SINGAPORE: The Workers' Party's (WP) Andre Low and Eileen Chong will take up the two Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seats in Singapore’s 15th parliament, the Elections Department announced on Monday (May 19).
Mr Low, 34, contested in Jalan Kayu SMC, which saw the closest fight in the 2025 General Election. He received the highest percentage of votes among the unelected opposition candidates.
Ms Chong, 33, contested in Tampines GRC as part of the WP's five-member team, which received the second-highest percentage of votes among the unelected opposition candidates.
NCMP seats are typically offered to the best-performing losing opposition candidates if the number of elected opposition candidates falls short of 12.
With the WP successfully defending its 10 parliamentary seats – namely the five-member Aljunied GRC, four-member Sengkang GRC and single-seat constituency Hougang – two seats became available for NCMPs.
In a media release on Monday, the Elections Department said that the Returning Officer wrote to WP candidates for Tampines GRC on May 9 and asked the group to determine among themselves by May 19 the candidate to be declared elected as NCMP.
"The group informed the Returning Officer on May 18, 2025, of their decision to nominate Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan as the candidate to be declared elected as NCMP," said the Elections Department.
Both Ms Chong and Mr Low contested in the General Election for the first time.
Mr Low lost to labour chief Ng Chee Meng, 56, with 48.53 per cent of the vote.
The WP team in Tampines garnered 47.37 per cent of the vote, losing to a PAP team led by Cabinet minister Masagos Zulkifli in a four-cornered fight.
The WP team, led by party vice-chair Faisal Manap, comprised four newcomers, including Mr Jimmy Tan, Dr Ong Lue Ping and Mr Michael Thng.
In 2016, changes were made to the NCMP scheme, increasing the minimum number of opposition MPs in parliament from nine to 12. The change also gives NCMPs the same voting rights as elected MPs.
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Mr Low, 34, contested in Jalan Kayu SMC, which saw the closest fight in the 2025 General Election. He received the highest percentage of votes among the unelected opposition candidates.
Ms Chong, 33, contested in Tampines GRC as part of the WP's five-member team, which received the second-highest percentage of votes among the unelected opposition candidates.
NCMP seats are typically offered to the best-performing losing opposition candidates if the number of elected opposition candidates falls short of 12.
With the WP successfully defending its 10 parliamentary seats – namely the five-member Aljunied GRC, four-member Sengkang GRC and single-seat constituency Hougang – two seats became available for NCMPs.
In a media release on Monday, the Elections Department said that the Returning Officer wrote to WP candidates for Tampines GRC on May 9 and asked the group to determine among themselves by May 19 the candidate to be declared elected as NCMP.
"The group informed the Returning Officer on May 18, 2025, of their decision to nominate Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan as the candidate to be declared elected as NCMP," said the Elections Department.
Both Ms Chong and Mr Low contested in the General Election for the first time.
Mr Low lost to labour chief Ng Chee Meng, 56, with 48.53 per cent of the vote.
The WP team in Tampines garnered 47.37 per cent of the vote, losing to a PAP team led by Cabinet minister Masagos Zulkifli in a four-cornered fight.
The WP team, led by party vice-chair Faisal Manap, comprised four newcomers, including Mr Jimmy Tan, Dr Ong Lue Ping and Mr Michael Thng.
In 2016, changes were made to the NCMP scheme, increasing the minimum number of opposition MPs in parliament from nine to 12. The change also gives NCMPs the same voting rights as elected MPs.
Continue reading...