The Hougang Single Member Constituency is a

single member constituency A single-member district or constituency is an electoral district represented by a single officeholder. It contrasts with a multi-member district, which is represented by multiple officeholders. In some countries, such as Australia and India ...

(SMC) located in the

north-eastern The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—eac ...

area of

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

. The current Member of Parliament is Dennis Tan from the

Workers' Party Workers' Party is a name used by several political parties throughout the world. The name has been used by both organisations on the left and right of the political spectrum. It is currently used by followers of Marxism, Marxism–Leninism, Maoism ...

(WP).

History

The constituency was first formed prior to the 1988 general election and was won by the

People's Action Party The People's Action Party (PAP) is a major Conservatism, conservative political party in Singapore and is the governing contemporary political party represented in the Parliament of Singapore, followed by the opposition Workers' Party of Singap ...

(PAP) in its debut. However, PAP's representation of Hougang SMC would only last three years, when it lost the seat to the

(WP) candidate Low Thia Khiang after an almost 12% swing during the 1991 general election. In the 2006 general election, then- Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong was tasked with helping the PAP to win back the two opposition wards of Hougang SMC and Potong Pasir SMC, the former of which was promised a $100 million upgrading plan. However, Low retained the seat with an increased vote of 62.7% compared to 2001. From 1991 to 2011, it was one of only two opposition-held (i.e. non-PAP) seats in

Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

. During the 2011 general election, Low Thia Kiang left to contest the nearby Aljunied GRC, Yaw Shin Leong, who retained the seat with 64.8% of the vote, second highest from Chiam See Tong with 69.64% in 1991. On 15 February 2012, Yaw was expelled from the party for personal indiscretions, triggering a

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...

. Png Eng Huat retained the seat for the party with 62.1% of the vote. Png retired prior to the 2020 general election; WP candidate Dennis Tan retained the seat in that election with 61.2% of the vote against PAP candidate Lee Hong Chuang. In 17 October 2023, PAP appointed Jackson Lam as their branch chairperson for the SMC, taking over from Lee. On 13 February 2025, Lam was replaced by Marshall Lim. At the 2025 general election, Tan successfully defended his seat against Lim, winning an improved 62.15% of the vote despite a nationwide swing towards the PAP.

Constituency profile

Hougang SMC comprises part of the north of the planning area of the same name. It contains the majority of the residential areas north of Tampines Road and immediately west of Sungei Punggol as well as the town centre and residences southwest of it. The constituency is served by Hougang Central Bus Interchange and Hougang MRT station, the latter of which is located in the neighbouring Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), also held by the WP. Having been held by the party since 1991, the SMC is considered a WP stronghold by political analysts.

History

Constituency profile

Member of Parliament

Electoral results

Elections in 1980s

Elections in 1990s

Elections in 2000s

Elections in 2010s

Elections in 2020s

References

Further reading