RE-DEMARCATION OF CONSTITUENCIES

Madam Chan Choy Siong asked the Deputy Prime Minister whether it is proposed to re-demarcate the present boundaries of the fifty-one Constituencies as their present population ratios are quite disproportionate.

The Minister of State for the Prime Minister's Department (Tuan Haji Yaacob Bin Mohamed) (for the Deputy Prime Minister): (In Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, I have been asked by the Deputy Prime Minister to reply. A complete review of electoral boundaries will be undertaken as soon as compilation of new citizens electoral registers for 1967 based on the new laminated identity cards is completed. Registration of persons which began in May last year has just ended. Preparation of new electoral registers with the correct addresses of citizens eligible to vote shown therein will begin soon, and the review of electoral boundaries will be undertaken in the light of the information contained in the new registers.

In the past, the names which appeared in the electoral registers included all persons who held Singapore identity cards irrespective of whether they were citizens or not. An amendment to the Elections Ordinance will soon be presented to enable only citizens to vote. It stands to reason that, with such a revision, electoral boundaries must be redrawn so that the average number of electorate in all constituencies will be approximately the same. The creation of housing estates in many areas and resettlement of a section of the population have also made this revision necessary.