Hougang Single Member Constituency

The Hougang Single Member Constituency^[a] is a single member constituency (SMC) situated in the northeastern part of Singapore. It is managed by the Aljunied–Hougang Town Council (AHTC). The current Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency is Dennis Tan from the Workers' Party (WP).

Hougang
Single Member constituency for the Parliament of Singapore
Region	North-East Region, Singapore
Electorate	29,464
Current constituency
Created	1988; 37 years ago (1988)
Seats	1
Party	Workers' Party
Member(s)	Dennis Tan
Town Council	Aljunied–Hougang
Created from	Punggol SMC

History

The constituency was established prior to the 1988 general election and was initially won by the governing People's Action Party (PAP).^[2] However, the PAP only held the constituency for three years, as they lost it to WP candidate Low Thia Khiang in the 1991 general election after a swing of nearly 12%.^[3] Low would retain the seat in every subsequent general election until 2011.^[4][5][6] During the 2006 general election, then-Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong campaigned to help the PAP reclaim the two opposition constituencies of Hougang and Potong Pasir (both SMCs), offering a $100 million upgrading plan for Hougang.^[7] Despite this, Low increased his vote share to 62.7%.^[6]

Between 1991 and 2011, Hougang SMC was one of only two opposition-held constituencies in Parliament. In the 2011 general election, Low left Hougang SMC to contest the adjacent Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC); Yaw Shin Leong, the new WP candidate, won 64.8% of the vote.^[8] Yaw was expelled from the WP in 2012 for "personal indiscretions" after an affair, leading to a by-election that year; Png Eng Huat retained the seat for the WP with 62.08% of the vote.^[8][9] Png retired before the 2020 general election, where WP candidate Dennis Tan won the seat with 61.2% of the vote against PAP candidate Lee Hong Chuang.^[10] On 17 October 2023, the PAP appointed Jackson Lam as branch chairperson for the constituency, replacing Lee.^[11] Lam was himself replaced by Marshall Lim in February 2025.^[11][12] At the 2025 general election, Tan retained the seat against Lim with an increased vote share of 62.15%, despite a nationwide swing towards the PAP.^[13]

Constituency profile

Hougang Single Member Constituency covers the northern part of the Hougang planning area. It includes most of the residential zones north of Tampines Road and just west of Sungei Punggol, as well as the town centre and nearby residences to the southwest. The constituency is served by the Hougang Central Bus Interchange and the Hougang MRT station, although the latter is technically located within the adjacent Aljunied GRC, which is also held by the WP.

Having been under the WP's representation since 1991, Hougang SMC is widely regarded as a stronghold for the party among political analysts.^[10]

Member of Parliament

Year	Member	Party
Formation
1988	Tang Guan Seng		PAP
1991	Low Thia Khiang		WP
1997
2001
2006
2011	Yaw Shin Leong
2012	Png Eng Huat
2015
2020	Dennis Tan
2025

Electoral results

Note: The Elections Department Singapore (ELD) does not include rejected votes for calculation of candidate's vote share. Hence, the total of all candidates' vote share will be 100%.

Elections in 1980s

General Election 1988^[14][15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	PAP	Tang Guan Seng	11,983	58.96
	WP	Lim Chiu Liang	8,342	41.04
Majority			3,641	17.92
Total valid votes			20,325	97.37
Rejected ballots			548	2.63
Turnout			20,873	96.18
Registered electors			21,703
	PAP win (new seat)

Elections in 1990s

General Election 1991^[16][17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Low Thia Khiang	10,621	52.82	11.78
	PAP	Tang Guan Seng	9,487	47.18	11.78
Majority			1,134	5.67	12.25
Total valid votes			20,108	97.77	0.40
Rejected ballots			458	2.23	0.40
Turnout			20,566	95.76	0.42
Registered electors			21,476		1.05
	WP gain from PAP		Swing	11.78

General Election 1997^[18][19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Low Thia Khiang	13,458	58.02	5.20
	PAP	Heng Chee How	9,736	41.98	5.20
Majority			3,722	16.04	10.37
Total valid votes			23,194	98.68	0.91
Rejected ballots			311	1.32	0.91
Turnout			23,505	96.24	0.48
Registered electors			24,423		13.72
	WP hold		Swing	5.20

Elections in 2000s

General Election 2001^[20][21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Low Thia Khiang	12,070	54.98	3.04
	PAP	Eric Low	9,882	45.02	3.04
Majority			2,188	9.96	6.08
Total valid votes			21,952	98.67	0.01
Rejected ballots			295	1.33	0.01
Turnout			22,247	95.4	0.84
Registered electors			23,320		4.52
	WP hold		Swing	3.04

General Election 2006^[22][23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Low Thia Khiang	13,989	62.74	7.76
	PAP	Eric Low	8,308	37.26	7.76
Majority			5,681	25.48	15.52
Total valid votes			22,297	98.77	0.10
Rejected ballots			277	1.23	0.10
Turnout			22,574	95.01	0.39
Registered electors			23,759		1.88
	WP hold		Swing	7.76

Elections in 2010s

General Election 2011^[24][25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Yaw Shin Leong	14,850	64.80	2.06
	PAP	Desmond Choo	8,065	35.20	2.06
Majority			6,785	29.6	4.12
Total valid votes			22,915	98.87	0.10
Rejected ballots			261	1.13	0.10
Turnout			23,176	94.36	0.65
Registered electors			24,560		3.37
	WP hold		Swing	2.06

By-election 2012^[26][27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Png Eng Huat	13,460	62.08	2.72
	PAP	Desmond Choo	8,223	37.92	2.72
Majority			5,237	24.16	5.44
Total valid votes			21,683	98.66	0.21
Rejected ballots			295	1.34	0.21
Turnout			21,978	93.9	0.4
Registered electors			23,368		4.85
	WP hold		Swing	2.72

General Election 2015^[28][29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Png Eng Huat	13,027	57.66	4.42
	PAP	Lee Hong Chuang	9,565	42.34	4.42
Majority			3,462	15.32	8.84
Total valid votes			22,592	98.96	0.3
Rejected ballots			236	1.04	0.3
Turnout			22,828	94.73	0.83
Registered electors			24,097		3.12
	WP hold		Swing	4.42

Elections in 2020s

General Election 2020^[30][31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Dennis Tan	15,451	61.21	3.55
	PAP	Lee Hong Chuang	9,791	38.79	3.55
Majority			5,660	22.42	7.04
Total valid votes			25,242	98.93	0.03
Rejected ballots			272	1.07	0.03
Turnout			25,514	96.53	1.95
Registered electors			26,432		9.69
	WP hold		Swing	3.55

General Election 2025^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	WP	Dennis Tan	16,956	62.15	0.94
	PAP	Marshall Lim	10,327	37.85	0.94
Majority			6,615	24.34	1.88
Total valid votes			27,185	98.93
Rejected ballots			296	1.07
Turnout			27,579	93.60	2.93
Registered electors			29,464		11.47
	WP hold		Swing	0.94

Notes

1. Malay: Kawasan Undi Perseorangan Hougang; Chinese: 后港单选区; Tamil: ஹவ்காங் தனித்தொகுதி^[1]