MacPherson Single Member Constituency

MacPherson Constituency was created for the 1968 general election.

In 1988, the constituency was renamed MacPherson Single Member Constituency with the creation of group representation constituencies (GRCs). MacPherson SMC would exist until 1991, when it was merged to Marine Parade GRC. It was reformed for the 1997 general election, with Matthias Yao, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for the MacPherson ward, winning 65.14% of the vote for the governing People's Action Party (PAP).{{Cite web |title=ELD {{!}} 1997 Parliamentary General Election Results |url=https://www.eld.gov.sg/elections_past_parliamentary1997.html#M |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=www.eld.gov.sg}} In 2011, it was merged back to Marine Parade GRC and reformed for the 2015 general election after one term in the GRC.

For the 2015 general election, the National Solidarity Party (NSP) initially planned to field a candidate against the PAP in MacPherson SMC, but decided to pull out of the contest when the Workers' Party (WP) announced it had also planned to contest in the constituency.{{Cite news |last=Suparto |first=Idayu |last2=Ho |first2=Olivia |date=4 September 2015 |title=GE2015: NSP's Cheo Chai Chen slams WP as arrogant, expresses concern about its alleged financial lapses |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/ge2015-nsps-cheo-chai-chen-slams-wp-as-arrogant-expresses-concern-about-its-alleged |access-date=20 March 2025 |work=The Straits Times}} NSP later changed its mind and fielded Steve Chia in the constituency, but Chia would later pull out of the contest citing online abuse over his participation. As a result, NSP fielded Cheo Chai Chen for the contest. NSP's Acting Secretary-General, Hazel Poa, resigned from the party, stating her disagreement with the decision of the party's Central Executive Committee (CEC) to contest in the SMC.{{cite web |title=Hazel Poa quits NSP abruptly over party's decision to contest in MacPherson |url=http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/singapore-general-election/hazel-poa-quits-nsp-abruptly-over-partys-decision-to |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229234104/http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/singapore-general-election/hazel-poa-quits-nsp-abruptly-over-partys-decision-to |archive-date=29 December 2016 |access-date=24 June 2020 |publisher=The Business Times, 20 August 2015}}

During the election campaign, Cheo drew considerable criticism for telling reporters that PAP candidate Tin Pei Ling's status as a new mother was "her weakness" and saying that she might spend more time focusing on her child than on her constituents.{{Cite web |title=Tin Pei Ling’s new status as a mum is a weakness: Cheo |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/specialreports/sgvotes2015/latest/tin-pei-ling-s-new-status/2100462.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912160214/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/specialreports/sgvotes2015/latest/tin-pei-ling-s-new-status/2100462.html |archive-date=12 September 2015 |access-date=4 September 2015}} He later claimed that he was joking.{{Cite web |title=Tin Pei Ling delivered the best possible smackdown to NSP's Cheo Chai Chen's sexist and ageist remarks |url=https://mothership.sg/2015/09/tin-pei-ling-delivered-the-best-smackdown-possible-to-nsps-cheo-chai-chens-sexist-and-ageist-remarks/ |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=mothership.sg |language=en}} Tin, the incumbent MP for the MacPherson ward, won the election with 65.6% of the vote, Bernard Chen from the WP took 33.6% and Cheo took just 0.8%.{{Cite web |title=ELD {{!}} 2015 Parliamentary General Election Results |url=https://www.eld.gov.sg/elections_past_parliamentary2015.html#M |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=www.eld.gov.sg}} Cheo would forfeit his $14,500 election deposit for not winning at least 12.5% of the vote.

For the 2025 general election, the SMC was abolished and merged into Marine Parade–Braddell Heights GRC.{{Cite news |date=2025-03-11 |title=Marine Parade GRC to absorb MacPherson SMC, cede parts of Chai Chee, Siglap |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/marine-parade-grc-to-absorb-macpherson-smc-cede-parts-of-chai-chee-siglap |access-date=2025-06-19 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}

{{small|Note : Elections Department Singapore do not include rejected votes for calculation of candidate's vote share. Hence, the total of all candidates' vote share will be 100%.}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=General Election 1968: MacPherson}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|party=People's Action Party|candidate=Chua Sian Chin}}

{{Election box registered electors no change|

|reg. electors = 13,099

}}

{{Election box new seat win|

|winner = People's Action Party

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 1972: MacPherson}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = People's Action Party

|candidate = Chua Sian Chin

|votes = 10,117

|percentage = 68.76

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Workers' Party of Singapore

|candidate = Lee Tow Kiat

|votes = 4,597

|percentage = 31.24

|change =N/A

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 5,520

|percentage = 37.52

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors= 15,637

}}

{{Election box total valid no change|

|votes = 14,714

|percentage = 98.41

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box rejected|

|votes = 238

|percentage = 1.59

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 14,952

|percentage = 95.62

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = People's Action Party

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 1976: MacPherson}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|

|party = People's Action Party

|candidate = Chua Sian Chin

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors= 18,716

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = People's Action Party

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 1980: MacPherson}}

{{Election box candidate with party link||party=People's Action Party|candidate=Chua Sian Chin|votes=15,280|percentage=86.89|change=N/A}}

{{Election box candidate|

|party = United People's Front

|candidate = Darus bin Shariff

|votes = 2,306

|percentage = 13.11

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority||votes=12,974|percentage=73.78|change=N/A}}

{{Election box registered electors|reg. electors=18,997}}

{{Election box total valid no change|

|votes = 17,586

|percentage = 97.18

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box rejected|

|votes = 510

|percentage = 2.82

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout||votes=18,096|percentage=95.26|change=N/A}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = People's Action Party

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 1984: MacPherson}}

{{Election box winning candidate unopposed with party link|party = People's Action Party

|candidate = Chua Sian Chin

}}

{{Election box registered electors no change|

|change =

|reg. electors=19,500}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing|

|winner = People's Action Party

}}

{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin | title=General Election 1988: MacPherson}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = People's Action Party

|candidate = Chua Sian Chin

|votes = 10,453

|percentage = 65.98

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link||party=National Solidarity Party (Singapore)|candidate=Kum Teng Hock|votes=5,390|percentage=34.02|change=}}

{{Election box majority||votes=5,063|percentage=31.96|change=}}{{Election box registered electors|reg. electors=17,063}}

{{Election box total valid no change|

|votes = 15,843

|percentage = 97.81

|change =

}}

{{Election box rejected|

|votes = 354

|percentage = 2.19

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout||votes=16,197|percentage=94.92|change=}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = People's Action Party

|swing = {{decrease}}2.78

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=General Election 1997: MacPherson}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = People's Action Party

|candidate = Matthias Yao

|votes = 12,546

|percentage = 65.14

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Singapore Democratic Party

|candidate = Chee Soon Juan

|votes = 6,713

|percentage = 34.86

}}

{{Election box majority no change|

|votes = 5,833

|percentage = 30.28

}}

{{Election box registered electors no change|reg. electors=20,734}}

{{Election box total valid no change|

|votes = 19,259

|percentage = 97.17

}}

{{Election box rejected no change|

|votes = 561

|percentage = 2.83

}}

{{Election box turnout no change|

|votes = 19,820

|percentage = 95.59

}}

{{Election box new seat win|

|winner = People's Action Party

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 2001: MacPherson }}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=People's Action Party|candidate=Matthias Yao|votes=16,870|percentage=83.73|change={{increase}}18.59}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Democratic Progressive Party (Singapore)|candidate=Tan Soo Phuan|votes=3,277|percentage=16.27|change=N/A}}

{{Election box majority|votes=13,593|percentage=67.46|change={{increase}}37.18}}

{{Election box registered electors|change=|reg. electors=22,010}}

{{Election box total valid|votes=20,147|percentage=97.22|change={{increase}}0.05}}

{{Election box rejected|

|votes = 577

|percentage = 2.78

|change = {{decrease}}0.05

}}

{{Election box turnout|votes=20,724|percentage=94.16|change={{decrease}}1.43}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = People's Action Party

|swing = {{increase}}18.59}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 2006: MacPherson }}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link||party=People's Action Party|candidate=Matthias Yao|votes=13,184|percentage=68.48|change={{decrease}}15.25}}

{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Singapore Democratic Alliance|candidate=Sin Kek Tong|votes=6,067|percentage=31.52|change=N/A}}

{{Election box majority||votes=7,117|percentage=36.96|change={{decrease}}30.50}}

{{Election box registered electors|reg. electors=21,041}}

{{Election box total valid|votes=19,251}}

{{Election box rejected|

|votes = 544

|percentage = 2.75

|change = {{decrease}}0.03

}}

{{Election box turnout||votes=19,795|percentage=94.08|change={{decrease}}0.08}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = People's Action Party

|swing = {{decrease}}15.25 }}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=General Election 2015: MacPherson }}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party = People's Action Party

|candidate = Tin Pei Ling

|votes = 17,227

|percentage = 65.58

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party = Workers' Party of Singapore

|candidate = Chen Jiaxi Bernard

|votes = 8,826

|percentage = 33.60

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = National Solidarity Party (Singapore)

|candidate = Cheo Chai Chen (lost deposit)

|votes = 215

|percentage = 0.82

}}

{{Election box majority no change|

|votes = 8,401

|percentage = 31.98

}}

{{Election box registered electors no change|reg. electors=28,511}}{{Election box total valid no change|percentage=98.44|votes=26,268}}

{{Election box rejected no change|

|votes = 415

|percentage = 1.56

}}

{{Election box turnout no change|

|votes = 26,683

|percentage = 93.59

}}

{{Election box new seat win|

|winner = People's Action Party

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=General Election 2020: MacPherson}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link||party=People's Action Party|candidate=Tin Pei Ling|votes=19,009|percentage=71.74|change={{increase}}6.16}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=People's Power Party (Singapore)|candidate=Goh Meng Seng|votes=7,489|percentage=28.26|change=N/A}}

{{Election box majority|votes=11,520|percentage=43.48|change={{increase}}11.50}}

{{Election box total valid|votes=26,498|percentage=97.70|change={{decrease}}0.74}}

{{Election box rejected|votes = 625

|percentage = 2.30

|change ={{increase}}0.74

}}

{{Election box turnout|votes=27,123|percentage=95.13|change={{increase}}1.54}}

{{Election box registered electors|reg. electors = 28,513|change={{increase}}6.86}}

{{Election box hold with party link|winner = People's Action Party

|swing = {{increase}} 6.16

}}

{{Election box end}}

• Marine Parade GRC

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.eld.gov.sg/finalresults2020.html#T 2020 General Election's result]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150914182139/http://www.eld.gov.sg/election_results_2015.html#M#M 2015 General Election's result]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20180117131215/http://www.eld.gov.sg/elections_past_parliamentary2006.html#M 2006 General Election's result]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20171224114427/http://www.eld.gov.sg/elections_past_parliamentary2001.html#M 2001 General Election's result]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20170208095751/http://www.eld.gov.sg/elections_past_parliamentary1997.html#M 1997 General Election's result]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20171018133705/http://www.eld.gov.sg/elections_past_parliamentary1988.html#M 1988 General Election's result]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20170208095550/http://www.eld.gov.sg/elections_past_parliamentary1984.html#M 1984 General Election's result]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20170703113439/http://www.eld.gov.sg/elections_past_parliamentary1980.html#M 1980 General Election's result]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20170703121512/http://www.eld.gov.sg/elections_past_parliamentary1976.html#M 1976 General Election's result]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20170703115654/http://www.eld.gov.sg/elections_past_parliamentary1972.html#M 1972 General Election's result]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20170703114440/http://www.eld.gov.sg/elections_past_parliamentary1968.html#M 1968 General Election's result]

{{Constituencies of Singapore}}

{{Coord missing|Singapore}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macpherson Single Member Constituency}}

Category:2015 establishments in Singapore

Category:Singaporean electoral divisions

Category:Geylang