The Hougang enigma : why the Workers' Party retained Hougang SMC for 30 years despite the dominance and hegemonic position of the People's Action Party in Singapore's post-independence electoral system

• Main Author: Phang, Zachary Mesney Li Hern
• Other Authors: Walid Jumblatt Bin Abdullah
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2021
• Subjects: Social sciences::Political science
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/149823
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The Workers’ Party (WP) has continued to retain Hougang Single Member Constituency (SMC) with its moniker “the Beacon of Democracy” since the 1991 General Elections. From Low Thia Khiang’s breakthrough to Dennis Tan’s more recent victory in 2020, Hougang SMC has withstood many elections and unfavourable conditions to continue 30 years of WP stewardship. Despite the hegemonic People’s Action Party (PAP)’s political manoeuvring that have seen majority of constituencies belong to them despite only 60-69% of the popular vote, Hougang SMC has remained an opposition ward spanning over three decades, and is not likely to return to the PAP anytime soon. This paper argues that despite facing numerous challenges in the form of a hegemonic superpower, the WP manages to hold onto Hougang SMC because of a phenomenon of accumulated social capital that is unrivalled in other constituencies in Singapore. Through a survey that assesses the reasons behind Hougang SMC voters’ choice, I found distinct identities that Hougang SMC has forged over three decades.