Coast GRC.

This sets the stage for Manpower Minister Tan See Leng to lead the People's Action Party team into a possible multi-cornered fight with the WP and National Solidarity Party (NSP).

HOW THE BATTLE WILL SHAPE UP

Both opposition parties have announced their intention to contest Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, which will have 131,493 voters.

The WP has continued to walk the ground in the GRC since the last general election.

Who the WP will field in Marine Parade remains unclear, though several candidates who contested in 2020 could make a return—IT professional Nathaniel Koh and lawyer Fadli Fawzi have been making their rounds in the constituency.