2012-05-09 17:53
Singapore, May 9, 2012 (AFP) - Singapore on Wednesday set a parliamentary
by-election for May 26 amid growing discontent with the ruling
party over rising living costs, immigration and public transport
breakdowns.
The vote will be held in the district of Hougang, whose opposition
member of parliament Yaw Shin Leong was expelled by the Workers'
Party due to charges of personal misconduct, creating a vacancy in
the 87-member legislature.
Analysts said the vote will be a fresh test for the ruling People's
Action Party, one year after a landmark general election in which
its share of the national vote fell to an all-time low of 60
percent.
It has been in
power since 1959 but criticism of the government over rising living
costs, a large influx of foreigners and frequent breakdowns in the
metro train system has intensified on the Internet even after last
year's election.
Online forums and
social media now shape political debate in Singapore, a
traditionally tightly ruled country of 5.2 million people where the
mainstream media have long been identified with the
government.
In last year's vote, the Workers' Party won an unprecedented six
seats despite an electoral system seen as stacked in favour of the
ruling party.
Reuben Wong, an assistant professor of political science at the
National University of Singapore, believed the opposition will
retain Hougang but with a narrower margin because of the impact of
allegations of extramarital affairs by Yaw, who has remained
silent.
"Hougang has been a Workers' Party stronghold for so many years,
it's very difficult to wrest control from Workers' Party," Wong
told AFP.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in a statement after the
by-election was called, criticised the opposition party and Yaw for
failing to give a full account of the allegations as well as his
expulsion.
"Both the WP and Mr Yaw have let down all those who voted for him,"
Lee said.
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