Hougang Single Member Constituency
| Hougang | |
|---|---|
| Single Member constituency for the Parliament of Singapore | |
 | |
| Region | North-East Region, Singapore |
| Electorate | 29,433 |
| Current constituency | |
| Created | 1988 |
| Seats | 1 |
| Party | Workers' Party |
| Member(s) | Dennis Tan |
| Town Council | Aljunied–Hougang |
The Hougang Single Member Constituency is a single member constituency (SMC) located in the north-eastern area of Singapore. It is managed by Aljunied-Hougang Town Council. The current Member of Parliament is Dennis Tan of the Workers' Party (WP).
History
[edit]The constituency was first formed prior to the 1988 general election and was won by the People's Action Party (PAP) in its debut. However, PAP's representation of Hougang SMC would only last three years, when it lost the seat to the Workers' Party (WP) candidate Low Thia Khiang after an almost 12% swing during the 1991 general election.
In the 2006 general election, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong was tasked to help the PAP win back the two opposition wards of Hougang SMC and Potong Pasir SMC with a $100 million plan to upgrade the constituency.[1][2] However, Low retained the seat with 62.7% of the votes.[2]
From 1991 to 2011, it was one of only two opposition-held (i.e. non-PAP) seats in Parliament. During the 2011 general election, Low Thia Kiang left to contest the nearby Aljunied GRC, Yaw Shin Leong, who retained the seat with 65% of the vote. On 15 February 2012, Yaw was expelled from the party for personal indiscretions, triggering a by-election.[3] Png Eng Huat retained the seat for the party with 62.1% of the vote.[4]
Png retired prior to the 2020 general election; the WP candidate Dennis Tan retained the seat in that election with 61.2% of the vote.[5] In 17 October 2023, The People’s Action Party has appointed Jackson Lam as Branch Chairperson of PAP Hougang division and takes over from outgoing Branch Chairperson, Lee Hong Chuang.[6] On 13 February 2025, Marshall Lim replaced Lam as PAP branch chairman in Hougang SMC.[6][7]
Constituency profile
[edit]The seat is located in the North-East Region of the country, with the closest train station being the namesake Hougang MRT station on the North East MRT line and the Cross Island MRT line (currently under construction), although the station itself is not located within the SMC but just outside it, in the adjacent Aljunied GRC – which is also represented by WP MPs.
Hougang Community Club and Hougang Neighbourhood Park are located within the constituency. Hougang SMC only makes up a part of the geographical Hougang New Town. The latter is divided into three constituencies, which are Aljunied GRC, Ang Mo Kio GRC and Hougang SMC.[8] For example, Hougang ActiveSG Sports Centre which consists of Hougang Stadium, a sports hall and swimming pool, comes under Ang Mo Kio GRC.
The constituency has been labeled a stronghold for the WP by political analysts, having been retained by the party since 1991.[5]
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 | |||
^ Yaw Shin Leong has been expelled from the Workers' Party in 2012 due to an affair. Therefore, a by-election took place in 2012.
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 |  11.78
| |
| PAP | Tang Guan Seng | 9,487 | 47.18 |  11.78
| |
| Majority | 1,134 | 5.67 | 12.25
| ||
| Total valid votes | 20,108 | 97.77 | 0.40
| ||
| Rejected ballots | 458 | 2.23 | 0.40
| ||
| Turnout | 20,566 | 95.76 | 0.42
| ||
| Registered electors | 21,476 | 1.05
| |||
| WP gain from PAP | Swing | 11.78
|
|||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WP | Low Thia Khiang | 13,458 | 58.02 | 5.20
| |
| PAP | Heng Chee How | 9,736 | 41.98 | 5.20
| |
| Majority | 3,722 | 16.04 | 10.37
| ||
| Total valid votes | 23,194 | 98.68 | 0.91
| ||
| Rejected ballots | 311 | 1.32 | 0.91
| ||
| Turnout | 23,505 | 96.24 | 0.48
| ||
| Registered electors | 24,423 | 13.72
| |||
| WP hold | Swing | 5.20
|
|||
Elections in 2000s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WP | Low Thia Khiang | 12,070 | 54.98 | 3.04
| |
| PAP | Eric Low | 9,882 | 45.02 | 3.04
| |
| Majority | 2,188 | 9.96 | 6.08
| ||
| Total valid votes | 21,952 | 98.67 | 0.01
| ||
| Rejected ballots | 295 | 1.33 | 0.01
| ||
| Turnout | 22,247 | 95.4 | 0.84
| ||
| Registered electors | 23,320 | 4.52
| |||
| WP hold | Swing | 3.04
|
|||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WP | Low Thia Khiang | 13,989 | 62.74 | 7.76
| |
| PAP | Eric Low | 8,308 | 37.26 | 7.76
| |
| Majority | 5,681 | 25.48 | 15.52
| ||
| Total valid votes | 22,297 | 98.77 | 0.10
| ||
| Rejected ballots | 277 | 1.23 | 0.10
| ||
| Turnout | 22,574 | 95.01 | 0.39
| ||
| Registered electors | 23,759 | 1.88
| |||
| WP hold | Swing | 7.76
|
|||
Elections in 2010s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WP | Yaw Shin Leong | 14,850 | 64.80 | 2.06
| |
| PAP | Desmond Choo | 8,065 | 35.20 | 2.06
| |
| Majority | 6,785 | 29.6 | 4.12
| ||
| Total valid votes | 22,915 | 98.87 | 0.10
| ||
| Rejected ballots | 261 | 1.13 | 0.10
| ||
| Turnout | 23,176 | 94.36 | 0.65
| ||
| Registered electors | 24,560 | 3.37
| |||
| WP hold | Swing | 2.06
|
|||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WP | Png Eng Huat | 13,460 | 62.08 | 2.72
| |
| PAP | Desmond Choo | 8,223 | 37.92 | 2.72
| |
| Majority | 5,237 | 24.16 | 5.44
| ||
| Total valid votes | 21,683 | 98.66 | 0.21
| ||
| Rejected ballots | 295 | 1.34 | 0.21
| ||
| Turnout | 21,978 | 93.9 | 0.4
| ||
| Registered electors | 23,368 | 4.85
| |||
| WP hold | Swing | 2.72
|
|||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WP | Png Eng Huat | 13,012 | 57.69 | 4.39
| |
| PAP | Lee Hong Chuang | 9,543 | 42.31 | 4.39
| |
| Majority | 3,469 | 15.38 | 8.78
| ||
| Total valid votes | 22,555 | 98.96 | 0.3
| ||
| Rejected ballots | 236 | 1.04 | 0.3
| ||
| Turnout | 22,791 | 94.58 | 0.18
| ||
| Registered electors | 24,097 | 3.12
| |||
| WP hold | Swing | 4.39
|
|||
Elections in 2020s
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WP | Dennis Tan | 15,451 | 61.21 | 3.52
| |
| PAP | Lee Hong Chuang | 9,791 | 38.79 | 3.52
| |
| Majority | 5,660 | 22.42 | 7.04
| ||
| Total valid votes | 25,242 | 98.93 | 0.03
| ||
| Rejected ballots | 272 | 1.07 | 0.03
| ||
| Turnout | 25,514 | 96.53 | 1.95
| ||
| Registered electors | 26,432 | 9.69
| |||
| WP hold | Swing | 3.52
|
|||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WP | Dennis Tan | ||||
| PAP | Marshall Lim | ||||
| Majority | |||||
| Total valid votes | |||||
| Rejected ballots | |||||
| Turnout | |||||
| Registered electors | 29,433 | 11.35
| |||
References
[edit]- ^ "SM Goh to help PAP candidates win back Hougang, Potong Pasir seats". Archived from the original on 21 March 2006.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Expulsion of Yaw Shin Leong from Party Membership". The Workers' Party press release. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
- ^ "Hougang Stadium, Serangoon JC are assembling centres for Housing by-election". Channel News Asia. Archived from the original on 23 June 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "ELD | Electoral Divisions". www.eld.gov.sg. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
- ^ "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". www.eld.gov.sg. 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.
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.
