The Marsiling-Yew Tee Group Representation Constituency (GRC) will see a familiar matchup in the 2025 General Election, with the People’s Action Party (PAP) once again going head-to-head with the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). This marks the third consecutive time the two parties are contesting in the GRC since its formation in 2015.
On April 23, nomination papers for both slates were successfully filed at Jurong Pioneer Junior College. There were no surprises, as both parties had already introduced their teams before Nomination Day.
The PAP slate remains unchanged from the 2020 General Election. It comprises Prime Minister and PAP secretary-general Lawrence Wong, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad, Mr Alex Yam, and Ms Hany Soh. Mr Wong and Mr Yam have served in the GRC since its inception, while Mr Zaqy, previously an MP in Chua Chu Kang GRC, began assisting in Marsiling-Yew Tee after Madam Halimah Yacob vacated her seat in 2017 to run for President. He was officially fielded there in 2020. Ms Soh made her electoral debut in that same year.
The SDP team is a mix of new faces and experienced candidates. Making their debut are Mr Jufri Salim, SDP’s organising secretary, and Mr Ariffin Sha, known for founding the alternative news platform Wake Up Singapore and previously affiliated with the Singapore People’s Party. Completing the team are Mr Alec Tok, a theatre director who last contested in Bukit Panjang in 2011 and later with Red Dot United in Jurong in 2020, and Dr Gigene Wong, who ran under the Progress Singapore Party in Hong Kah North SMC during the 2020 election.
Following their formal nominations, both teams addressed their supporters in three-minute speeches.
SDP candidate Mr Tok began by declaring the party ready to serve, stating that SDP has grown over the years and is equipped with the skills to manage a town council and represent residents in Parliament. He framed the SDP as advocates for a fairer and more compassionate society.
Mr Jufri’s speech included a traditional Malay pantun, urging residents to vote with thoughtfulness and to be the agents of change. “Don’t wait for change, be the change,” he said, emphasizing the SDP’s aim to help Singaporeans “thrive, not just survive.”
Mr Ariffin highlighted the unique nature of this election, where SDP is contesting against the Prime Minister’s team. He said the party has adopted a focused strategy and a clear policy-driven campaign, adding that some of SDP’s proposals have already influenced national policy. He pledged a clean campaign and a determined effort.
The PAP team responded by reinforcing their record and experience in the GRC. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong appealed to familiarity and continuity, reminding voters that his team has served them since the GRC's formation. He urged voters to consider the global challenges Singapore faces and the importance of steady leadership, asking for their support to build a better future.
Mr Zaqy echoed Mr Wong’s message, emphasizing the need for trusted leadership amid global turbulence. He asked for a renewed mandate to continue the PAP's work in the GRC and for Singapore as a whole.
Marsiling-Yew Tee is one of only five GRCs that did not see any boundary changes in this election. The constituency has 119,352 registered voters. In the last General Election in 2020, the PAP retained the GRC with 63.18% of the vote share against SDP.
This contest holds symbolic weight, as it is the first time Lawrence Wong leads a team into a General Election as Prime Minister. The SDP’s challenge, led by a new team with a diverse background, adds a fresh dynamic to a familiar matchup. As campaign activities pick up across the island, this GRC will be closely watched by observers for signs of shifting voter sentiment.
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