Update 21 Jul 2020: Lawyer Teo Soh Lung questions ELD and police on why Ong Ye Kung was given “special treatment” for alleged breaching of election campaign rules
On Sunday (20 July), lawyer and former ISA detainee Teo Soh Lung took to her Facebook to question the authorities on why no further action was taken against Minister Ong Ye Kung who allegedly breached election campaign rules during the recent general election.
In her post, Ms Teo pointed out that Mr Ong has committed an ‘arrestable offence’ under the Parliamentary Elections Act. However, she had read the news report about how the Education Minister was “being let off” by the authorities.
She wrote, “Ong Ye Kung has committed an offence under section 81(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act. This offence is an ‘arrestable offence’ under section 81 (7) which reads: ‘Every offence under this section for contravening subsection (1), (1A) or (2) shall be an arrestable offence within the meaning of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 (Act 15 of 2010).’”
related: Teo Soh Lung shaken from police raid by 7-8 officers w/o search warrant
Police will not be taking further action on Ong Ye Kung over video posted during GE2020
The police "will not be taking any further action” over a Facebook video Education Minister Ong Ye Kung posted during the General Election that was not in line with electoral rules.
The police confirmed that they received a report in relation to Mr Ong's video that was published on Jul 2, the Elections Department (ELD) and Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Saturday (Jul 18) in response to CNA’s queries. Both agencies said the police will not be taking any further action as the Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) had “looked into the matter”.
“The Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) had issued an advisory to Mr Ong Ye Kung to remind him to comply with the law in relation to all campaigning activities,” ELD and SPF said.
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Ong Ye Kung takes down video showing young boy as it violates election rules
Education Minister Ong Ye Kung has removed a three-minute video from his Facebook page, featuring a young boy living in Sembawang, after he was informed the video violates election rules.
"I had a nice conversation with a boy Jony who lives in Sembawang about how it is a good place to grow up. Jony is a great sport, we had a good chat, and we put up a short (video)," said Mr Ong in a Facebook post on Thursday (July 2).
"However, we have been informed by authorities that this is not in line with electoral rules. We have therefore taken down the video. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused."
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Hyflux claims government gave instructions for company to “prepare for 8 million population”
Official Opening of Tuaspring Desalination Plant by PM Lee (Olivia Lum at the right)
During the election campaigning in GE 2020, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said he did not say that Singapore should plan to increase its population to 10 million, nor did he mention the figure. In fact, the Singapore population is likely to be significantly below 6.9 million by 2030, He said.
In a Facebook post on 2 Jul, Heng said, “Let me be clear: the Government has never proposed or targeted for Singapore to increase the population to 10 million. And if we look at today’s situation, our population is likely to be significantly below 6.9 million by 2030.”
Nevertheless, at the second round of town hall meetings held by Hyflux on 18 Jan last year with security holders, Hyflux CEO Olivia Lum seemed to claim that the PAP government had “given instructions” for her company to plan for 8 million population.
Founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s youngest son, Mr Lee Hsien Yang, has asserted in a new Facebook post that the country has not turned into what his father had envisioned.
Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the late founding leader of the People’s Action Party (PAP), is considered Singapore’s founding father. His eldest son, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, is the current Prime Minister. In 2017, Mr Lee Hsien Yang and his sister, Dr Lee Wei Ling, accused PM Lee of using his power and influence to subvert their late father’s willed desire to have their family home demolished. Although PM Lee vehemently denied the charges, his younger siblings have maintained that they have lost trust in him as their brother and national leader.
The younger Mr Lee also said that the PAP is not what it was when his father was at the helm. He joined the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) ahead of the recent General Election and urged voters to fearlessly cast their ballots for the opposition.
related:
Lee Hsien Yang 21h
MY JOURNEY, OUR JOURNEY, OUR SINGAPORE
‘Thank you’
These last few weeks, I have walked the ground and many of you have welcomed me into your homes with much warmth and shared your stories. In the streets and hawker centres, there have been good wishes and encouragement. Thank you. Please know that your support means the world to me.
Many of you have read my Facebook posts and watched my not very good videos and cheered me, thank you. I have been completely overwhelmed by your numbers and good wishes.
My biggest shout out has to be to the many capable and courageous men and women who stood as candidates on an alternative ticket. They represent the hope of new ideas, transparency, accountability, fairness and compassion for governance in Singapore. Their volunteers behind the scenes put in so much in so many different ways because they care for the future of our country. Every small step taken to change the narrative for our country is a battle hard won.
East Coast plan meme gets turned into $2 stickers for donation drive, raises $1,000 for charity
Exactly two weeks ago, the nation watched one of the funniest occurrences of GE2020 on TV: Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat’s all-encompassing plan for East Coast GRC on Nomination Day.
’Twas a surreal moment following an already surprising revelation that morning. The longtime MP of Tampines GRC suddenly joined the People’s Action Party's (PAP) team for East Coast to helm the lineup, taking on a Workers’ Party (WP) team that included comeback candidate Nicole Seah.
In the end, PAP managed to win the constituency with 53.41 per cent of the votes. Perhaps it was the meme-worthy speech by DPM Heng that clinched the victory — a speech that the man himself poked fun at.
New Sengkang Town Council to be run on its own, WP's He Ting Ru to be chairman
WP's Ms He Ting Ru had led the Sengkang GRC team to victory in the July 10 polls.Straits Times
The newly elected Sengkang GRC MPs from the Workers' Party have informed the Ministry of National Development that they intend to run the new Sengkang Town Council on its own, without merging with any other constituency.
In a Facebook post on Sunday (July 19) to update residents on developments, WP's Sengkang team leader He Ting Ru also said she would chair the new town council.
She added that her team had written to both Ang Mo Kio Town Council (AMKTC) and Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council (PRPTC) on July 11 to request a preliminary meeting to discuss the handover.
WP’s ability to advance policy alternatives depends on Govt’s willingness to share information: Pritam Singh
Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh noted that while the Government has a 120,000-strong civil service as a potential resource for parliamentary debates, the WP is primarily reliant on its volunteer base for its political work
The extent to which the Workers’ Party (WP) can put forward realistic policy alternatives will depend on the extent to which the People’s Action Party (PAP) Government is open to sharing more information, WP chief Pritam Singh said on Monday (July 20).
He was responding to comments by Minister of National Development Lawrence Wong that with 10 seats in Parliament, WP should do more than just ask questions of the Government, and should put forward serious policy alternatives to be scrutinised and debated.
“While the Government continues to have a 120,000-strong civil service as a potential resource for parliamentary debates, the WP continues to be primarily reliant on its volunteer base for its political work,” Mr Singh wrote in a Facebook post.
4,794 votes cast overseas, taking total voter turnout this election to 95.81%
A total of 4,794 registered overseas electors turned up to cast their votes at overseas polling stations this General Election, the Elections Department (ELD) said on Wednesday (Jul 15).
This makes up 72.97 per cent of the number of registered overseas electors, said ELD.
With the addition of these votes, the total number of votes cast in the Singapore General Election 2020 is 2,540,359, including 45,822 rejected votes, said ELD. This is 95.81 per cent of the 2,651,435 registered electors.
The maturing of the Singaporean voter in GE2020
This election should have been a walk in the park for the People's Action Party (PAP). Though many voters must have been worried about how Covid-19 was going to affect their lives and livelihoods (by the way, that was a major part of the ruling party's slogan), they didn't rush into the arms of Lee Hsien Loong and his team to save them.
As the results trickled in, the voter's message, especially that of the young, was clear and devastating. We have matured and grown up - we need a new style of politics and governance, and not one that was made famous by Lee Kuan Yew.
It was like grown-up children telling their father: Please let us lead our lives our way. The Workers' Party's (WP) winning Jamus Lim represents this group.
“PAP govt is in denial” — Historian Michael Barr reflects on GE2020
The People’s Action Party (PAP) government of Singapore has suffered its worst ever election result, but Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has suggested merely that the result was “not as strong an endorsement as hoped”. Individual swings against the ruling party of up to 27 per cent and typically 6–15 per cent were insufficient to defeat well-entrenched PAP candidates who enjoyed a multitude of unfair advantages. If the result is not recognised as a disaster, the government is in denial.
Elections are Singaporeans’ twice-a-decade opportunity to send messages to the government and, on this occasion, the message was clear. A national 8.66 per cent swing against the PAP delivered its second-lowest national vote since independence — 61.24 per cent, only 1.1 per cent better than the train-wreck 2011 election.
The opposition Workers’ Party (WP) enjoyed massive swings to strengthen its hold on its existing seats and to win four seats in a newly-created multi-member constituency. This added four more MPs to bring the opposition tally to 10, against the PAP’s 83. The Progress Singapore Party (PSP), led by former PAP MP Tan Cheng Bock, separately came within a whisker of defeating the PAP in its West Coast heartland.
PAP must share info if WP is to craft credible policy alternatives: Pritam Singh
The Workers’ Party’s ability to formulate “realistic policy alternatives” is dependent on the People's Action Party (PAP) government’s willingness to share information, said WP chief Pritam Singh on Saturday (18 July). In a statement to the media, Singh said, "The extent to which realistic policy alternatives can be advanced both in public and in Parliament is also a function of the PAP's approach to democratic politics."
Nevertheless, the WP will continue to give "forward-looking suggestions for the welfare of Singaporeans", even though it can only rely on its volunteer base for political work. By contrast, the government can tap on the 120,000-strong civil service as a resource for parliamentary debates. For example, the WP has proposed a redundancy insurance scheme, as well as alternatives to the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, in Parliament. It will also release public working papers on key issues affecting Singaporeans.
The newly-appointed Leader of the Opposition was responding to National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, who had said that the WP "cannot just continue asking the Government questions". With 10 Members of Parliament, it is now incumbent on the WP to put forth serious policy alternatives to be scrutinised and debated.
Politics in Singapore has changed permanently following GE2020: Tharman
Politics in Singapore has changed permanently following the recent General Election, Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said on Sunday (Jul 19)
The outcome of the election was good for Singapore, he said in a Facebook post, while the results were good for the People’s Action Party (PAP). He gave two reasons for the latter point.
Firstly, it secured a solid mandate for the PAP, showing that trust in the party to run the Government and to do what is best for Singaporeans is intact. “Second, the swing in votes (though from an unrepeatable high in 2015) is leading the party to review its own game so as to win the hearts, and not just the minds, of a changing electorate,” he said.
Mr Tharman added that the results were also good for opposition politics, and not merely because they won more votes collectively.
Singapore, we deserve an 'A'
Opponents politically, but citizens of Singapore all the same
I have been totally wrong about the Singapore electorate. I thought most voters would do as citizens elsewhere did, giving the incumbent political party an overwhelming victory in the election because of this phenomenon called “flight to safety’’. This was why, I thought, the People’s Action Party (PAP) kept insisting on a “strong and clear mandate” as it was confident enough to think that the vote would be heavily tilted in its favour.
Political observers and pundits have said much the same: that the PAP offered a safe harbour to those of us in this small sampan, who worry about a potential capsize. Look, they said, at how Singapore voted in 2001, after the September 11 attacks in New York.
Those same pundits, myself included, will now start dissecting the reasons for the 61 per cent vote for the PAP, which the Prime Minister described as “a good mandate’’ but which I would say was probably far below general expectations.
Singaporeans have shown it is possible to love the country and vote for the opposition, says Lee Hsien Yang
Mr Lee Hsien Yang said in a Facebook post on Saturday (July 11) that Singaporeans have shown “it is possible to be loyal, to love Singapore, to recite with pride 'We the citizens of Singapore’, and to vote for the opposition”.
He said that the crisis election should have been a “piece of cake” for the People’s Action Party, but instead it had its vote share “seriously dented” while the opposition has gained ground in the east and the west.
“The Workers' Party has performed brilliantly, winning two GRCs and one SMC. It has demonstrated leadership at its best, an ability to transition party leadership, and fielded strong, sparkling, youthful and diverse teams,” said Mr Lee, who is Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s brother.
Lee Hsien Yang 23 hrs
Singaporeans Win
Singaporeans have shown that it is possible to be loyal, to love Singapore, to recite with pride “We the citizens of Singapore”, and to vote for the Opposition.
This crisis election should have been a piece of cake for the PAP. The PAP had expected that like the 9/11 attacks and Lee Kuan Yew’s death, Covid 19 was going to “save” the party. This election, Singaporeans have rejected the exploitation of a crisis for PAP’s political gain. The PAP has had its share of the vote seriously dented and the opposition has won the largest number of seats since independence.
The Opposition has gained ground in both the east and the west. Singaporeans have shown their repulsion for attacks like the AHTC and for gutter politics. They have given a report card on PAP’s 4G leadership and made clear they are unimpressed.
PSP picks assistant secretary-general Leong Mun Wai and vice-chairman Hazel Poa as NCMPs
The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has chosen assistant secretary-general Leong Mun Wai and vice-chairman Hazel Poa to fill the two Non-Constituency MP positions it secured in the recent general election.
The announcement was made by party chief Tan Cheng Bock on Tuesday (July 14) in a press conference at PSP's headquarters in Bukit Timah Shopping Centre.
Dr Tan had previously ruled himself out of the seat, saying that he has been an MP before and would rather his teammates go into Parliament and understand the parliamentary process.
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Singapore to see record number of women enter Parliament after GE2020
A record number of women lawmakers will enter Singapore's Parliament after the General Election, a milestone that the incoming female parliamentarians said will add more diversity and balance in policy-making.
Out of the 93 seats for elected Members of Parliament (MPs), 27 - or 29 per cent of the elected seats - will go to women, compared to 21 out of 89 seats after the 2015 polls, and just four seats two decades ago. One of the two Non-Constituency MP seats will be taken up by a female candidate - Progress Singapore Party’s Hazel Poa - as well.
“There was a conscious choice to include more women candidates in this term of Parliament as women bring important issues to the table and also offer different perspectives,” said Ms Sun Xueling, the Punggol West SMC MP-elect and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and National Development.
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The Surprising GE2020 Election Results: What Could Have Happened?
In deciding on the date for the GE 2020 polling day, the Prime Minister had clearly been guided by a widely claimed truth, that is, in times of crisis, people take a ‘flight to safety’ by giving overwhelming support to the incumbent leadership, rather than by casting their lot with an as yet untried and untested opposition.
Hence the PM did not hesitate to set Polling Day right in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. He assured all voters that the government would take every precaution to make sure that voting would be totally safe. He was clearly confident of a resounding mandate for the People’s Action Party (PAP)’s return to power.
But when the election results came in, he and his colleagues had a shock. There had been a marked swing towards the Opposition. Although the PAP kept its majority and would continue to dominate in parliament, it was clear that the Opposition had made deep inroads into that majority.
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7 important things that Singaporeans need to know from the GE2020 results
Similar to how 2020 has been thus far, GE2020 was an unpreceded event. Despite the arrangement for voters to vote at the recommended time band, long queues were seen in some polling stations, leading to polling closing at 10pm, instead of the usual 8pm.
This led to a delay in the results being announced, with sample votes only coming in at around midnight and official results only being announced at 1am onwards. Results were only concluded at 4am. In the end, the PAP won a total of 83 seats with the WP winning 10 seats. With the results only being announced late at night, many of us may have already turned in for the night.
Besides the actual results, here are 7 other important things that you should also know:
- Sengkang GRC won by WP; PAP edge out PSP at West Coast GRC & WP at East Coast GRC
- Voters turn out increase in spite of Covid-19 fears
- More than 5,000 votes were rejected at Ang Mo Kio GRC
- PAP won only 61.24 per cent of the popular vote
- WP outperforms other Opposition parties by a large margin
- Who are the likely NCMPs?
- Two election deposits lost
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Remy Choo Zheng Xi July 11 at 3:52 AM
The WP makes History in Sengkang GRC. Today, Sengkang has helped us tell the PAP we’re not afraid of their police reports. Sengkang has told the PAP that if they go low, we, the people, we’ll go high.
The WP also makes history in Aljunied again. With three minority candidates in the WP team and a larger margin of 59.9%, the WP has has helped us tell the PAP and their partisans that their accusations about the WP losing the “Chinese ground” is racialized rubbish.
Together, with near breakthroughs by the SDP and the PSP, the opposition has taught the PAP hardliners an important lesson. Singaporean voters don’t care for their rhetoric, and if they don’t change the way they talk to Singaporeans, Singaporeans will change them.
Tonight, every Singaporean who yearns for that fairer, more equal, more open society, can sleep a bit more sound. Tomorrow, the hard work begins.
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An attempt at a post-mortem of the GE
There were genuine fears among opposition leaders that there could be a complete wipe out of the opposition in the general election. In the event I think God had looked kindly on Singapore opposition and could have ordained that there should be some semblance of democracy in Singapore politics.
Workers’ Party (WP) could have been chosen as a Darling of Fate(天之骄子) and romped home in their victory in Aljunied GRC, Sengkang GRC and Hougang SMC. Although it may not come as a surprise to WP but I think this was something beyond their wildest dream. It shows that Singaporeans are tired of authoritarian rule and wanted to see more checks an balances in Parliament.
Sengkang is unique and could be a precursor of more revolutionary changes in the Singapore political landscape. The WP Sengkang team is young and dynamic and could reflect the revolutionary fervour of the young voters in Sengkang. They were so favourably regarded by the young Sengkang voters.
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Hard truths for the PAP as voters deny ruling party an easy ride into power
Singapore ’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong went into Friday’s general election saying a nation deep in “the crisis of a generation” needed the leadership of a strong People’s Action Party (PAP). In the early hours of Saturday, his government was presented with a different set of hard truths. Voters demanding a check on PAP power boosted the opposition’s small presence in parliament and raised questions about the government’s carefully orchestrated leadership succession plans.
As expected, the PAP was returned to power with a comfortable supermajority in the legislature, extending its run as the world’s longest continuously ruling elected government. This was its 15th straight election victory since the city state became self-governing in 1959.
But the eight percentage point drop in its vote share to 61.24 per cent was the second-worst showing since the country gained independence in 1965. Furthermore, the party spectacularly lost a second group representation constituency (GRC) – the multi-seat ward of Sengkang – where a young untested Workers’ Party team ousted three office-holders, one of them being the chief of the country’s labour movement.
related:
WP's Sengkang win boosts opposition presence in parliament to record high
No blank cheque - 5 takeaways from Singapore’s 2020 election
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GE 2020: What The Electorate Said
This election was supposed to be a cakewalk for the PAP. Called in the midst of a pandemic, after a $93 billion set of Covid-19 budgets, the ground couldn’t have been sweeter. As Chan Chun Sing told his party activists, crisis has traditionally “saved” the PAP. Not this time.
The PAP scraped by with 61.24% of the vote, significantly down from the 69.9% in GE 2015 and only marginally better than its 2011 tally (60.1%). It is also a discordant swansong for PM Lee, who has said he’s going to retire when he’s 70, in 2022.
Amongst the noise, what does GE 2020 tell us? Here are some quick takes:
- For the PAP - It is difficult to see how Heng Swee Keat can take over as PM. Not with a 53.4% electoral margin in East Coast
- The PAP’s Western Flank Blows Wide Open - The PAP has traditionally racked up commanding margins in the West
- Gutter Politics Backfiring - GE 2020 will also be remembered as a referendum on gutter politics
- The Road Ahead - For now, the opposition has a lot of work to do to consolidate the gains made in this GE
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Opposition vote swing shows people are looking beyond bread and butter issues, analysts say
The vote swing towards opposition parties in this year’s General Election has shown that the electorate does not only care about bread and butter issues, political observers told CNA.
While the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) had built its campaign and manifesto around saving lives and jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic, observers said the results mean some voters also prioritise issues like social justice and having diverse voices in Parliament.
The results also pointed to a more “discerning” electorate, analysts said, adding that the PAP will likely need to demonstrate it can listen to and act on these additional concerns to woo back some of its support.
Younger voters make their mark in polls
Analysts say the results show that younger people want more than just the emphasis on jobs.ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
The ruling party emphasised jobs and economic security in this general election, but the results showed that voters, particularly younger voters, wanted more, said political observers.
Their unexpected swing against the People's Action Party (PAP) caused its overall vote share to shrink to 61.24 per cent, down from 69.9 per cent in the 2015 General Election.
In contrast, the Workers' Party (WP) not only retained its Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC with higher margins than in 2015, it also claimed the opposition's second GRC - the new Sengkang GRC introduced in this election.
Why so many Singaporeans voted for the opposition
Though not enough to boot out the ruling party
IN THE wee hours after Singapore’s general election on July 10th hundreds of supporters of the Workers’ Party (WP), the main opposition outfit, streamed onto the streets to celebrate their party’s showing, in defiance of the city-state’s strict social-distancing rules.
One would have been forgiven for thinking that the WP had won the election. In fact it took a trifling ten seats out of 93. But in Singapore, which has been ruled by the People’s Action Party (PAP) since independence in 1965, this was the best performance by an opposition party ever in terms of seats won, and the worst by the PAP. The ruling party’s share of the vote sank from almost 70% at the previous election, in 2015, to 61%.
It should have been easy for Singaporeans to decide whom to vote for. The PAP has plenty to boast about: a GDP per person greater than America’s, one of the world’s best education systems and an array of sleek, air-conditioned malls in which to sip bubble tea.
PAP will have to review broader issues behind overall swing in votes, says Tan Chuan-Jin
The People's Action Party will have to examine what the broader issues are that caused a swing in votes against it at the general election, said Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin on Sunday (July 12).
He noted that the ruling party saw an overall swing against it across the board, including in his group representation constituency of Marine Parade.
The PAP garnered 61.24 per cent of the popular vote at the general election, and saw its vote share fall in every GRC and single seat that it contested compared with the 2015 election, with the exception of MacPherson and Mountbatten SMCs.
related: A watershed election and new normal?
Clear messages sent by voters in GE2020, 'soul searching and reflection' needed
Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam speaking to reporters outside the People's Action Party branch in Chong Pang on Jul 11, 2020. (Photo: Zhaki Abdullah)
There are “clearly messages” in the vote swing towards the opposition in this year’s General Election that the People’s Action Party (PAP) must seek to understand, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Saturday (Jul 11).
Mr Shanmugam - who led a five-member People’s Action Party (PAP) team to victory in Nee Soon GRC - said the party would “carefully study” the results, as it usually does.
“The first thing you have to do is to get the facts, understand the reasons and that we need to do,” he said, speaking to the media at the PAP’s Chong Pang branch ahead of a walkabout with his Nee Soon teammates to thank residents for their support.
Singapore's governing PAP returns to power but faces setback
Governing party comfortably wins election but opposition Workers Party increases its seats in Parliament from six to 10
Singapore's governing People's Action Party (PAP) extended its unbroken rule in Friday's election, but its vote share slipped as opposition parties made historic inroads in a ballot held under the cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Having held power since independence in 1965, the PAP had been widely expected to win and carry Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to what is likely his last victory before retirement as the national leader.
The PAP secured 83 out of 93 seats in Parliament. But the main opposition Workers' Party won the other 10, the most ever won by the opposition, while the PAP's popular vote fell to 61 percent, down from 70 percent in 2015. Several key PAP leaders also lost, including two former ministers.
Pritam Singh is the man of the moment, but there is a long road ahead
There is an old Chinese saying: 时势造英雄, essentially meaning a hero is needed at a moment in time. Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh, successor to such a skilled Chinese orator in Low Thia Khiang, would surely appreciate the analogy
At the hour of his and the WP’s greatest triumph, surrounded by reporters outside the party’s headquarters at 4am on Saturday (11 July), the 43-year-old remained unflappable in the sweltering heat. While opposition supporters revelled in a carnival atmosphere in Hougang after the General Election (GE), Singh struck a sombre tone in Geylang Road.
“I'm not feeling euphoric at all. In fact, I think there's a lot of work to do,” said Singh, pointing out that even the historic presence of 10 opposition members in the House is hardly a “quantum leap”. Judging by the glumness of his words, one might have thought that the WP had lost all of the seats it contested.
But if all the world’s a stage, then Singh is, for now, firmly at the centre of Singapore’s political scene. He has learnt well at the feet of Low, whom Yahoo News Singapore columnist PN Balji called the master of the moment. Singh well and truly deserves the title of Leader of the Opposition.
Workers' Party's Pritam Singh vows to do his best as Leader of the Opposition
Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh on Saturday (July 11) pledged to do his best as the leader of the opposition, responding to the announcement by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that the WP leader would be appointed to the newly-created position and be given staff and resources.
Posting on Facebook the morning after his party made historic gains at the general election, he wrote: "I look forward to serving as leader of the opposition and will carry out my duties to the best of my abilities. I will endeavour to ensure that the Workers' Party under my leadership will remain loyal to Singapore and all Singaporeans."
The WP had won Sengkang GRC in one of the surprise results of election night and it also consolidated its majorities in Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC.
Leader of Opposition Pritam Singh could be given access to govt data, resources but Shadow Cabinet can wait
The People’s Action Party (PAP) may be back in power with a super-majority in Parliament, but Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s move to formally appoint Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh as the Leader of the Opposition was in recognition of Singaporeans’ desire for greater opposition presence in the House, political analysts said.
And while Mr Lee has yet to announce details of what the role would entail, except that “appropriate staff support and resources” would be provided to Mr Singh, the analysts said that Mr Singh would need to be granted access to government data and information in order to effectively scrutinise policies and offer alternative solutions.
However, it may be too soon to expect the WP to form a Shadow Cabinet which, along with the Leader of the Opposition role, is a feature of the Westminster Parliamentary system that Singapore inherited from its British colonial days. With WP having only 10 elected Members of Parliament (MP) at the moment, the process of forming a Shadow Cabinet could instead be an incremental process, experts pointed out.
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10 opposition seats in Parliament still not a 'quantum leap', says WP's Pritam Singh
While 10 opposition seats may represent uncharted territory for Singapore’s Parliament, it is still not a “quantum leap”, said Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh on Saturday (11 July), in the wake of the opposition party’s best ever performance in the General Election (GE). “I think that number is still far short of the one third that is significant for being able to make a position, strong position on, let's say, constitutional amendment bills, for example. It's still not exactly a quantum leap, if you know what I mean,” said Singh.
Speaking to reporters outside the WP HQ in the early hours of the morning, Singh struck a sombre note in spite of the party’s performance, emphasising the need for humility from the party’s winning candidates.
“I'm not feeling euphoric at all. In fact, I think there's a lot of work to do. And I think we've got to work hard, we've got to keep our feet grounded and this is something that I'll be repeating to all the winning candidates. I expect them to keep their feet firmly grounded, and remember why they're doing what they're doing.”
WP's message of constructive politics wins over voters
In his first electoral outing as party chief, Workers' Party (WP) secretary-general Pritam Singh seemed to have taken a conservative approach.
The party seemed content to defend its home turf of Hougang SMC and Aljunied GRC, as it fielded fewer candidates and contested just six constituencies, compared with 10 in 2015. It was to have been a night of no alarms and no surprises.
But instead, the WP grabbed Sengkang GRC from the People's Action Party (PAP) with 52.13 per cent of the votes. In the process, it took down Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and labour chief Ng Chee Meng and office-holders Lam Pin Min and Amrin Amin with a team made up of only one experienced candidate and three new faces. The opposition party also retained Hougang and Aljunied with comfortable margins, improving on their 2015 showing.
Sengkang residents give reasons why they plumped for WP, including a better connection with its candidates
In what seemed like a repeat of the 2011 General Election (GE), the Workers’ Party (WP) secured a victory at the polls on Friday at Sengkang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) to knock off a People’s Action Party (PAP) team consisting of three political office-holders.
This time, it was not the WP’s top guns who won the second GRC for the party to get 52.13 per cent of the vote. It was a young four-man team with the oldest member being a new candidate and economics associate professor Jamus Lim, 44. Besides him, equity research analyst Louis Chua, 33, and Raeesah Khan, 26, founder of women’s empowerment group Reyna Movement, are also new faces. Only lawyer He Ting Ru, 37, had run in an election before, unsuccessfully contesting Marine Parade GRC in 2015.
How did this relatively inexperienced team pull off a victory against a PAP team led by Ng Chee Meng, 51, an incumbent minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC)?
PSP’s credible maiden showing a ‘head start’ for the future, says Tan Cheng Bock
Dr Tan Cheng Bock and other Progress Singapore Party members gather at the party’s headquarters after the election results were announced in the early hours of July 11, 2020
Despite being defeated in all nine constituencies where he had fielded candidates, Progress Singapore Party (PSP) chief Tan Cheng Bock said he is proud that his one-year-old party achieved an average vote share of 40 per cent.
We have caused an impact in this General Election (GE). We may not have won seats, but if we look at the level of support to PSP candidates, the average is about 40 per cent,” the 80-year-old former People’s Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament-turned-opposition leader said.
“An average of 40 per cent for a new party and going into all these new areas, I am actually quite proud of that performance. I think it is the beginning of a new chapter for PSP, and I think the movement that I have created will grow.”
Tan Cheng Bock's PSP needs to regroup after fruitless electoral debut
Even before a single vote was cast and before he had any notion of whether he would be returning to Parliament, Progress Singapore Party (PSP) chief Tan Cheng Bock was already talking about succession in the party leadership.
At his last press conference of the campaign, he had made clear that his party - just a year old and on its first electoral outing - would not "run away" regardless of what happened.
Dr Tan stressed that the party must have an internal succession plan, though he added that it must not be rushed.
Two PSP candidates from West Coast GRC team to be offered NCMP seats
Two Progress Singapore Party (PSP) candidates in West Coast GRC will be offered seats in Parliament as Non-Constituency MPs, as the "best losers" of the 2020 General Election.
The five-member team lost the GRC to the PAP team led by Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran and Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee with the smallest margin of 3.38 percentage points.
The PAP team retained the GRC with 51.7 per cent of the vote, while the PSP team secured 48.3 per cent of the vote.
SDP goes away empty-handed but makes gains in traditional haunts
It was yet another barren outcome for the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), which lost in all five constituencies it contested during this General Election (GE). However, analysts said that the gains the party made in its vote shares in two single-seat wards signals that it is a force to be reckoned with.
ln particular, Bukit Panjang Single Member Constituency (SMC), which was surprisingly contested by SDP chairperson Paul Tambyah, received 46.26 per cent of the vote — the highest vote share among all the constituencies that the party contested.
It was also the highest vote share won by an opposition candidate among all of the SMCs after the election results were announced early on Saturday (July 11).
SDP fails to make inroads despite change of strategy
The Singapore Democratic Party's (SDP) strategy of focusing its firepower on single seats failed to bear fruit last night, as the party lost in all five constituencies it contested - even as a nationwide swing towards opposition parties helped raise vote shares.
The party's top two leaders - secretary-general Chee Soon Juan and chairman Paul Tambyah - both improved on their party's performances in Bukit Batok and Bukit Panjang, but neither did well enough to secure a Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) seat as one of the best-performing losers. Professor Tambyah was the party's best performer with 46.26 per cent of the votes in Bukit Panjang.
The party's candidates in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC and Yuhua SMC all received less than 40 per cent of the votes.
Singapore’s ruling party PAP cedes ground to opposition in pandemic election
“We have a clear mandate but the percentage of the popular vote is not as high as I had hoped for,” Lee said. “The results reflect the pain and uncertainty that Singaporeans feel in this crisis... This was not a feel-good election.”
Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) extended its unbroken rule in Friday’s election, but its vote share slipped near a record low as opposition parties made historic inroads in a ballot held under the cloud of the Covid-19 pandemic. Having held power since independence in 1965, the PAP had been widely expected to win and carry Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to what is likely his last victory before retirement as national leader.
The PAP secured 83 out of 93 seats in parliament. But the main opposition Workers’ Party won the other 10, the most ever held by opposition lawmakers, while the PAP’s popular vote fell to 61%, down from 70% in 2015.
Singapore ruling party, stung by polls setback, faces succession questions
Singapore's ruling party, stung by its worst ever election results, today signalled a possible delay to its meticulous succession plans, and analysts foresaw other policy changes that could affect the international business hub.
The People's Action Party (PAP) secured 83 of 93 parliamentary seats in yesterday's election — a resounding win by international standards — and its share of the popular vote dropped near a record low, while the opposition won an unprecedented 10 seats.
The results showed "a clear desire for a diversity of voices", Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told an early morning news conference. "Singaporeans want the PAP to form the government but they, and especially the younger voters, also want to see more opposition presence in Parliament."
Singapore’s ruling party holds on to power but faces setback
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s long-governing party comfortably won Friday’s (July 10) general elections, which took place amid the coronavirus pandemic, but faced a setback as the opposition made minor gains.
Lee said his People’s Action Party secured 83 parliamentary seats, or 89% of the total, while its popular vote dipped to 61%. The Workers Party, the only opposition with a presence in parliament, increased its seats from six to 10. It marked a decline in the PAP’s performance from 2015 polls where it took 93% of seats and nearly 70% of total vote. “It’s not as strong a mandate as I hoped for but it’s a good mandate,” Lee told a news conference. “This was not a feel-good election but one where people are facing real problems and expect more rough weather to come.”
The PAP has dominated politics since 1959, when Lee’s father, Lee Kuan Yew, became Singapore’s first prime minister and built the resource-poor city-state into one of the world’s richest nations during 31 years in office. But it has also been criticized for tight government control, media censorship and use of oppressive laws and civil lawsuits against dissidents.
Singapore's ruling party dominates election but opposition makes historic gains
Singapore’s governing party has comfortably won the city-state’s general election but faced a setback as the opposition made minor but historic gains
The prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, said his People’s Action party (PAP) secured 83 parliamentary seats on Friday, retaining its overwhelming majority with 89% of the total seats, but its popular vote dipped to 61%. The Workers’ party, the only opposition with a presence in the parliament, increased its seats from six to 10 – the biggest victory for the opposition since independence.
South-east Asia’s first national election amid the coronavirus pandemic marked a decline in the PAP’s performance from 2015 polls when it took 93% of seats and nearly 70% of total vote. Several key PAP leaders also lost, including two former ministers.
“It’s not as strong a mandate as I hoped for but it’s a good mandate,” Lee told a news conference. “The results reflect the pain and uncertainty that Singaporeans feel in this crisis ... This was not a feel-good election but one where people are facing real problems and expect more rough weather to come.”
Singapore election results give PAP supermajority as rivals rise
This election saw the longest list of political parties, and for the second time since Singapore’s history, all 93 parliamentary seats were contested. And there were the unique circumstances. Covid-19 eliminated physical rallies. These, no matter the public’s political stance, have historically been attended by large crowds curious on hearing the speeches and manifestos of the opposition parties.
Despite the lack of physical rallies, the campaigning was far from placid. In the absence of traditional campaigning, there were live debates and daily broadcasts. And unlike previous elections, voters had no excuses to be ill-informed with the wealth of information available to read non-biased news. Social media, in particular, was aflame with infographics. Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMAs) were invoked and police reports were filed with allegations of a candidate promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion or race.
This year we also saw some of the most headline-making opposition candidates. Tan Cheng Bock of Progress Singapore Party (PSP) won the hearts of the millennials and Gen Z with his ‘hypebeast’ videos. Lee Hsien Loong’s brother Lee Hsien Yang joined PSP to campaign, but not to contest. The Worker’s Party’s crowd favourite Jamus Lim wowed with his intelligence and eloquence at the debate, while Raeesah Khan started an entire movement called #IStandWithRaeesah. The ruling party also made a few viral gaffes, while a candidate withdrew his candidacy based on allegations of his past behaviour.
PAP loses most seats to opposition since independence, vote share falls to 61.24%
The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has suffered its worst electoral performance since independence in terms of the number of seats lost to the opposition, as the Workers’ Party won Sengkang GRC and retained Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC.
The PAP won 61.24 per cent of the votes cast and 83 seats out of 93 at the General Election (GE) held amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Its vote share was a sharp drop from 69.9 per cent in GE2015. The results come after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged Singaporeans last month following the dissolution of Parliament to give the PAP a strong mandate in order to empower the government to continue dealing with the severe impact of the pandemic.
Speaking at a media conference after the GE results were announced, Lee said the percentage of the popular vote for the PAP was “not as good as we hoped for”. The results reflected the “pain and uncertainty” of Singaporeans. The loss of Sengkang GRC was a major loss to the PAP team, said Lee, adding that he has called to congratulate the Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh. The PAP GRC team was anchored by Ng Chee Meng, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and labour chief.
Baptism of fire for half of PAP's candidates contesting in SMCs
PAP's Mr Yip Hon Weng (right), who won Yio Chu Kang SMC against PSP's Kayla Low, having a fist-bump with PSP chief Tan Cheng Bock while on the campaign trail.PHOTO: AFP
For half of the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) candidates contesting in the 14 single-member constituencies (SMC), the 2020 General Elections was a baptism of fire in different ways.
Political rookies Mr Yip Hon Weng, former group chief of the Silver Generation Office under the Agency for Integrated Care, and Ms Gan Siow Huang, Singapore’s first female brigadier-general, were sent to contest the Yio Chu Kang and Marymount wards respectively.
Despite being untested in electoral battles, much less in solo ones, both candidates triumphed against their respective Progress Singapore Party (PSP) opponents Kayla Low and Dr Ang Yong Guan.
Ivan Lim makes surprise appearance in PAP's Jurong GRC thank-you video
He might have withdrawn from running in GE2020, but it won't be the last time we'll see Ivan Lim, it seems.
In a Facebook Live video early this morning (July 11), the People's Action Party (PAP) team comprising Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Dr Tan Wu Meng, Rahayu Mahzam, Shawn Huang and Xie Yao Quan took turns to thank voters for their support after winning Jurong GRC with 74.62 per cent of the votes.
However, the sight of a sixth person in a thank-you video for a five-member GRC caught viewers' eyes.
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'We can't simply write off and destroy people like this': PM Lee says claims against Ivan Lim to be investigated
"I think Ivan did the right thing to decide to withdraw, and not to have this election distracted by his case. "But I don't think that should be the end of the matter because we can't let such serious things we said about somebody, and have somebody leave in a cloud permanently hanging over him and a question mark."
PM Lee added that it would be "unfair to Ivan", and "set a very damaging precedent" that one can condemn someone and "write him off" based on an internet campaign.
We don't have time to settle it now but we can't simply write off and destroy people like this. So after the election, the party will investigate the veracity of the allegations agaist Ivan and we will come to a view on the matter," said Lee.
Why one party dominates Singapore politics
Singaporeans are expected to return the People's Action Party to power in a July 10 general election, extending its unbroken rule since the Southeast Asian island's independence in 1965.
In that time, Singapore has had only three prime ministers: independence leader Lee Kuan Yew, his cabinet colleague Goh Chok Tong and Lee's son, the present prime minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Having overseen rapid economic growth and prosperity, the PAP has become entrenched in power. But there are other factors that have kept rivals at bay:
- UNIQUE MODEL
- CONSTRAINTS
- DISPARATE GROUP
- LEGAL PROBLEMS
4,794 votes cast overseas, taking total voter turnout this election to 95.81%
A total of 4,794 registered overseas electors turned up to cast their votes at overseas polling stations this General Election, the Elections Department (ELD) said on Wednesday (Jul 15).
This makes up 72.97 per cent of the number of registered overseas electors, said ELD.
With the addition of these votes, the total number of votes cast in the Singapore General Election 2020 is 2,540,359, including 45,822 rejected votes, said ELD. This is 95.81 per cent of the 2,651,435 registered electors.
TOTAL VOTES CAST AT GE2020 (source ELD)
Total Electors: 2,651,435
Total Votes Cast: 2,540,359 (inclusive of 45,822 rejected votes)
Percentage of Total Votes Cast Against Total Electors: 95.81%
Absentee Votes: 111,076 (Percentage Against Total Electors 4.19%)
MPs: 14 SMCs &17 GRCs
Number of Seats Won: PAP 83 vs WP 10
Share of Valid Votes:
- PAP 61.24%
- WP 11.22%
- PSP 10.18%
- SDP 4.45%
- NSP 3.76%
- PV 2.37%
- RP 2.19%
- SPP 1.52%
- SDA 1.49%
- RDU 1.25%
- PPP 0.30%
- IND 0.03%
GE2020 Official Results including 4,794 Oversea Voters (source ELD)
Aljunied
Number of Electors: 150,821
WP: 85,815 (59.95%)
PAP: 57,330 (40.05%)
Majority: 28,485 (19.89%)
Ang Mo Kio
Number of Electors: 185,261
PAP: 124,597 (71.91%)
RP: 48,677 (28.09%)
Majority: 75,920 (43.81%)
Bishan-Toa Payoh
Number of Electors: 101,220
PAP: 62,983 (67.23%)
SPP: 30,696 (32.77%)
Majority: 32,287 (34.52%)
Bukit Batok
Number of Electors: 29,948
PAP: 15,500 (54.80%)
SDP: 12,787 (45.20%)
Majority: 2,713 (9.6%)
Bukit Panjang
Number of Electors: 35,437
PAP: 18,085 (53.73%)
SDP: 15,576 (46.27%)
Majority: 2,509 (7.48%)
Chua Chu Kang
Number of Electors: 106,632
PAP: 59,554 (58.64%)
PSP: 42,012 (41.36%)
Majority: 17,542 (17.29%)
East Coast
Number of Electors: 121,644
PAP: 61,144 (53.39%)
WP: 53,375 (46.61%)
Majority: 7,769 (6.82%)
Holland-Bukit Timah
Number of Electors: 114,973
PAP: 71,218 (66.36%)
SDP: 36,100 (33.64%)
Majority: 35,118 (32.72%)
Hong Kah North
Number of Electors: 28,046
PAP: 16,347 (60.99%)
PSP: 10,457 (39.01%)
Majority: 5,890 (21.96%)
Hougang
Number of Electors: 26,432
WP: 15,451 (61.21%)
PAP: 9,791 (38.79%)
Majority: 5,660 (22.38%)
Jalan Besar
Number of Electors: 107,720
PAP: 64,631 (65.36%)
PV: 34,261 (34.64%)
Majority: 30,370 (30.74%)
Jurong
Number of Electors: 131,058
PAP: 91,846 (74.61%)
RDU: 31,260 (25.39%)
Majority: 60,586 (49.24%)
Kebun Baru
Number of Electors: 22,623
PAP: 13,309 (62.92%)
PSP: 7,842 (37.08%)
Majority: 5,467 (25.94%)
MacPherson
Number of Electors: 28,513
PAP: 19,009 (71.74%)
PPP: 7,489 (28.26%)
Majority: 11,520 (43.48%)
Marine Parade
Number of Electors: 139,622
PAP: 75,203 (57.74%)
WP: 55,047 (42.26%)
Majority: 20,156 (15.52%)
Marsiling-Yew Tee
Number of Electors: 117,077
PAP: 69,813 (63.18%)
SDP: 40,690 (36.82%)
Majority: 29,123 (26.36%)
Marymount
Number of Electors: 23,431
PAP: 12,173 (55.04%)
PSP: 9,943 (44.96%)
Majority: 2,230 (10.08%)
Mountbatten
Number of Electors: 24,246
PAP: 16,285 (73.82%)
PV: 5,775 (26.18%)
Majority: 10,510 (47.68%)
Nee Soon
Number of Electors: 146,902
PAP: 86,308 (61.90%)
PSP: 53,131 (38.10%)
Majority: 33,177 (23.80%)
Pasir Ris-Punggol
Number of Electors: 166,556
PAP: 100,932 (64.16%)
SDA: 37,237 (23.67%)
PV: 19,147 (12.17%)
Majority: 44,548 (28.30%)
Pioneer
Number of Electors: 24,653
PAP: 14,593 (62.00%)
PSP: 8,289 (35.22%)
IND: 655 (2.78%)
Majority: 5,649 (23.96%)
Potong Pasir
Number of Electors: 19,731
PAP: 11,264 (60.67%)
SPP: 7,302 (39.33%)
Majority: 3,962 (21.38%)
Punggol West
Number of Electors: 26,587
PAP: 15,655 (60.98%)
WP: 10,017 (39.02%)
Majority: 5,538 (21.94%)
Radin Mas
Number of Electors: 24,931
PAP: 16,864 (74.01%)
RP: 5,922 (25.99%)
Majority: 10,922 (48.06%)
Sembawang
Number of Electors: 147,786
PAP: 94,176 (67.29%)
NSP: 45,778 (32.71%)
Majority: 48,398 (34.58%)
Sengkang
Number of Electors: 120,100
WP: 60,217 (52.12%)
PAP: 55,319 (47.88%)
Majority: 4,898 (4.26%)
Tampines
Number of Electors: 151,589
PAP: 94,668 (66.41%)
NSP: 47,875 (33.59%)
Majority: 46,793 (32.82%)
Tanjong Pagar
Number of Electors: 134,494
PAP: 78,330 (63.10%)
PSP: 45,807 (36.90%)
Majority: 32,523 (26.26%)
West Coast
Number of Electors: 146,089
PAP: 71,658 (51.68%)
PSP: 66,996 (48.32%)
Majority: 4662 (3.38%)
Yio Chu Kang
Number of Electors: 25,962
PAP: 14,775 (60.82%)
PSP: 9,519 (39.18%)
Majority: 5256 (21.66%)
Yuhua
Number of Electors: 21,351
PAP: 14,131 (70.54%)
SDP: 5,901 (29.46%)
Majority: 8230 (41.08%)
WP winning seats
Hougang SMC: WP 61.19% vs PAP 38.81%
Aljunied GRC: WP 59.93% vs PAP 40.07%
Sengkang GRC: WP 52.13% vs PAP 47.87%
Closest Winner vs Loser percentage
West Coast GRC: PAP 51.69% vs PSP 48.31%
East Coast GRC: PAP 53.41% vs WP 46.59%
Bukit Panjang SMC: PAP 53.74% vs SDP 46.26%
Bukit Batok SMC: PAP 54.80% vs SDP 45.20%
Marymount SMC: PAP 55.04% vs PSP 44.96%
Marine Parade GRC: PAP 57.76% vs WP 42.24%
Chua Chu Kang GRC: PAP 58.64% vs PSP 41.36%
Highest percentage Winners:
01 Jurong GRC: PAP 74.62% vs RDU 25.38%
02 Radin Mas SMC: PAP 74.03% vs RP 25.97%
03 Mountbatten SMC: PAP 73.84% vs PV 26.16%
04 Ang Mo Kio GRC: PAP 71.91% vs RP 28.09%
05 MacPherson SMC: PAP 71.74% vs PPP 28.26%
06 Yuhua SMC: PAP 70.54% vs SDP 29.46%
07 Sembawang GRC: PAP 67.29% vs NSP 32.71%
08 Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC: PAP 67.26% vs SPP 32.74%
09 Tampines GRC: PAP 66.41% vs NSP 33.59%
10 Holland-Bukit Timah GRC: PAP 66.36% vs SDP 33.64%
11 Jalan Besar GRC: PAP 65.37% vs PV 34.63%
12 Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC: PAP 64.15% vs SDA 23.67% vs PV 12.18%
13 Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC: PAP 63.18% vs SDP 36.82%
14 Tanjong Pagar GRC: PAP 63.13% vs PSP 36.87%
15 Kebun Baru SMC: PAP 62.97% vs PSP 37.03%
16 Pioneer SMC: PAP 61.98% vs PSP 35.24% vs IND 2.78%
17 Nee Soon GRC: PAP 61.90% vs PSP 38.10%
18 Hougang SMC: WP 61.19% vs PAP 38.81%
19 Hong Kah North SMC: PAP 60.98% vs PSP 39.02%
20 Punggol West SMC: PAP 60.97% vs WP 39.03%
21 Yio Chu Kang SMC: PAP 60.83% vs PSP 39.17%
22 Potong Pasir SMC: PAP 60.69% vs SPP 39.31%
23 Aljunied GRC: WP 59.93% vs PAP 40.07%
24 Chua Chu Kang GRC: PAP 58.64% vs PSP 41.36%
25 Marine Parade GRC: PAP 57.76% vs WP 42.24%
26 Marymount SMC: PAP 55.04% vs PSP 44.96%
27 Bukit Batok SMC: PAP 54.80% vs SDP 45.20%
28 Bukit Panjang SMC: PAP 53.74% vs SDP 46.26%
29 East Coast GRC: PAP 53.41% vs WP 46.59%
30 Sengkang GRC: WP 52.13% vs PAP 47.87%
31 West Coast GRC: PAP 51.69% vs PSP 48.31%
GE2020 Results not including 4,794 Oversea Voters (source CNA)
Aljunied GRC
Number of Electors: 151,007
Total Votes Cast: 144,429 (Absentee Votes 6,578 or 4.36%)
Total Valid Votes: 142,847
Spoilt Votes: 1,582
WP 85,603 Votes (Valid) 59.93 Votes (%)
PAP 57,244 Votes (Valid) 40.07 Votes (%)
Majority: 28,359 Votes (Valid)
Number of Electors: 185,465
Total Votes Cast: 178,039 (Absentee Votes 7426 or 4.00%)
Total Valid Votes: 173,030
Spoilt Votes: 5,009
PAP 124,430 Votes (Valid) 71.91 Votes (%)
RP 48,600 Votes (Valid) 28.09 Votes (%)
Majority: 75,830 Votes (Valid)
Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC
Number of Electors: 101,366Total Votes Cast: 95,490 (Absentee Votes 5876 or 5.80%)
Total Valid Votes: 93,447
Spoilt Votes: 2,043
PAP 62,853 Votes (Valid) 67.26 Votes (%)
SPP 30,594 Votes (Valid) 32.74 Votes (%)
Majority: 32,259 Votes (Valid)
Bukit Batok SMC
Number of Electors: 29,950Total Votes Cast: 28,773 (Absentee Votes 1,177 or 3.93%)
Total Valid Votes: 28,240
Spoilt Votes: 533
PAP 15,476 Votes (Valid) 54.80 Votes (%)
SDP 12,764 Votes (Valid) 45.20 Votes (%)
Majority: 2,712 Votes (Valid)
Number of Electors: 35,497
Total Votes Cast: 34,212 (Absentee Votes 1,285 or 3.62%)
Total Valid Votes: 33,626
Spoilt Votes: 586
PAP 18,070 Votes (Valid) 53.74 Votes (%)
SDP 15,556 Votes (Valid) 46.26 Votes (%)
Majority: 2,514 Votes (Valid)
Number of Electors: 106,693
Total Votes Cast: 102,814 (Absentee Votes 3,879 or 3.63%)
Total Valid Votes: 101,404
Spoilt Votes: 1,410
PAP 59,462 Votes (Valid) 58.64 Votes (%)
PSP 41,942 Votes (Valid) 41.36 Votes (%)
Majority: 17,520 Votes (Valid)
Number of Electors: 121,772
Total Votes Cast: 115,630 (Absentee Votes 6,142 or 5.04%)
Total Valid Votes: 114,237
Spoilt Votes: 1,393
PAP 61,009 Votes (Valid) 53.41 Votes (%)
WP 53,228 Votes (Valid) 46.59 Votes (%)
Majority: 7,781 Votes (Valid)
Holland-Bukit Timah GRC
Number of Electors: 115,012Total Votes Cast: 108,928 (Absentee Votes 6,084 or 5.29%)
Total Valid Votes: 106,935
Spoilt Votes: 1,993
PAP 70,963 Votes (Valid) 66.36 Votes (%)
SDP 35,972 Votes (Valid) 33.64 Votes (%)
Majority: 34,991 Votes (Valid)
Hong Kah North SMC
Number of Electors: 28,071Total Votes Cast: 27,188 (Absentee Votes 833 or 3.15%)
Total Valid Votes: 26,785
Spoilt Votes: 403
PAP 16,333 Votes (Valid) 60.98 Votes (%)
PSP 10,452 Votes (Valid) 39.02 Votes (%)
Majority: 5,881 Votes (Valid)
Number of Electors: 26,468
Total Votes Cast: 25,464 (Absentee Votes 1,004 or 3.80%)
Total Valid Votes: 25,192
Spoilt Votes: 272
WP 15,416 Votes (Valid) 61.19 Votes (%)
PAP 9,776 Votes (Valid) 38.81 Votes (%)
Majority: 5,640 Votes (Valid)
Jalan Besar GRC
Number of Electors: 107,936Total Votes Cast: 101,650 (Absentee Votes 6,286 or 5.82%)
Total Valid Votes: 98,707
Spoilt Votes: 2,943
PAP 64,522 Votes (Valid) 65.37 Votes (%)
PV 34,185 Votes (Valid) 34.63 Votes (%)
Majority: 30,337 Votes (Valid)
Jurong GRC
Number of Electors: 131,234
Total Votes Cast: 125,400 (Absentee Votes 5,834 or 4.45%)
Total Valid Votes: 122,883
Spoilt Votes: 2,517
PAP 91,692 Votes (Valid) 74.62 Votes (%)
RDU 31,191 Votes (Valid) 25.38 Votes (%)
Majority: 60,501 Votes (Valid)
Total Votes Cast: 125,400 (Absentee Votes 5,834 or 4.45%)
Total Valid Votes: 122,883
Spoilt Votes: 2,517
PAP 91,692 Votes (Valid) 74.62 Votes (%)
RDU 31,191 Votes (Valid) 25.38 Votes (%)
Majority: 60,501 Votes (Valid)
Kebun Baru SMC
Number of Electors: 22,653
Total Votes Cast: 21,483 (Absentee Votes 1,170 or 5.16%)
Total Valid Votes: 21,096
Spoilt Votes: 387
PAP 13,284 Votes (Valid) 62.97 Votes (%)
PSP 7,812 Votes (Valid) 37.03 Votes (%)
Majority: 5,472 Votes (Valid)
Total Votes Cast: 21,483 (Absentee Votes 1,170 or 5.16%)
Total Valid Votes: 21,096
Spoilt Votes: 387
PAP 13,284 Votes (Valid) 62.97 Votes (%)
PSP 7,812 Votes (Valid) 37.03 Votes (%)
Majority: 5,472 Votes (Valid)
MacPherson SMC
Number of Electors: 28,564Total Votes Cast: 27,085 (Absentee Votes 1,479 or 5.18%)
Total Valid Votes: 26,460
Spoilt Votes: 625
PAP 18,983 Votes (Valid) 71.74 Votes (%)
PPP 7,477 Votes (Valid) 28.26 Votes (%)
Majority: 11,506 Votes (Valid)
Number of Electors: 139,738
Total Votes Cast: 131,630 (Absentee Votes 8,108 or 5.80%)
Total Valid Votes: 129,843
Spoilt Votes: 1,787
PAP 74,993 Votes (Valid) 57.76 Votes (%)
WP 54,850 Votes (Valid) 42.24 Votes (%)
Majority: 20,143 Votes (Valid)
Number of Electors: 117,176
Total Votes Cast: 112,460 (Absentee Votes 4,716 or 4.02%)
Total Valid Votes: 110,363
Spoilt Votes: 2,097
PAP 69722 Votes (Valid) 63.18 Votes (%)
SDP 40641 Votes (Valid) 36.82 Votes (%)
Majority: 29,181 Votes (Valid)
Number of Electors: 23,444
Total Votes Cast: 22,366 (Absentee Votes 1,078 or 4.60%)
Total Valid Votes: 22,061
Spoilt Votes: 305
PAP 12,143 Votes (Valid) 55.04 Votes (%)
PSP 9,918 Votes (Valid) 44.96 Votes (%)
Majority: 2,225 Votes (Valid)
Mountbatten SMC
Number of Electors: 24,267Total Votes Cast: 22,559 (Absentee Votes 1,708 or 7.04%)
Total Valid Votes: 21,975
Spoilt Votes: 854
PAP 16,227 Votes (Valid) 73.84 Votes (%)
PV 5,748 Votes (Valid) 26.16 Votes (%)
Majority: 10,479 Votes (Valid)
Nee Soon GRC
Number of Electors: 147,047
Total Votes Cast: 141,488 (Absentee Votes 5,559 or 3.78%)
Total Valid Votes: 139,289
Spoilt Votes: 2,199
PAP 86,219 Votes (Valid) 61.90 Votes (%)
PSP 53,070 Votes (Valid) 38.10 Votes (%)
Majority: 33,249 Votes (Valid)
Total Votes Cast: 141,488 (Absentee Votes 5,559 or 3.78%)
Total Valid Votes: 139,289
Spoilt Votes: 2,199
PAP 86,219 Votes (Valid) 61.90 Votes (%)
PSP 53,070 Votes (Valid) 38.10 Votes (%)
Majority: 33,249 Votes (Valid)
Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC
Number of Electors: 166,587
Total Votes Cast: 160,470 (Absentee Votes 6,117 or 3.67%)
Total Valid Votes: 157,078
Spoilt Votes: 3,392
PAP 100,772 Votes (Valid) 64.15 Votes (%)
SDA 37,179 Votes (Valid) 23.67 Votes (%)
PV 19,127 Votes (Valid) 12.18 Votes (%)
Majority: 44,466 Votes (Valid)
Total Votes Cast: 160,470 (Absentee Votes 6,117 or 3.67%)
Total Valid Votes: 157,078
Spoilt Votes: 3,392
PAP 100,772 Votes (Valid) 64.15 Votes (%)
SDA 37,179 Votes (Valid) 23.67 Votes (%)
PV 19,127 Votes (Valid) 12.18 Votes (%)
Majority: 44,466 Votes (Valid)
Pioneer SMC
Number of Electors: 24,672
Total Votes Cast: 23,860 (Absentee Votes 812 or 3.29%)
Total Valid Votes: 23,510
Spoilt Votes: 350
PAP 14,571 Votes (Valid) 61.98Votes (%)
PSP 8,285 Votes (Valid) 35.24 Votes (%)
IND 654 Votes (Valid) 02.78 Votes (%)
Majority: 5,632 Votes (Valid)
Total Votes Cast: 23,860 (Absentee Votes 812 or 3.29%)
Total Valid Votes: 23,510
Spoilt Votes: 350
PAP 14,571 Votes (Valid) 61.98Votes (%)
PSP 8,285 Votes (Valid) 35.24 Votes (%)
IND 654 Votes (Valid) 02.78 Votes (%)
Majority: 5,632 Votes (Valid)
Potong Pasir SMC
Number of Electors: 19,740
Total Votes Cast: 18,785 (Absentee Votes 955 or 4.84%)
Total Valid Votes: 18,507
Spoilt Votes: 278
PAP 11,232 Votes (Valid) 60.69Votes (%)
SPP 7,275 Votes (Valid) 39.31 Votes (%)
Majority: 3,957 Votes (Valid)
Total Votes Cast: 18,785 (Absentee Votes 955 or 4.84%)
Total Valid Votes: 18,507
Spoilt Votes: 278
PAP 11,232 Votes (Valid) 60.69Votes (%)
SPP 7,275 Votes (Valid) 39.31 Votes (%)
Majority: 3,957 Votes (Valid)
Punggol West SMC
Number of Electors: 26,579
Total Votes Cast: 25,865 (Absentee Votes 714 or 2.69%)
Total Valid Votes: 25,649
Spoilt Votes: 216
PAP 15,637 Votes (Valid) 60.97 Votes (%)
WP 10,012 Votes (Valid) 39.03 Votes (%)
Majority: 5,625 Votes (Valid)
Total Votes Cast: 25,865 (Absentee Votes 714 or 2.69%)
Total Valid Votes: 25,649
Spoilt Votes: 216
PAP 15,637 Votes (Valid) 60.97 Votes (%)
WP 10,012 Votes (Valid) 39.03 Votes (%)
Majority: 5,625 Votes (Valid)
Radin Mas SMC
Number of Electors: 24,980
Total Votes Cast: 22,556 (Absentee Votes 1,424 or 5.70%)
Total Valid Votes: 22,739
Spoilt Votes: 817
PAP 16,834 Votes (Valid) 74.03 Votes (%)
RP 5,905 Votes (Valid) 25.97 Votes (%)
Majority: 10,929 Votes (Valid)
Total Votes Cast: 22,556 (Absentee Votes 1,424 or 5.70%)
Total Valid Votes: 22,739
Spoilt Votes: 817
PAP 16,834 Votes (Valid) 74.03 Votes (%)
RP 5,905 Votes (Valid) 25.97 Votes (%)
Majority: 10,929 Votes (Valid)
Sembawang GRC
Number of Electors: 147,876
Total Votes Cast: 142,742 (Absentee Votes 5,134 or 3.47%)
Total Valid Votes: 139,795
Spoilt Votes: 2,947
PAP 94,068 Votes (Valid) 67.29 Votes (%)
NSP 45,727 Votes (Valid) 32.71 Votes (%)
Majority: 48,341 Votes (Valid)
Total Votes Cast: 142,742 (Absentee Votes 5,134 or 3.47%)
Total Valid Votes: 139,795
Spoilt Votes: 2,947
PAP 94,068 Votes (Valid) 67.29 Votes (%)
NSP 45,727 Votes (Valid) 32.71 Votes (%)
Majority: 48,341 Votes (Valid)
Number of Electors: 120,166
Total Votes Cast: 116,544 (Absentee Votes 3,622 or 3.01%)
Total Valid Votes: 115,350
Spoilt Votes: 1,194
WP 60,136 Votes (Valid) 52.13 Votes (%)
PAP 55,214 Votes (Valid) 47.87 Votes (%)
Majority: 4,922 Votes (Valid)
Tampines GRC
Number of Electors: 151,708
Total Votes Cast: 145,896 (Absentee Votes 5,812 or 3.83%)
Total Valid Votes: 142,380
Spoilt Votes: 3,516
PAP 94,561 Votes (Valid) 66.41 Votes (%)
NSP 47,819 Votes (Valid) 33.59 Votes (%)
Majority: 46,742 Votes (Valid)
Total Votes Cast: 145,896 (Absentee Votes 5,812 or 3.83%)
Total Valid Votes: 142,380
Spoilt Votes: 3,516
PAP 94,561 Votes (Valid) 66.41 Votes (%)
NSP 47,819 Votes (Valid) 33.59 Votes (%)
Majority: 46,742 Votes (Valid)
Tanjong Pagar GRC
Number of Electors: 134,642
Total Votes Cast: 125,618 (Absentee Votes 9,024 or 6.70%)
Total Valid Votes: 123,688
Spoilt Votes: 1,930
PAP 78,079 Votes (Valid) 63.13 Votes (%)
PSP 45,609 Votes (Valid) 36.87 Votes (%)
Majority: 32,470 Votes (Valid)
Total Votes Cast: 125,618 (Absentee Votes 9,024 or 6.70%)
Total Valid Votes: 123,688
Spoilt Votes: 1,930
PAP 78,079 Votes (Valid) 63.13 Votes (%)
PSP 45,609 Votes (Valid) 36.87 Votes (%)
Majority: 32,470 Votes (Valid)
Number of Electors: 146,251
Total Votes Cast: 140,061 (Absentee Votes 6,109 or 4.23%)
Total Valid Votes: 138,416
Spoilt Votes: 1,645
PAP 71,545 Votes (Valid) 51.69 Votes (%)
PSP 66,871 Votes (Valid) 48.31 Votes (%)
Majority: 4,674 Votes (Valid)
Yio Chu Kang SMC
Number of Electors: 26,005
Total Votes Cast: 24,669 (Absentee Votes 1,336 or 5.14%)
Total Valid Votes: 24,256
Spoilt Votes: 413
PAP 14,756 Votes (Valid) 60.83 Votes (%)
PSP 9,500 Votes (Valid) 39.17 Votes (%)
Majority: 5,256 Votes (Valid)
Total Votes Cast: 24,669 (Absentee Votes 1,336 or 5.14%)
Total Valid Votes: 24,256
Spoilt Votes: 413
PAP 14,756 Votes (Valid) 60.83 Votes (%)
PSP 9,500 Votes (Valid) 39.17 Votes (%)
Majority: 5,256 Votes (Valid)
Yuhua SMC
Number of Electors: 21,376
Total Votes Cast: 20,411 (Absentee Votes 965 or 4.51%)
Total Valid Votes: 20,005
Spoilt Votes: 406
PAP 14,111 Votes (Valid) 70.54 Votes (%)
SDP 5894 Votes (Valid) 29.46 Votes (%)
Majority: 8,217 Votes (Valid)
Total Votes Cast: 20,411 (Absentee Votes 965 or 4.51%)
Total Valid Votes: 20,005
Spoilt Votes: 406
PAP 14,111 Votes (Valid) 70.54 Votes (%)
SDP 5894 Votes (Valid) 29.46 Votes (%)
Majority: 8,217 Votes (Valid)
COMPLETE LIST OF ALL MPS WHO RETIRED IN GE2020
This year, despite that pesky coronavirus roaming around the country, Singapore will have a General Election, with just 9 days until voters cast their ballots. While we’ve seen many new faces enter the political arena, many others have bid goodbye after years and even decades of service.
During the launch of the People’s Action Party’s manifesto on Saturday (27 Jun), PM Lee announced that 20 MPs will retire this year. 20 MPs from PAP, that is. If you take into account the three from the Worker’s Party (WP), that number goes up to 23.
PAP:
- Ang Hin Kee (two terms), Ang Mo Kio GRC
- Chia Shi-Lu (two terms), Tanjong Pagar GRC
- Charles Chong (seven terms), Punggol East SMC
- Fatimah Lateef (three terms), Marine Parade GRC
- Cedric Foo Chee Keng (four terms), Pioneer SMC
- Goh Chok Tong (10 terms), Marine Parade GRC
- Intan Azura Mokhtar (two terms), Ang Mo Kio GRC
- Khaw Boon Wan (four terms), Sembawang GRC
- Lee Bee Wah (three terms), Nee Soon GRC
- Lee Yi Shyan (three terms), East Coast GRC
- Lim Hng Kiang (six terms), West Coast GRC
- Lim Swee Say (five terms), East Coast GRC
- Lily Neo (five terms), Jalan Besar GRC
- Ong Teng Koon (two terms), Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC
- Sam Tan (three terms), Radin Mas SMC
- Teo Ho Pin (five terms), Bukit Panjang SMC
- Teo Ser Luck (three terms), Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC
- Yaacob Ibrahim (five terms), Jalan Besar GRC
- Yee Chia Hsing (one term), Choa Chu Kang GRC
- Zainal Sapari (two terms), Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC
- Chen Show Mao (Aljunied GRC) (One Term)
- Low Thia Khiang (Hougang SMC, Aljunied GRC) (6 Terms)
- Png Eng Huat (Hougang SMC) (One Term)
read more
Profiles of PAP's 27 new candidates
The People's Action Party (PAP) on Friday (June 26) introduced eight more new candidates to contest the election on July 10.
With this round of introductions, the PAP has in all unveiled 27 new faces for the upcoming polls. Previously it had said it would present 26 new candidates.
Here's a look at the candidates' profiles:
- DESMOND TAN KOK MING, 50 (Former People's Association head)
- EDWARD CHIA BING HUI, 36 (Co-founder/managing director Timbre Group)
- NADIA AHMAD SAMDIN, 30 (Associate director at TSMP Law Corporation)
- DON WEE BOON HONG, 43 (Senior vice-president at UOB)
- MOHD FAHMI ALIMAN, 48 (Former Islamic Religious Council of S'pore DCE)
- YIP HON WENG, 43 (Former group chief of Silver Generation Office)
- HANY SOH HUI BIN, 33 (Director at MSC Law Corporation)
- DR TAN SEE LENG, 55 (Former Parkway Holdings Group chief executive)
- TAN KIAT HOW, 43 (Former IMDA chief executive)
- NG LING LING, 48 (Former managing director of Community Chest)
- ZHULKARNAIN ABDUL RAHIM, 39 (Lawyer)
- MS YEO WAN LING, 44 (Chief executive of social enterprise Caregiver Asia)
- MR ALVIN TAN SHENG HUI, 39 (Head Public Policy Economics @ LinkedIn)
- DR WAN RIZAL WAN ZAKARIAH, 42 (Senior lecturer Republic Polytechnic)
- MR ERIC CHUA SWEE LEONG, 41 (Former director SGSecure programme)
- MR RAYMOND LYE HOONG YIP, 54 (Managing partner at Union Law LLP)
- MS POH LI SAN, 44 (VP for Terminal 5 planning at Changi Airport Group)
- MR DERRICK GOH SOON HEE, 51 (MD & head of group audit at DBS Bank)
- MS GAN SIOW HUANG, 46 (Former air force brigadier-general)
- MS RACHEL ONG SIN YEN, 47 (Rohei chief executive)
- MR MOHD SHARAEL TAHA, 39 (VP strategy/project management S'pore Aero)
- MR ALEX YEO SHENG CHYE, 41 (Director at Niru & Co LLC)
- MS MARIAM JAAFAR, 43 (S'pore MD & partner for Boston Consulting Group)
- MR SHAWN HUANG, 37 (Director enterprise development Temasek Holdings)
- MS CHAN HUI YUH, 44 (Marketing director)
- MS CARRIE TAN, 38 (Founding ED of charity Daughters of Tomorrow)
- MR XIE YAO QUAN, 35 (Head of healthcare redesign at Alexandra Hospital)
read more
Netizens said that elderly Woman distributing Flyers look familiar
A man took a video of an elderly woman distributing flyers at a public area, due to wearing of personal protective gear many are not able to identify who she is.
8-days Campaign (1-8 Jul 2020) After Nominations closed on 30 Jun 2020
We're moving to Sengkang
LupSup Politics
The Cockles of our Hearts
A young voter
White Vs Blue, who squatted to talk to elderly cardboard collector in wheelchair
PM in-waiting Mr Heng Swee Keat after nomination
Alamak Thunder Upside Down Already
A campaign rally. Will support turn to votes?
Who is this distributing flyers?
GE2020: 'Free Rider' Tactics
GE2020: Winners and Losers
GE2020: Official Results
GE2020: Polling Day
GE2020: Cooling-Off Day
GE2020: Dancing around 10 million people
GE2020: 8-days Campaign
GE2020: PM’s Brother Not Running for Election
