SINGAPORE — The revived Jalan Besar Group Representation Constituency (GRC) has been redrawn so many times that it has left residents confused, said the Workers’ Party (WP) at a rally yesterday (Sept 3).

The constituency has re-emerged as a GRC for the coming poll on Sept 11, following the dissolution of Moulmein-Kallang GRC. It was a single-seat ward before 1988 and, in 2011, it was dissolved as a GRC before the General Election that year.

Yesterday, Ms Frieda Chan, who is on the WP’s team in its contest for Jalan Besar, recounted her morning visit to the constituency, where residents pointed out posters of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is also secretary-general of the People’s Action Party (PAP), were hung all over the district.

Several residents, who have lived through several boundary changes in their ward, asked her if Jalan Besar is now part of Ang Mo Kio GRC, said Ms Chan, who is a medical social worker. Ang Mo Kio is Mr Lee’s constituency.

“I was not surprised by their assumption ... If Serangoon Central can be part of Marine Parade, what is impossible?” she told the crowd gathered yesterday at the rally, which was held in the field in front of Block 4, Boon Keng Road.

“As one elderly said (in Teochew), (the Government) draws here and draws there ... My head is spinning now,” she said.

Her team-mate, polytechnic lecturer L Somasundaram, 52, noted that he had met a resident who told him that even though he had never moved away from his residence over the years, he has nevertheless been part of three different GRCs.

Jibes at the redrawing of boundaries aside, the four WP candidates running in Jalan Besar GRC also talked about their personal areas of concern during the rally.

Ms Chan said she hoped to see a more elderly-friendly environment in the neighbourhood, which would come about through moves to reduce the speed limit of vehicles in places with high pedestrian traffic, for example. She also suggested opening a convenience store and coffee shop at the void decks of Housing and Development Board flats, for the benefit of elderly residents.

Mr Somasundaram expressed worry for unemployed professionals, managers, executives and technicians, who tend to be middle-aged. He stressed that the WP was not against foreign talent, but that it believed that unfair employment practices that do not give Singaporeans a fair hiring chance should be stamped out.

First-time candidate Adrian Sim, who is a 43-year-old businessman, spoke about the stresses felt by schoolgoing children and said students should be motivated to learn without being overly pressured to perform well in high-stakes tests.

Mr Redzwan Hafidz Abdul, who is also another first-time candidate, dismissed fears that Jalan Besar would become a “slum” if it is managed by the Opposition. The engineer said Hougang, Punggol East and Aljunied are still as “clean and beautiful”. “When the PAP lost Aljunied GRC, they started listening. When the PAP lost Punggol East, they started improving,” said Mr Redzwan, 30. “And let (the PAP) lose Jalan Besar GRC, and maybe they will start repenting”.