Winds of change waft across political scene

[SINGAPORE] The numbers may hint at only a mild setback for the ruling party which was returned to power, but Singaporeans awoke yesterday to a country whose political realities had shifted during the night.

With people voting for change and handing six seats to the Workers’ Party, including the Aljunied GRC, it was left to ruling party leaders to acknowledge that the environment had altered.

Reflecting on a victory that saw the People’s Action Party win 81 out of 87 seats, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: “I think many (voters) desire to see more opposition voices in Parliament to keep a check on the PAP government.” He added: “This election marks a distinct shift in our political landscape which all of us must adjust to.”

Mr Lee’s own popularity soared to new heights as the team he led in Ang Mo Kio GRC swept 69.3 per cent of the valid vote. Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong faced a tougher fight, with his team securing just 56.6 per cent of the valid vote in Marine Parade GRC, which has been uncontested since 1992 when PAP won 72.9 per cent of the vote.

“You know that there is a sea change in the political landscape. It’s a new landscape,” said Mr Goh yesterday. “We can feel the tide. People want to have alternative voices in Parliament. So, that tide was very strong.”

The tide saw PAP’s share of the popular vote fall to 60.1 per cent – its lowest since independence. It saw WP emerge as the most crediblopposition party with six seats and it saw Singapore lose its Foreign Minister George Yeo, whose team lost Aljunied.

In his final rally, Mr Yeo had made clear his view that PAP must reform. PM Lee agreed that much “studying and soul searching” will follow in the months ahead.

The pursuit of economic growth and ensuring that everyone benefits from that growth remains fundamental, but the PAP government will also be “engaging Singaporeans in the more difficult decisions and trade-offs”.

Earlier in the morning, as ecstatic supporters at Hougang Stadium celebrated, WP chief Low Thia Khiang hailed the Aljunied victory as “a political landmark in modern Singapore and a real breakthrough for future generations”. But he also noted the work was cut out for his team as they take their first step “towards a First World Parliament” – the party’s persistent cry this GE.

Based on WP’s manifesto and rallies, its six MPs and two potential non-constituency MPs (NCMPs) can be expected to raise questions over the electoral system, ministerial salaries, prices of new HDB flats and the CPF draw-down age in Parliament.

For now, Mr Low said yesterday that his team’s top priority is to ensure a smooth take-over of the Aljunied Town Council within 45 days, as required by law.

This election saw a voter turnout of 2.06 million, or 93 per cent of the 2.21 million registered voters in contested districts. WP took 46.6 per cent of votes for the 23 seats it contested, up from 38.4 per cent in 2006.

Opposition veteran Chiam See Tong’s political career may have ended with his bid for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, but his Singapore People’s Party (SPP) still hauled in 41.4 per cent of votes and his wife Lina Chiam, who lost Potong Pasir narrowly, will be offered an NCMP post.

SPP was followed by the National Solidarity Party (NSP) with 39.3 per cent, the Singapore Democratic Party with 36.8 per cent, the Reform Party with 31.8 per cent and the Singapore Democratic Alliance with 30.1 per cent.

SDA’s Desmond Lim is the only candidate who will forfeit his election deposit of $16,000, as he secured just 4.5 per cent of votes in the three-cornered Punggol East fight, below the requisite 12.5 per cent to get back the deposit.

The PAP popular vote has fallen some 6 percentage points compared to the 2006 elections.

Acknowledging this, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said yesterday: “I have also noted that, and I’m also sure that the PM and his team will sit down carefully and analyse the reasons and adapt our policies. I can’t say more. I’m not the Prime Minister.”

Of the 13 GRCs that were won by PAP – excluding Tanjong Pagar, which saw a walkover – six won the support of less than 60 per cent of the voting pool.

At East Coast GRC, the team helmed by labour chief Lim Swee Say and Transport Minister Raymond Lim, won just 54.8 per cent of the votes.

SM Goh said “I was expecting, to be honest, slightly better results” at Marine Parade GRC. He said that his fellow candidate Tin Pei Ling was a factor as she had been given a “negative image” from the start. NSP candidate Nicole Seah, in contrast, “communicated very well”.

In Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, the PAP team led by Wong Kan Seng – who was criticised for the escape of Mas Selamat – secured 56.9 per cent of the valid vote.

The winning margins are expected to come under scrutiny. A Cabinet reshuffle is also on the cards, prompted by defeats of Mr Yeo and Ms Lim Hwee Hua in Aljunied as well as Mr Lee’s promise that mistakes made by the government would not be repeated.

Mr Lee also intends to find his successor from the current pool of elected MPs.

His set of potential Cabinet ministers seems ready for a new form of governance, with Brigadier-General Tan Chuan-Jin noting that PAP does not “monopolise wisdom”.

“I know I will listen with respect. I will care for those who are less able to fend for themselves, and I will have the courage to do what’s right to change what needs to be changed,” said the now-MP of Marine Parade GRC during the PAP’s lunchtime rally.