Created 1988 Founded 1988 | Electorate 146,244 Number of members 5 | |
Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (Chinese: 马林百列集选区; Malay: Kawasan Undi Perwakilan Berkumpulan Marine Parade; Tamil: மரீன் பரேட் குழுத்தொகுதி) is a five-member Group Representation Constituency (GRC) located in the central, eastern and north-eastern areas of Singapore. The constituency consists of a section of Bedok, Chai Chee, Geylang, Kaki Bukit, Kallang, Kembangan, Marine Parade, Mountbatten, Ubi, Serangoon and Hougang.
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Marine Parade GRC is currently led by both former prime minister and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan Jin.
History
Before the creation of Marine Parade GRC, Goh had been the Member of Parliament for the Marine Parade single member constituency since being first elected in 1976.
The Serangoon Gardens ward was part of the constituency until 2006, when it was redrawn into the Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC). In 2011, Kaki Bukit was also given to Aljunied GRC and in return, the MacPherson Single Member Constituency (SMC) was absorbed. In 2015, the MacPherson ward was hived off again as an SMC, while Joo Chiat SMC was returned to this GRC after over 18 years.
This GRC saw its fiercest contest in the general election in 2011 where the National Solidarity Party team led by Nicole Seah managed to get over 43% of the vote.
1992 By-election
In 1992, a by-election was called in this constituency after the resignation of all four MPs from their seats, including then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. This was the first and only by-election in a GRC since 1988. The reasons for then-Prime Minister Goh to hold this by-election was due to several reasons:
• He hoped and probably felt the need to secure another fresh, stronger mandate after the 1991 general election that oversaw the unprecedented loss of three Single Member Constituencies (namely Hougang, Nee Soon Central, Bukit Gombak) on top of Potong Pasir, which the People's Action Party had failed to recover ever since it was lost in the 1984 general election.
• Through this by election, Teo Chee Hean, Singapore's current Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, was introduced as new blood to the team, while Lim Chee Onn decided to retire.
• He wanted to keep his promise of allowing WP's chief J. B. Jeyaretnam to contest an election upon the latter's ten-year ban ending just after the 1991 GE. Jeyaretnam had also accused the PAP of calling a snap election because it was afraid of him.
Despite how many had expected the return of Jeyaretnam, he did not take part in the election due to multiple cornered fights within the opposition camp. This was a speculated reason for one of WP's candidates' decision to back out at the very last minute. It was also widely thought that one of the WP's candidates had lost his way to the nomination centre. Instead, this by-election saw the introduction of the Singapore Democratic Party's Chee Soon Juan, and a four-way contest involving the National Solidarity Party, Singapore Democratic Party and Singapore Justice Party (now part of the Singapore Democratic Alliance). Since that election, Marine Parade GRC remained uncontested until 2011.
Members of Parliament
All 4 MPs resigned from their seats in 1992, paving the way for a by-election. Lim Chee Oon decided to retire, while Teo Chee Hean was introduced into the Joo Chiat ward. The other three MPs won their seats back after the by-election.