The new Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report has been announced by the Elections Department Singapore (ELD) on March 13, after the committee was formed in August 2019.

Focus on Covid-19 first

In response, a Progress Singapore Party spokesperson told Mothership that the party welcomes the release of the EBRC report "after taking a long eight months".

PSP added that it is prepared for the general election "anytime".

However, the party hopes that Singapore can focus on the containment of Covid-19 for now.

This is particularly because the constitutional time limit for the next general election (GE) is more than a year ahead, the statement added.

The next GE has to be held by April 2021.

Contesting in West Coast GRC?

Earlier in January, PSP secretary-general Tan Cheng Bock was spotted leading 200 PSP members during a visit to West Coast GRC.

Tan was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayer Rajah Single Member Constituency (SMC) for 26 years, before the constituency was absorbed into the West Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC).

While there have been rumours about Tan returning to his home ground to contest at West Coast GRC, he is keeping his cards close to his chest.

PSP declined to comment when Mothership asked about the possibility of contesting at West Coast GRC.

In the new EBRC, West Coast GRC has expanded from a 4-member GRC to a 5-member GRC.

In other words, the stakes for the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) and PSP have become much higher should Tan wish to contest in the GRC.

At the opening ceremony of PSP's headquarter on January 27, Tan told the media that the party chose to settle down at Bukit Timah Shopping Centre because of the ease of travel to various parts of Singapore.

And indeed, the PSP has been walking on the ground regularly, covering areas such as Clementi, Choa Chu Kang, Toa Payoh, Raffles Place, and Geylang Serai.

Most recently, Tan and other PSP volunteers have also visited the frontline workers at hospitals in appreciation of their contribution during this period of Covid-19.

A later GE might be more advantageous to the party, even though PSP said that they are ready for GE anytime.

Since the unexpected departure of its former vice-chairman, Michelle Lee, earlier in March, PSP has not announced Lee's replacement to take over the party's vice-chairman position.

More importantly, PSP will have more time to walk the ground and cover more areas in this newly enlarged GRC.

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Top image from Progress Singapore Party Facebook