Nation

Sole Voter in Tampines Changkat District Hit with Advisory for Old Address: What Happened?

2025-06-03

Author: Daniel

In an unusual turn of events in Singapore, the only registered voter in the polling district of Tampines Changkat SMC was given a verbal advisory for not updating his residential address as mandated by law.

This sole voter, a 53-year-old businessman identified only as Mr. Yeo, had previously registered his business address in Tampines Industrial Park as his residence back in 2020. He occupied the space temporarily but later moved to a new home in 2022. Unfortunately, he failed to update his address within the legally required 28-day timeframe.

On June 3, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and the Elections Department (ELD) released a joint statement confirming that while an investigation revealed no signs of malice or criminal intent, Mr. Yeo was still in violation of the National Registration Act.

Given that it was his first infringement, authorities opted for a verbal advisory instead of harsher penalties.

The issue came to light following the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee's recent report, which indicated an odd scenario: only one registered voter listed for the East Coast 42 district within the new Tampines Changkat SMC. This raised eyebrows since the district was largely undeveloped at the time, consisting of four future Housing Board Build-To-Order (BTO) projects and an industrial estate.

As it turns out, Mr. Yeo temporarily registered his business premises as his home, despite the fact that it was not where he lived.

Further complicating the situation, the BTO projects are either under construction or have just recently been completed, with residents only starting to receive their keys.

This anomaly left many questioning how Mr. Yeo managed to register an address in the area at all.

Currently, the electoral registers will reflect Mr. Yeo's updated residential address during the next revision. Under the National Registration Act, it's crucial for identity card holders to notify authorities of any address change within the stipulated period, regardless of whether the move is local or abroad.

Failing to comply can have serious ramifications, including a hefty fine of up to $5,000 or imprisonment for up to five years. So, keep an eye on your address, folks—it could save you from a world of trouble!