Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) will be facing its first ever serious challenge in the coming General Election (GE), if the opposition parties keep to their declaration.
At a horse-trading meeting organized by the Singapore Malay National Organization (PKMS) on Saturday, Singapore’s major opposition parties have come to an agreement to contest all of the 27 constituencies, eliminating any possibility of the PAP being returned to power on Nomination Day through walkovers.
The parties also agreed to avoid three-cornered fights in Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs), meaning most of the GRCs are likely to see a straight one-on-one fight.
However, in the case of the 12 Single-Member Constituencies (SMCs), the party leaders said discussions are still ongoing with a view to reaching a bilateral agreement to avoid three-cornered fights.
Saturday’s meeting was the opposition parties’ second in a week and the last to decide on the seat allocation for the coming GE, likely to be called in the second quarter of this year.
The PAP, founded by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, has never lost an election and has ruled Singapore since independence in 1965.
In the most recent GE in 2006, PAP took 82 of the 84 seats boasting a “strong mandate” of 66% of the total valid votes in which only 48% of eligible voters get to vote, due to walkovers.
Pamela
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