Singaporeans voted yesterday in the most hotly contested election in the city-state’s history after massive turnouts at opposition rallies boosted chances that a two-party system would emerge from half a century of domination by the ruling party.
The People’s Action Party (PAP), cofounded by the late independence leader Lee Kuan Yew (李光耀) and now led by his son, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (李顯龍), was widely expected to retain a clear majority in the 89-seat parliament, but analysts said an emboldened opposition Workers’ Party (WP) — buoyed by turnouts of up to 30,000 at its rallies in contrast to weak attendance at PAP gatherings — could make further inroads after gains in the 2011 polls.
The PAP, which steered the former British colony to prosperity while using an iron fist to suppress dissent, was stunned in 2011 when its share of the vote plunged to 60 percent, its lowest ever.
Photo: Bloomberg
Government control of mainstream media was undermined in the campaign by independent portals and the opposition’s aggressive use of social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube.
Polls closed at 8pm after staying open for 12 hours and voting was orderly. Results were expected by midnight.
The turnout was 93 percent in 2011. Voting is mandatory in Singapore with few exemptions.
Despite its drop in popularity in 2011, the PAP won 80 seats thanks to the block-voting system, while the WP captured seven seats, the opposition’s highest ever.
Lee Hsien Loong had staked the PAP’s fate on its record.
“In this election, we are showing a report card. We are proud of it, I hope you are proud of it, too. We are asking you for a mandate,” he said in his final election rally speech on Wednesday.
However, the WP urged voters to support the building of a robust legislative opposition to rein in the PAP and force it to reform its policies on immigration, healthcare and social security.
“We cannot allow Singapore to fall into a situation where our survival depends only on the PAP, or just on any one party,” WP leader Low Thia Khiang (劉程強) said in a campaign speech.
Taiwanese Olympic badminton men’s doubles gold medalist Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and his new partner, Chiu Hsiang-chieh (邱相榤), clinched the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Taipei Open yesterday, becoming the second Taiwanese team to win a title in the tournament. Ranked 19th in the world, the Taiwanese duo defeated Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju of South Korea 21-18, 21-15 in a pulsating 43-minute final to clinch their first doubles title after teaming up last year. Wang, the men’s doubles gold medalist at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, partnered with Chiu in August last year after the retirement of his teammate Lee Yang
FALSE DOCUMENTS? Actor William Liao said he was ‘voluntarily cooperating’ with police after a suspect was accused of helping to produce false medical certificates Police yesterday questioned at least six entertainers amid allegations of evasion of compulsory military service, with Lee Chuan (李銓), a member of boy band Choc7 (超克7), and actor Daniel Chen (陳大天) among those summoned. The New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office in January launched an investigation into a group that was allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified medical documents. Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) has been accused of being one of the group’s clients. As the investigation expanded, investigators at New Taipei City’s Yonghe Precinct said that other entertainers commissioned the group to obtain false documents. The main suspect, a man surnamed
US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer began talks with high-ranking Chinese officials in Switzerland yesterday aiming to de-escalate a dispute that threatens to cut off trade between the world’s two biggest economies and damage the global economy. The US delegation has begun meetings in Geneva with a Chinese delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng (何立峰), Xinhua News Agency said. Diplomats from both sides also confirmed that the talks have begun, but spoke anonymously and the exact location of the talks was not made public. Prospects for a major breakthrough appear dim, but there is
The number of births in Taiwan fell to an all-time monthly low last month, while the population declined for the 16th consecutive month, Ministry of the Interior data released on Friday showed. The number of newborns totaled 8,684, which is 704 births fewer than in March and the lowest monthly figure on record, the ministry said. That is equivalent to roughly one baby born every five minutes and an annual crude birthrate of 4.52 per 1,000 people, the ministry added. Meanwhile, 17,205 deaths were recorded, resulting in a natural population decrease of 8,521, the data showed. More people are also leaving Taiwan, with net
RSS