SINGAPORE: The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) will extend its almost three-decade wait for a seat in parliament, after it lost in all four constituencies it was contesting for the 2025 General Election.
In Sembawang West Single Member Constituency (SMC), party chief Chee Soon Juan lost to the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Poh Li San after securing 46.81 per cent of the votes.
It was the third-closest contest of the night after the Workers’ Party lost by the slimmest margins in Jalan Kayu SMC and Tampines Group Representative Constituency (GRC).
This means Dr Chee narrowly missed out on becoming a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) by less than one percentage point. Under the scheme, if there are fewer than 12 opposition MPs elected, the best-performing losing opposition candidates are offered NCMP seats to make up the shortfall.
When the official results for Sembawang GRC and Sembawang West SMC were still pending, Dr Chee told reporters: “It’s been a very disappointing set of results across the board, as far as SDP is concerned.
“My jaw just dropped when I saw the Bukit Panjang results, as well as our constituencies in Sembawang and Marsiling Yew-Tee and Sembawang West.”
He was seen wiping his face with a handkerchief when the returning officer announced the official result for Sembawang West SMC.
He gave lengthier comments after all the results were announced, and expressed dissatisfaction with the “taking away” of Bukit Batok SMC, which was merged into Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC due to electoral boundary changes in March.
He had contested the single-seat ward in the 2016 Bukit Batok by-election and the 2020 General Election, managing to improve his vote share to 45.2 per cent in 2020.
SDP supporters watching the vote results at MOE (Evans) Stadium on May 3, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lauren Chian)
Dr Chee arrived at the party’s assembly centre at the MOE (Evans) Stadium close to 1am on Sunday. Supporters and members had been gathering there since the polls closed about five hours before that.
The official results showed that SDP chairman Paul Tambyah lost to PAP’s Liang Eng Hwa with 38.59 per cent of the votes in Bukit Panjang SMC – a rematch from 2020.
In Sembawang GRC where there was a three-cornered fight, the SDP’s five-member team lost to a PAP team led by Health Minister Ong Ye Kung after getting 29.93 per cent of the votes.
The SDP’s team comprised the party’s vice-chairman Bryan Lim, deputy head of policy James Gomez, treasurer Surayah Akbar, and members Damanhuri Abas and Alfred Tan.
The National Solidarity Party (NSP), which previously contested in the constituency in 2020 and 2015, got the lowest share of the votes – 2.32 per cent.
In Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, SDP’s four-member team lost to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s team with 26.54 per cent of the votes.
The SDP team there comprised organising secretary Jufri Salim, founder of alternative news site Wake Up Singapore Ariffin Sha, theatre director Alec Tok and Dr Gigene Wong.
The SDP last had seats in parliament in 1997, when three MPs – party founder Chiam See Tong as well as members Ling How Doong and Cheo Chai Chen – won in the 1991 General Election.
Dr Chee told reporters that it would have “made a difference” if the PAP waited “just another month” before calling the election after the boundary changes were announced.
“But that was not to be, and I just worry in terms of where we’re going with our political system here, our electoral system,” Dr Chee added.
When asked specifically about the result for Sembawang West SMC, he said it was an “uphill battle”.
“I've just heard people telling me that, you know, sometimes it's that rapport with the bond with the community, with the electorate. And then I had to just relocate, move everything to Sembawang West, and it started anew again,” he added.
“As I said, (Prime Minister) Lawrence Wong would have known that he would have to hold (the election) just around this time. Why not announce your boundaries in January, February?"
Dr Chee also questioned what would stop the PAP government from merging Sembawang West SMC into a GRC in the next election.
“This is the kind of game that I think is so unhealthy for Singapore,” he added.
He said the party will take some time to rest and then analyse the data to see what happened.
Dr Chee has not won an election since he first ran in the 1992 Marine Parade GRC by-election. He was invited to join the party that year by SDP founder Chiam See Tong.
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In Sembawang West Single Member Constituency (SMC), party chief Chee Soon Juan lost to the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Poh Li San after securing 46.81 per cent of the votes.
It was the third-closest contest of the night after the Workers’ Party lost by the slimmest margins in Jalan Kayu SMC and Tampines Group Representative Constituency (GRC).
This means Dr Chee narrowly missed out on becoming a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) by less than one percentage point. Under the scheme, if there are fewer than 12 opposition MPs elected, the best-performing losing opposition candidates are offered NCMP seats to make up the shortfall.
When the official results for Sembawang GRC and Sembawang West SMC were still pending, Dr Chee told reporters: “It’s been a very disappointing set of results across the board, as far as SDP is concerned.
“My jaw just dropped when I saw the Bukit Panjang results, as well as our constituencies in Sembawang and Marsiling Yew-Tee and Sembawang West.”
He was seen wiping his face with a handkerchief when the returning officer announced the official result for Sembawang West SMC.
He gave lengthier comments after all the results were announced, and expressed dissatisfaction with the “taking away” of Bukit Batok SMC, which was merged into Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC due to electoral boundary changes in March.
He had contested the single-seat ward in the 2016 Bukit Batok by-election and the 2020 General Election, managing to improve his vote share to 45.2 per cent in 2020.
SDP supporters watching the vote results at MOE (Evans) Stadium on May 3, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lauren Chian)
UPHILL BATTLE
Dr Chee arrived at the party’s assembly centre at the MOE (Evans) Stadium close to 1am on Sunday. Supporters and members had been gathering there since the polls closed about five hours before that.
The official results showed that SDP chairman Paul Tambyah lost to PAP’s Liang Eng Hwa with 38.59 per cent of the votes in Bukit Panjang SMC – a rematch from 2020.
In Sembawang GRC where there was a three-cornered fight, the SDP’s five-member team lost to a PAP team led by Health Minister Ong Ye Kung after getting 29.93 per cent of the votes.
The SDP’s team comprised the party’s vice-chairman Bryan Lim, deputy head of policy James Gomez, treasurer Surayah Akbar, and members Damanhuri Abas and Alfred Tan.
The National Solidarity Party (NSP), which previously contested in the constituency in 2020 and 2015, got the lowest share of the votes – 2.32 per cent.
In Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, SDP’s four-member team lost to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s team with 26.54 per cent of the votes.
The SDP team there comprised organising secretary Jufri Salim, founder of alternative news site Wake Up Singapore Ariffin Sha, theatre director Alec Tok and Dr Gigene Wong.
The SDP last had seats in parliament in 1997, when three MPs – party founder Chiam See Tong as well as members Ling How Doong and Cheo Chai Chen – won in the 1991 General Election.
Dr Chee told reporters that it would have “made a difference” if the PAP waited “just another month” before calling the election after the boundary changes were announced.
“But that was not to be, and I just worry in terms of where we’re going with our political system here, our electoral system,” Dr Chee added.
When asked specifically about the result for Sembawang West SMC, he said it was an “uphill battle”.
“I've just heard people telling me that, you know, sometimes it's that rapport with the bond with the community, with the electorate. And then I had to just relocate, move everything to Sembawang West, and it started anew again,” he added.
“As I said, (Prime Minister) Lawrence Wong would have known that he would have to hold (the election) just around this time. Why not announce your boundaries in January, February?"
Dr Chee also questioned what would stop the PAP government from merging Sembawang West SMC into a GRC in the next election.
“This is the kind of game that I think is so unhealthy for Singapore,” he added.
He said the party will take some time to rest and then analyse the data to see what happened.
Dr Chee has not won an election since he first ran in the 1992 Marine Parade GRC by-election. He was invited to join the party that year by SDP founder Chiam See Tong.
Continue reading...