Chan Chun Sing evades Leong Mun Wai's questions on electoral boundary formation

During the motion debate on 7 August calling for greater transparency in the electoral boundary review process, Leong Mun Wai, the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP), questioned Minister Chan Chun Sing regarding the formation of electoral boundaries in Singapore.

Referring to the speech of the Minister-in-Charge of Public Service, in which he denied gerrymandering in Singapore's elections, Mr Leong raised concerns about gerrymandering and asked why certain constituencies had irregular shapes, citing examples like Braddell Heights being part of Marine Parade.

He also questioned the rationale behind splitting Housing Development Board (HDB) towns across multiple constituencies and the frequent changes in constituency borders experienced by residents.

Mr Leong argued that the current system appears politicized and asked for explanations of various anomalies in the boundary drawing process. He emphasized that a more compact and economically efficient arrangement would be preferable.

In response, Mr Chan stated that the motion was about the process of boundary drawing rather than specific decisions made by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) formed by top civil servants.

He clarified that he had no influence over the EBRC's decisions and reiterated that the focus should be on maintaining an apolitical process.

Mr Chan warned that adopting Leong's suggestions could lead to even more drastic boundary changes. He also emphasized that the primary goal is to ensure the electoral process commands trust and respect from the public and that the ultimate outcome should benefit Singapore and its citizens, rather than any particular political party.

Mr Leong countered by stating that their proposals aimed for a more objective and rational boundary drawing process, not a politically motivated outcome. He sought confirmation from Mr Chan that the debate's focus was on achieving fairer and more compact constituencies.

Mr Chan expressed confusion over Leong's suggestions and reiterated the importance of allowing the EBRC to work independently, without specific instructions from the Prime Minister, to avoid the politicization of the process.

What do you think about the positions taken up by the respective Minister and NCMP?