Lee Hsien Yang: Electoral boundaries need to be fair to Singaporeans

SINGAPORE: Lee Hsien Yang (LHY), the brother of Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and son of the late Lee Kuan Yew, criticized Singapore’s Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) on Thursday (8 August), calling it increasingly partisan, unrepresentative, and unfair.

LHY pointed out that, unlike other Westminster-style democracies, Singapore’s EBRC is convened by the Prime Minister, who also receives its recommendations.

“This is deeply flawed and creates considerable conflicts of interest,” he said.

LHY suggested that Singapore consider models from the UK, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia to enhance the committee's independence in its composition, appointment, and reporting structure.

His comments followed a motion moved on 7 August by Hazel Poa and Leong Mun Wai, Non-Constituency Members of Parliament from the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), calling for a government review of the electoral boundary determination process to increase transparency and fairness.

However, the motion was rejected by the Parliament, where the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) holds the majority.

Minister-in-charge of the Public Service, Chan Chun Sing, defended the EBRC’s operations, asserting that it functions independently and objectively, free from interference by any political parties, including the PAP.

LHY, who is also a PSP member, disagreed with the Minister's assessment in a Facebook post.

He argued that boundary changes need clear justification to ensure transparency and accountability.

He criticized the EBRC for providing increasingly brief explanations for boundary changes and for practices such as the disappearance of single-member constituencies (SMCs) where opposition parties have come close to winning.

Since 1980, LHY noted, the EBRC has allowed the average number of voters per Member of Parliament (MP) to deviate by up to 30%, which he claims results in unequal representation and unfair treatment of Singaporeans.

He referenced Lee Kuan Yew’s past statements advocating for an independent Boundaries Commission to avoid gerrymandering and ensure impartial boundary delineations. Lee Kuan Yew had also suggested that reasons for boundary changes be presented to an All-Party Committee.

"Any changes to electoral boundaries should be made known early and not just before a general election. Publication of changes should be well in advance of elections and outside the election cycle. "

"There needs to be a minimum period during which the revised boundaries cannot be used for elections," LHY suggested.

LHY emphasized that Singapore needs a politically impartial electoral boundaries system that aligns with international best practices, asserting that Singaporean voters deserve to be treated fairly.

During the parliamentary debate on the motion, Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh also cited a 1983 statement by Lee Kuan Yew, noting that electoral boundary committees were to consist solely of civil servants unless a credible opposition existed, and asked if Chan's comments marked a departure from this practice.

In response, Chan Chun Sing reiterated his trust in civil servants to handle the electoral boundary process impartially, avoiding political interference. He stated that the process remains unchanged to prevent the kind of political horse-trading seen in other countries.

Chan expressed confidence in the civil servants' objectivity and professionalism, emphasizing that they have served Singapore well.