Hougang Single Member Constituency
Hougang | |
---|---|
Single Member constituency for the Parliament of Singapore | |
![]() | |
Region | North-East Region, Singapore |
Electorate | 29,464 |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1988 |
Seats | 1 |
Party | Workers' Party |
Member(s) | Dennis Tan |
Town Council | Aljunied–Hougang |
Created from | Punggol SMC |
The Hougang Single Member Constituency[a] is a single member constituency (SMC) situated in the northeastern part of Singapore. It is managed by the Aljunied–Hougang Town Council (AHTC). The current Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency is Dennis Tan from the Workers' Party (WP).
History
[edit]The constituency was established prior to the 1988 general election and was initially won by the governing People's Action Party (PAP).[2] However, the PAP only held the constituency for three years, as they lost it to WP candidate Low Thia Khiang in the 1991 general election after a swing of nearly 12%.[3] Low would retain the seat in every subsequent general election until 2011.[4][5][6] During the 2006 general election, then-Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong campaigned to help the PAP reclaim the two opposition constituencies of Hougang and Potong Pasir (both SMCs), offering a $100 million upgrading plan for Hougang.[7] Despite this, Low increased his vote share to 62.7%.[6]
Between 1991 and 2011, Hougang SMC was one of only two opposition-held constituencies in Parliament. In the 2011 general election, Low left Hougang SMC to contest the adjacent Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC); Yaw Shin Leong, the new WP candidate, won 64.8% of the vote.[8] Yaw was expelled from the WP in 2012 for "personal indiscretions" after an affair, leading to a by-election that year; Png Eng Huat retained the seat for the WP with 62.08% of the vote.[8][9] Png retired before the 2020 general election, where WP candidate Dennis Tan won the seat with 61.2% of the vote against PAP candidate Lee Hong Chuang.[10] On 17 October 2023, the PAP appointed Jackson Lam as branch chairperson for the constituency, replacing Lee.[11] Lam was himself replaced by Marshall Lim in February 2025.[11][12] At the 2025 general election, Tan retained the seat against Lim with an increased vote share of 62.15%, despite a nationwide swing towards the PAP.[13]
Constituency profile
[edit]Hougang Single Member Constituency covers the northern part of the Hougang planning area. It includes most of the residential zones north of Tampines Road and just west of Sungei Punggol, as well as the town centre and nearby residences to the southwest. The constituency is served by the Hougang Central Bus Interchange and the Hougang MRT station, although the latter is technically located within the adjacent Aljunied GRC, which is also held by the WP.
Having been under the WP's representation since 1991, Hougang SMC is widely regarded as a stronghold for the party among political analysts.[10]
Member of Parliament
[edit]Year | Member | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
Formation | |||
1988 | Tang Guan Seng | PAP | |
1991 | Low Thia Khiang | WP | |
1997 | |||
2001 | |||
2006 | |||
2011 | Yaw Shin Leong | ||
2012 | Png Eng Huat | ||
2015 | |||
2020 | Dennis Tan | ||
2025 |
Electoral results
[edit]Note: The Elections Department Singapore (ELD) does not include rejected votes for calculation of candidate's vote share. Hence, the total of all candidates' vote share will be 100%.
Elections in 1980s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
PAP | Tang Guan Seng | 11,983 | 58.96 | ||
WP | Lim Chiu Liang | 8,342 | 41.04 | ||
Majority | 3,641 | 17.92 | |||
Total valid votes | 20,325 | 97.37 | |||
Rejected ballots | 548 | 2.63 | |||
Turnout | 20,873 | 96.18 | |||
Registered electors | 21,703 | ||||
PAP win (new seat) |
Elections in 1990s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WP | Low Thia Khiang | 10,621 | 52.82 | ![]() | |
PAP | Tang Guan Seng | 9,487 | 47.18 | ![]() | |
Majority | 1,134 | 5.67 | ![]() | ||
Total valid votes | 20,108 | 97.77 | ![]() | ||
Rejected ballots | 458 | 2.23 | ![]() | ||
Turnout | 20,566 | 95.76 | ![]() | ||
Registered electors | 21,476 | ![]() | |||
WP gain from PAP | Swing | ![]() |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WP | Low Thia Khiang | 13,458 | 58.02 | ![]() | |
PAP | Heng Chee How | 9,736 | 41.98 | ![]() | |
Majority | 3,722 | 16.04 | ![]() | ||
Total valid votes | 23,194 | 98.68 | ![]() | ||
Rejected ballots | 311 | 1.32 | ![]() | ||
Turnout | 23,505 | 96.24 | ![]() | ||
Registered electors | 24,423 | ![]() | |||
WP hold | Swing | ![]() |
Elections in 2000s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WP | Low Thia Khiang | 12,070 | 54.98 | ![]() | |
PAP | Eric Low | 9,882 | 45.02 | ![]() | |
Majority | 2,188 | 9.96 | ![]() | ||
Total valid votes | 21,952 | 98.67 | ![]() | ||
Rejected ballots | 295 | 1.33 | ![]() | ||
Turnout | 22,247 | 95.4 | ![]() | ||
Registered electors | 23,320 | ![]() | |||
WP hold | Swing | ![]() |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WP | Low Thia Khiang | 13,989 | 62.74 | ![]() | |
PAP | Eric Low | 8,308 | 37.26 | ![]() | |
Majority | 5,681 | 25.48 | ![]() | ||
Total valid votes | 22,297 | 98.77 | ![]() | ||
Rejected ballots | 277 | 1.23 | ![]() | ||
Turnout | 22,574 | 95.01 | ![]() | ||
Registered electors | 23,759 | ![]() | |||
WP hold | Swing | ![]() |
Elections in 2010s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WP | Yaw Shin Leong | 14,850 | 64.80 | ![]() | |
PAP | Desmond Choo | 8,065 | 35.20 | ![]() | |
Majority | 6,785 | 29.6 | ![]() | ||
Total valid votes | 22,915 | 98.87 | ![]() | ||
Rejected ballots | 261 | 1.13 | ![]() | ||
Turnout | 23,176 | 94.36 | ![]() | ||
Registered electors | 24,560 | ![]() | |||
WP hold | Swing | ![]() |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WP | Png Eng Huat | 13,460 | 62.08 | ![]() | |
PAP | Desmond Choo | 8,223 | 37.92 | ![]() | |
Majority | 5,237 | 24.16 | ![]() | ||
Total valid votes | 21,683 | 98.66 | ![]() | ||
Rejected ballots | 295 | 1.34 | ![]() | ||
Turnout | 21,978 | 93.9 | ![]() | ||
Registered electors | 23,368 | ![]() | |||
WP hold | Swing | ![]() |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WP | Png Eng Huat | 13,027 | 57.66 | ![]() | |
PAP | Lee Hong Chuang | 9,565 | 42.34 | ![]() | |
Majority | 3,462 | 15.32 | ![]() | ||
Total valid votes | 22,592 | 98.96 | ![]() | ||
Rejected ballots | 236 | 1.04 | ![]() | ||
Turnout | 22,828 | 94.73 | ![]() | ||
Registered electors | 24,097 | ![]() | |||
WP hold | Swing | ![]() |
Elections in 2020s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WP | Dennis Tan | 15,451 | 61.21 | ![]() | |
PAP | Lee Hong Chuang | 9,791 | 38.79 | ![]() | |
Majority | 5,660 | 22.42 | ![]() | ||
Total valid votes | 25,242 | 98.93 | ![]() | ||
Rejected ballots | 272 | 1.07 | ![]() | ||
Turnout | 25,514 | 96.53 | ![]() | ||
Registered electors | 26,432 | ![]() | |||
WP hold | Swing | ![]() |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WP | Dennis Tan | 16,900 | 62.17 | ![]() | |
PAP | Marshall Lim | 10,285 | 37.83 | ![]() | |
Majority | 6,615 | 24.34 | ![]() | ||
Total valid votes | 27,185 | 98.93 | ![]() | ||
Rejected ballots | 296 | 1.07 | ![]() | ||
Turnout | 27,579 | 93.60 | ![]() | ||
Registered electors | 29,464 | ![]() | |||
WP hold | Swing | ![]() |
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Government Terms Translated". gov.sg. 15 July 2025. Archived from the original on 7 July 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
- ^ "ELD | 1988 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ "ELD | 1991 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ "ELD | 1997 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ "ELD | 2001 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ a b "WP chief Low Thia Khiang wins fourth term as Hougang MP". AsiaOne. 6 May 2006. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
- ^ "SM Goh to help PAP candidates win back Hougang, Potong Pasir seats". Archived from the original on 21 March 2006.
- ^ a b "GE2015: Workers' Party's Png Eng Huat retains Hougang SMC". The Straits Times. 12 September 2015. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ "ELD | 2012 Parliamentary By-election Result". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ a b Cheng, Kenneth (11 July 2020). "GE2020: Workers' Party retains Hougang stronghold". Today. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ a b Ng, Wei Kai (13 February 2025). "PAP announces replacement of Hougang and Aljunied branch leaders". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
- ^ Ganesan, Deepanraj (29 March 2025). "New face Jackson Lam 'very good on the ground', will be asset to Parliament: Shanmugam". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
- ^ Tan, Thiam Peng (4 May 2025). "Dennis Tan retains WP stronghold Hougang SMC comfortably". AsiaOne. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
- ^ "ELD | 1988 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "Singapore Parliamentary General Election 1988 > Hougang". www.singapore-elections.com. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "ELD | 1991 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "Singapore Parliamentary General Election 1991 > Hougang". www.singapore-elections.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "ELD | 1997 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "Singapore Parliamentary General Election 1997 > Hougang". www.singapore-elections.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "ELD | 2001 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "Singapore Parliamentary General Election 2001 > Hougang". www.singapore-elections.com. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "ELD | 2006 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "Singapore Parliamentary General Election 2006 > Hougang". www.singapore-elections.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "ELD | 2011 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "Singapore Parliamentary General Election 2011 > Hougang". www.singapore-elections.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "ELD | 2012 Parliamentary By-election Result". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "Singapore Parliamentary By-Election 2012 > Hougang". www.singapore-elections.com. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "ELD | 2015 Parliamentary General Election Results". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "Singapore Parliamentary General Election 2015 > Hougang". www.singapore-elections.com. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "ELD | 2020 Parliamentary General Election Results". Elections Department Singapore. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "Singapore Parliamentary General Election 2020 > Hougang". www.singapore-elections.com. Archived from the original on 20 May 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ "Statement of Poll for the Electoral Division of Hougang" (PDF). 16 May 2025.
Further reading
[edit]- Singh, Bilveer; Abdullah, Walid Jumblatt; Tan, Felix (December 2020). "The Workers? Party?s Victories in Hougang SMC, and Aljunied and Sengkang GRCS: An Analysis". Unmasking Singapore's 2020 General Elections: COVID-19 and the Evolving Political Landscape (Chapter 7: The Workers' Party's Victories in Hougang SMC, and Aljunied and Sengkang GRCs: An Analysis). World Scientific. pp. 133–153. doi:10.1142/9789811227646_0007. ISBN 9789811227639. S2CID 241947037. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
- James, Kieran (21 January 2021). "The struggle for Singapore's Chinese heartland: The People's Action Party versus the Workers' Party versus the Singapore Democratic Party, 1998–2013". Asian Journal of Comparative Politics. 7 (2): 233–250. doi:10.1177/2057891120988067. S2CID 234273053.
- Phang, Zachary Mesney Li Hern (2021). "The Hougang Enigma: Why the Workers' Party retained Hougang SMC for 30 years despite the dominance and hegemonic position of the People's Action Party in Singapore's post-independence electoral system". Nanyang Technological University. hdl:10356/149823. Retrieved 16 April 2022.