Nomination Day: PM Lee Hsien Loong and DPM Wong Kan Seng atrrive at
Deyi Secondary School. …
Expect a big fight between the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) and opposition
parties on polling day in Singapore on 7 May, as 82 out of 87
Parliamentary seats will be up for grabs.
Based on the papers filed at nomination centres on Wednesday,
Nomination Day, the five-seat Tanjong Pagar group representation
constituency (GRC) will be the only constituency to see no contest,
preventing an automatic return of government.
The PAP team led by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who has
represented Tanjong Pagar GRC for 56 years, have been declared
winners for the area.
A five-member team under the Singapore
Democratic Alliance and led by Socialist Front chairman
Ng Teck Siong attempted to file their candidacies at the Singapore
Chinese Girls' School, but they were 35 seconds too late.
The hottest contest is expected to be at the Aljunied GRC where the
Workers' Party chief and MP for Hougang single ward, Low Thia
Khiang, and his team will face off against the PAP slate led by
Foreign Minister George Yeo.
Low's team includes "star catch" Chen Show Mao, WP party chairman
Sylvia Lim, Pritam Singh and Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul. Yeo's team
comprises of Lim Hwee Hua, Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Cynthia Phua and
Ong Ye Kung.
Ms Lim made no bones about her party's decision to field their best
team at Aljunied GRC -- which was fiercely contested in 2006 -- and
said, "We are determined to make a breakthrough in Aljunied GRC. We
believe your lives will improve if PAP faces a strong challenge in
Parliament....We trust you. You are our secret
weapon."
Minister Yeo, on his part, expects a tough fight and said, "As
expected, WP has fielded a strong team at Aljunied GRC... But we
will fight hard to win every heart and mind of voters. We have
detailed plans to develop Aljunied in the next five years. This
will be a crucial contest...Give us your full
support."
Another opposition MP to try his hand at a GRC is Singapore
People's Party's Chiam See Tong, who has been the MP for Potong
Pasir for several terms. He will be contesting the Bishan-Toa Payoh
GRC against a PAP slate led by DPM Wong Kan Seng.
Chiam said, "Vote for SPP and the SPP will get the PAP to be more
accountable... If you want the credit, you must be able to take the
fall."
Even as opposition supporters chanted "Mas Selamat, Mas Selamat",
Minister Wong, on his part said, "You know what we have done for
the last five years. I know you will choose wisely."
All of the contests will be straight one-on-one fights except for
Punggol East single member constituency (SMC), where there
will be a three-cornered fight involving PAP's Michael Palmer, the
WP's Lee Li Lian and the SDA's secretary general, Desmond Lim.
In Ang Mo Kio GRC, the bailiwick of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong,
the Reform Party has fielded a team led by businessman Mansor
Rahman.
PM Lee said he "welcomes the contest" and that the PAP candidates
"will work as a team to win people's
support".
Meanwhile, the Singapore Democratic
Party led by Dr Vincent Wijeysingha said his team
raised two specific points of objection against the PAP team for
the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, but these objections were over-ruled
by the Assistant Returning Officer of the Elections Department.
Several of the opposition leaders called on voters to make the PAP
"accountable".
Nicole Seah, the GE's youngest candidate, from the National
Solidarity Party (NSP) team addressed the crowd: "Why is NSP in
Marine Parade GRC, a constituency that has not been contested for
19 years? It's because residents, citizens of Singapore, you have a
choice. You have a choice to hold the PAP accountable for its
policies."
SPP's Lina Chiam, wife of Chiam See Tong, who will be running in
Potong Pasir single ward, said: "For 27 years, you have supported
my husband... I salute Potong Pasir residents: You have the
unbeatable spirit, courage, bravery, pride and patriotism."
The PAP candidates reminded voters of what was at stake and the
PAP's track record.
MCYS Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan at Greenridge Secondary School
said: "This election is about our homes, our families, our children
and our jobs... Majulah PAP, Majulah Singapura."
Over the next nine days until "Cooling Off" day on Friday May 6th,
expect fierce election rhetoric and rallies from all sides to rage
across the island as the battle for the hearts and minds of voters
begins.
Singapore, how will you vote?
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