The National Solidarity Party (NSP) will contest Tampines Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in the upcoming General Election with a team comprising experienced candidates and new faces, party president Reno Fong said on Sunday (16 Mar).
Speaking to journalists during the party’s first walkabout since the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report, Mr Fong confirmed that he and NSP vice-president Mohd Ridzwan Mohammad will lead the team.
They will be joined by three new candidates, who will be introduced later.
NSP previously contested Tampines GRC in the 2020 General Election, securing 33.59% of the vote against the People’s Action Party (PAP), which won with 66.41%.
Despite the result, NSP remains determined to challenge the ruling party again.
“We do not discount going into a four-cornered fight if necessary,” Mr Fong said.
“NSP has all along said we would only contest in areas we have contested in previously. Because in every other election, if any party said they want to contest (the constituency and we don’t), in the end, we’ll have nowhere to go.”
His remarks follow an earlier statement from People’s Power Party (PPP) secretary-general Goh Meng Seng, who has also expressed interest in contesting Tampines GRC. With multiple opposition parties eyeing the ward, a multi-cornered fight appears increasingly likely.
NSP slams electoral boundary changes, announces plans to contest seven constituencies
NSP’s commitment to contesting Tampines GRC comes amid broader concerns over recent electoral boundary changes.
In a press statement following the release of the EBRC report on 11 March, NSP secretary-general Spencer Ng said the party was “deeply disappointed and perplexed” by what it described as “continued gerrymandering” of Singapore’s electoral boundaries.
Despite these challenges, NSP announced that it will be contesting seven constituencies, including the newly created Tampines Changkat Single Member Constituency (SMC).
The constituencies NSP plans to contest are:
- Tampines GRC
- Sembawang GRC
- Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC
- Jalan Besar GRC
- Marine Parade GRC
- Tampines Changkat SMC
- Sembawang West SMC
With this announcement, NSP is set to overlap with other opposition parties in multiple wards, raising the possibility of three- or even four-cornered fights.
However, such declarations are not uncommon in Singapore’s opposition landscape and may also serve as a strategic position to negotiate for straight fights, where opposition parties agree to avoid contesting the same constituencies to prevent vote splitting.
WP’s growing presence in Tampines GRC
The race in Tampines GRC has become even more competitive due to recent boundary adjustments.
The EBRC report moved three polling districts from WP-held Aljunied GRC into Tampines GRC, a decision that has drawn criticism from WP leaders.
WP Chair Sylvia Lim and Aljunied MP Gerald Giam expressed disappointment over the shift, noting that WP had spent years building relationships with residents in the affected areas.
Some residents have also voiced sadness over the move, as they will no longer be voting in a WP-run constituency.
At the same time, WP has been increasing its engagement with the Tampines GRC for several years.
The party has regularly conducted walkabouts in the constituency, with key figures such as Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim, and other WP MPs visiting locations like Tampines Round Market and Tampines East.
WP members have been seen distributing Hammer newsletters and interacting with residents, strengthening speculation that WP could enter the race.
If WP officially announces its candidacy in Tampines, it could set up a competitive three- or four-way fight between WP, NSP, PPP, and the PAP.
Photo posted on Pritam Singh’s Facebook page on 3 November 2024
NSP’s challenge in a crowded opposition field
Beyond Tampines GRC, NSP’s decision to contest seven constituencies places it in direct competition with other opposition parties, including WP and the Progress Singapore Party (PSP).
While NSP has contested in previous elections, it has struggled to gain electoral traction. The party’s strongest performance in recent history was in 2011, when it secured 43.36% in Marine Parade GRC.
However, it has since seen declining vote shares, raising questions about whether it can pose a credible challenge to the PAP.
Nevertheless, NSP leaders remain firm in their stance. Mr Ng stated that the party would “plough forward through the obstacles” despite the challenges posed by boundary changes and multi-cornered contests.
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