An election with plenty at stake for every political party

Singapore

ELECTION fever is in the air, and all the political parties in Singapore are working overtime - both on the ground, and on their social media platforms - as the countdown begins to Nomination Day on June 30.

The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) is the only one that will contest all 93 seats, and all eyes are on the various opposition parties - 12, at last count - and where they will field their respective candidates.

BT looks at what's at stake for each of the parties as they prepare to battle for the votes of the more than 2.65 million Singaporeans who will cast their ballots in the July 10 general election.

People's Action Party (PAP)

Secretary-general: Lee Hsien Loong

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Chairman: Gan Kim Yong

This election is likely to be the last one for Lee Hsien Loong as Singapore's Prime Minister, for he intends to step down during the next parliamentary term - around 2022, the year he turns 70 - and hand over the reins to his deputy Heng Swee Keat.

This GE is also a big test for Mr Heng and the rest of the fourth-generation leaders as they seek a strong mandate to help them chart the course that Singapore will take for the next five to 10 years.

Many of the 4G ministers, including the likes of Chan Chun Sing, Lawrence Wong, Gan Kim Yong and Josephine Teo, have been front and centre in the government's response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Lee, in his televised speech on June 23, said Singapore needs a "capable Government, with the strong backing of the people", to see the country through the tumultuous times ahead.

The PAP has been in power for more than 60 years, dating back to its first victory at the 1959 election. At the last polls in 2015, the party secured 69.86 per cent of the popular vote and won 83 out of 89 seats.

Workers' Party (WP)

Secretary-general: Pritam Singh

Chairman: Sylvia Lim

The WP will once again defend its turf in Aljunied GRC and the Hougang single seat, even as it eyes scalps in other constituencies in the vicinity such as East Coast GRC and the newly-created Sengkang GRC.

Over the last few years, the party has had to deal with very public scrutiny over its management of the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council. The WP leaders are currently appealing a High Court ruling in a civil case brought against them by the town council over the issue.

Another big question mark going into the election is whether the party's former chief Low Thia Khiang - who suffered a head injury after a fall at home on April 30 and spent the next three weeks in hospital - will be fielded.

The WP is putting out several fresh faces at the election, among them Harvard graduate and economics professor Jamus Lim.

Singapore Democratic Party (SDP)

Secretary-general: Chee Soon Juan

Chairman: Paul Tambyah

The SDP, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in August, has not won a parliamentary seat since the 1997 election.

Party chief Chee Soon Juan has contested in five elections since entering politics in 1992, but has been unsuccessful each time, most recently in 2016 when he lost to the PAP's Murali Pillai in a by-election in Bukit Batok. He looks set to face Mr Murali in a rematch in the same constituency.

The SDP plans to field candidates in five constituencies - Holland-Bukit Timah and Marsiling-Yew Tee GRCs, and the single-seat wards of Yuhua, Bukit Panjang and Bukit Batok.

In April, the party launched a new campaign containing the issues and proposals it will raise at the election, including a push for the Goods and Services Tax to be suspended until the end of 2021, and having a scheme where the government pays those who are retrenched due to Covid-19 a portion of their last-drawn salary for 18 months.

Singapore People's Party (SPP)

Secretary-general: Steve Chia

Chairman: Jose Raymond

For the first time in its history, the SPP is fielding a list of candidates that does not include its former chief Chiam See Tong or his wife Lina.

The party is putting forth just five candidates in two constituencies - the four-member Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and the Potong Pasir single ward.

Among the election newbies is SPP chairman Jose Raymond, a former journalist who is vying for the Potong Pasir seat where Mr Chiam served as MP for 27 years from 1984 to 2011.

The Bishan-Toa Payoh slate's most recognisable face is secretary-general Steve Chia, a former non-constituency MP who has taken part in four general elections to date.

Progress Singapore Party (PSP)

Secretary-general: Tan Cheng Bock

Chairman: Wang Swee Chuang

The 15-month-old PSP has generated quite a fair bit of attention largely because of Tan Cheng Bock, the former PAP backbencher who is now its founding secretary-general.

Among its more prominent members is Lee Hsien Yang, the younger brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. It is unclear, however, if he will be fielded as a candidate.

PSP could contest as many as 29 seats, with Dr Tan leading a five-person team in West Coast GRC. The 80-year-old was a PAP MP in Ayer Rajah for 26 years. The single ward was absorbed into West Coast GRC ahead of the 2006 election.

Among the party's other high-profile candidates are Hazel Poa, the former secretary-general of the National Solidarity Party; and Francis Yuen, a former Republic of Singapore Air Force colonel and former chief executive of Hong Leong Asia.

National Solidarity Party (NSP)

President: Reno Fong

Secretary-general: Spencer Ng

The NSP has expressed interest in placing candidates in Tampines and Sembawang GRCs, as well as the Pioneer and MacPherson single seats - the same constituencies that it contested at the last polls five years ago.

The party did not have much success in 2015, failing to pull in more than 30 per cent of the votes in all those constituencies. Its worst showing was in MacPherson, with Cheo Chai Chen losing his election deposit as he only garnered 0.82 per cent of the valid votes in a three-cornered fight.

Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA)

Secretary-general: Abu Mohamed

Chairman: Desmond Lim

The SDA was founded in 2001 by then-Potong Pasir MP Chiam See Tong, who wanted to have a coalition of smaller parties that could be stronger in elections against the ruling PAP.

The SDA - the only registered political alliance in Singapore - currently has just two members: the Singapore Justice Party and the Singapore Malay National Organisation. This time, SDA is looking to contest just one constituency - Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC - with Mr Lim leading the team there.

Singaporeans First (SingFirst)

Secretary-general: Tan Jee Say

Many voters in Singapore are familiar with SingFirst's leader Tan Jee Say, the former senior civil servant who was one of the four candidates in the 2011 Presidential Election.

Mr Tan, who was once the principal private secretary to then-Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, finished third in that election with 25 per cent of the votes.

SingFirst took part in its first general election in 2015 and was unsuccessful in its bid to win Tanjong Pagar and Jurong GRCs.

People's Power Party (PPP)

Secretary-general: Goh Meng Seng

Chairman: Syafarin Sarif

PPP chief Goh Meng Seng is a veteran opposition politician, having contested in 2011 in Tampines GRC with the National Solidarity Party, and in 2006 in Aljunied GRC with the Workers' Party.

He regularly posts videos on Facebook to highlight his displeasure with the PAP government's performance. In a Facebook post on June 23, PPP said it is likely to field candidates in the single seats of Radin Mas and MacPherson.

Reform Party (RP)

Secretary-general: Kenneth Jeyaretnam

Chairman: Andy Zhu

RP was formed by opposition veteran politician J B Jeyaretnam, who passed away in 2008 when the party was barely three months old. One of his two sons, Kenneth, has been the secretary-general ever since.

At this election, RP has its eyes on Ang Mo Kio GRC, and the single-seat wards of Radin Mas and Yio Chu Kang.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)

Secretary-general: Hamim Aliyas

Chairman: Ting Tze Jiang

The DPP is one of the oldest political parties in Singapore. Founded in 1973 as United Front, the party took on its current name in 1992.

The DPP has been conducting outreach efforts to engage residents in in Bishan-Toa Payoh, Marymount and Kebun Baru constituencies.

The party took part in the 2015 elections as part of a joint team under the Singapore People's Party banner. The five-member team, which included current chief Hamim Aliyas, earned 26.4 per cent of the votes as it lost to the PAP in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

People's Voice (PV)

Secretary-general: Lim Tean

PV - registered in October 2018 - is another party that's making its election debut this year.

It is headed by former NSP chief Lim Tean, a 55-year-old lawyer who has been in the news of late for representing blogger Leong Sze Hian in a defamation suit filed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

PV has announced its plans to contest in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, Jurong GRC, and the single seat ward of Punggol West. It has also been doing outreach in the Mountbatten and Pioneer wards, and Jalan Besar GRC. The party hopes to attract voters on its promises to "putting people first" and "making Singapore our home again".

Red Dot United (RDU)

Secretary-general: Ravi Philemon

RDU, the newest kid on the block, was registered only May 26 this year and it received its approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs on June 15. The party is set up by former Progress Singapore Party members, including its chief Ravi Philemon.

Mr Philemon could contest in the Hong Kah North single-member constituency, the same ward that he contested as a Singapore People's Party member five years ago.

The party has also said it is eyeing Jurong GRC, but may pull out of that constituency after PV laid claim to it too.

For more of our Singapore GE2020 coverage, go to bt.sg/ge2020

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