Singapore will see 92 out of 97 seats contested in the May 3 general election, following several surprises on Nomination Day – including the first walkover since 2011.
A five-member PAP team in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, which the Workers’ Party (WP) was expected to contest, was elected unopposed when nomination proceedings ended at noon.
Other developments on April 23 included the last-minute redeployment of several heavyweight ministers – among them Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong to Punggol GRC – and the long-awaited confirmation of the WP’s line-up.
Senior counsel Harpreet Singh forms part of the WP’s four-member team for Punggol GRC, setting the stage for what looks to be one of the fiercest electoral battlegrounds in 2025.
The names of two PAP stalwarts – Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat – did not appear on nomination papers. Both will retire from politics.
Speaking later in the day, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the stakes are high, as the election will take place in a more turbulent world.
“No one can tell what this new global order will be like, but, clearly, it’s not going back to what it used to be,” he said.
“We are in the midst of a very messy and unpredictable transition, which means that the global conditions that underpin our success as a trading nation are changing, and may not be the same as before.”
PM Wong, who is secretary-general of the PAP, added that he expects a tough contest.
“The opposition is better organised than before, and, aside from the one walkover, every area will be fiercely contested,” he said.
In 2020, the PAP won 61.23 per cent of the popular vote, and was returned to power with 83 out of 93 seats. However, it lost a second GRC – Sengkang – to the WP.
On April 23, a total of 211 candidates filed their nomination papers, with the PAP the only party to field candidates for all 97 seats in 33 constituencies.
Its largest opponent, the WP, is fighting for 26 seats in five group representation constituencies and three single seats.
The Progress Singapore Party, which contested the largest number of seats of any opposition party in 2020, is fielding a scaled-back contingent of 13 candidates in six constituencies – four of which are single seats.
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh said he had expected “a lot of shuffling” on Nomination Day.
“It’s going to be a tough fight for the Workers’ Party, no matter who is on the PAP slate, and we have to respect our opponents. And the team will try its best,” he said.
DPM Gan’s unexpected move to Punggol GRC precipitated a series of redeployments across the island.
Chua Chu Kang GRC is now anchored by Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, while Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng leads Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.
With DPM Heng’s retirement, East Coast GRC is now led by Mr Edwin Tong, who is Minister for Culture, Community and Youth.
His team goes up against the WP’s slate, led by former Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong.
In 2020, the PAP won the five-member constituency with 53.39 per cent of the vote.
There were fewer surprises in the west of Singapore, where another closely watched battle will take place in West Coast-Jurong West GRC.
The PSP’s A-team, which includes its top three leaders – Dr Tan Cheng Bock, Mr Leong Mun Wai and Ms Hazel Poa – will have a rematch with National Development Minister Desmond Lee.
In 2020, Mr Leong and Ms Poa were made NCMPs after their team lost narrowly to the PAP, with 48.32 per cent of the vote.
Multi-cornered fights will take place in five-member Ang Mo Kio, Sembawang and Tampines GRCs, as well as the single seats of Potong Pasir and Radin Mas.
Tampines is the most hotly contested of the five, with three opposition parties – the WP, National Solidarity Party (NSP) and People’s Power Party (PPP) – set to go up against a PAP team led by Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli.
The WP team will be led by its vice-chair Faisal Manap, who was moved from Aljunied GRC, which he has represented in Parliament since 2011.
There are 2.76 million registered voters in this election, with more than 18,000 Singaporeans voting from overseas.
The Straits Times
