General Election - Coming Soon - 11th September

[Nihility]

There's a rally near my home today by the SDP. Can foreigners attend or loiter inconspicuously nearby to listen?

[Wd40]

In Tampines every tree and lamp post has a pap poster and an nsp poster below it. Looking at the sheer number of posters it looks like it will be a close fight.

[Barnsley]

Where is the confidence?

This is from Straits Times.

With all 89 parliamentary seats being contested in Friday's General Election, the rally talk last night turned to the possibility of a freak result and a surprise new government.

For National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan, anything is possible. Speaking in Sembawang GRC, he said there is no guarantee that the People's Action Party will form the next government.

"There is no 'safe seat' where victory is assured," the PAP chairman said.

"We cannot be sure of a PAP government on Sept 12."

And even if the PAP did get re-elected, Singapore could end up with a weak government unable to get things done for the people, he added.

But the Workers' Party, campaigning to persuade voters to ensure the opposition is entrenched in Parliament, accused the PAP of using scare tactics ahead of polling.

Its 28 candidates this year make up the biggest opposition slate, but the WP said it had no plans to be the government.

"Until you hear us say, 'Vote for us to form the next government', don't believe our opponents who say that we have hidden agendas and motives and plans," said Mr Gerald Giam, who is leading the WP team in East Coast GRC.

A coalition of opposition parties would also be out of the question, Mr Giam said, adding: "We could not even avoid three-cornered fights in all constituencies."

With just two days of campaigning left and Cooling-off Day on Thursday, Mr Khaw advised voters to assess the various parties' manifestos carefully and objectively and ask serious questions of candidates in their constituency.

"We all do such due diligence when we want to buy a new apartment," he said.

"GE is even more important than buying an apartment."

He urged voters not to dice with the future, saying: "We all know how much damage a weak government, paralysed by constant debate, can do to the country and to the people."

He reminded everyone of a key message from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, that this year's GE is about choosing Singapore's leadership for the future.

A wrong electoral decision "may have severe, if not tragic, consequences" and it may not be possible to reverse the outcome, he said.

He also recalled what the late founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew said in 1955: "We take the future for granted only at our own peril. We have survived because we are a practical and realistic people."

Mr Khaw said that message was as relevant today as it was then.

"Our success is because Singaporeans stay as one united people and work closely with the Government," he said, promising that the PAP would, as in the past, deliver on the promises it made.

Also speaking at the Sembawang rally, PAP candidate Ong Ye Kung said voters have the power to "write the last chapter of the PAP, or write the first chapter of a new PAP".

Contesting for the second time after being defeated at his first outing in Aljunied GRC in 2011, Mr Ong said the ruling party is prepared to "build upon our legacy and evolve with the times".

He made this point while noting that Singaporeans had remained divided after the keenly fought 2011 elections, allowing an "anti-social fringe" to exploit fissures in society, especially online.

These were put aside after the passing of Singapore's founding father Mr Lee, which reminded Singaporeans of their past struggles and brought them "back together as one again", he said.

While the PAP raised the possibility of an unexpected result on Saturday morning, the WP pressed on with urging voters to ensure the next Parliament will have opposition MPs.

At the WP rally in Marine Parade GRC, party chief Low Thia Khiang and candidates Pritam Singh and He Ting Ru warned of the dangers of one-party dominance.

Mr Low said the lack of opposition representation would leave Singaporeans so frustrated it could be like "a time bomb waiting to explode".

Mr Giam said some people "may be concerned about scare tactics used by the PAP" and he tried to allay fears the ruling party may end up losing power. The WP's goal this election, he said, was to entrench a credible opposition in Parliament.

Stressing that there was actually no such thing as a freak election result, he said: "Any result in a free and fair election will be the will of the people."

Today, PM Lee is expected to elaborate on the PAP's vision for the future when he speaks at the party's lunchtime rally at the UOB Plaza promenade near Boat Quay. There will be another 11 rallies tonight, including six more PAP rallies, before campaigning wraps up tomorrow.

[JR8]

Playing up any vulnerability seems to be a recurringly useful theme in post-independence SG.

[Or is your question rhetorical? ;-D]

[singapore eagle]

So, as we get to the last day of campaigning, what do we think is going to happen on Friday? (One of the oddities of Singapore elections is that there is absolutely no objective sense of how the parties are faring.)

My take:

- WP to add one more GRC and one more SMC, where they are up against an unpopular PAP Minister and an unpopular PAP MP
- status quo everywhere else
- PAP vote share to remain at around 60%, as a higher number of WP votes is offset by fewer people voting for the weaker opposition parties this time

[menudown]

- WP to add one more GRC and one more SMC, where they are up against an unpopular PAP Minister and an unpopular PAP MP

we can see that election rallies favour the opposition parties...
if that really turns into votes, then I can see this happening

[JR8]

(One of the oddities of Singapore elections is that there is absolutely no objective sense of how the parties are faring.)

---
'A longtime ban on the publication of pre-election voter surveys makes it difficult to predict the outcome.'
---
https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/huge- ... 52977.html

[ecureilx]

- WP to add one more GRC and one more SMC, where they are up against an unpopular PAP Minister and an unpopular PAP MP

we can see that election rallies favour the opposition parties...
if that really turns into votes, then I can see this happening

True

The large turnout at WP and CSJ's rallies are, to use simple words, "MEGA" !!

How much of that would turn into votes, is to be seen

A lot of local friends I know, were discussing which rally to go and watch, and almost all of them are involved in CC, PA, GRC or something. I dare not ask who they gonna vote.

However, A lot of painful stories of how current policies are so stubborn, that they are driving people towards the opposition, are appearing.

One among them, a guy who lost his house, has 120K in CPF, but not allowed to buy an apartment, even though he is 60, because he 'needs the money for his rainy day'

And of course, a lot of anti PAP rumours, including the CPR attempt by Dr Koh as being staged, and a guy protesting at a PAP rally demanding justice for his child who died a year or so ago ..

I guess it's all part of the 'maturing' process, in a young democracy

I saw the video, where LHL was asked why the rulers are punishing those who vote for opposition

When in nearby countries, vote for opposition, and then you find even infrastructure development is stopped and some highways are re-routed to totally avoid your area, because you voted for the opposition. And investors are bluntly told to not put up anything in the opposition area, if they want tax breaks etc.

Atleast in Singapore, it hasn't descended to that level.

[ecureilx]

(One of the oddities of Singapore elections is that there is absolutely no objective sense of how the parties are faring.)

---
'A longtime ban on the publication of pre-election voter surveys makes it difficult to predict the outcome.'
---
https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/huge- ... 52977.html

In another Asian country, Election Commissioner has banned any pre-election opinion polls, as clearly, they do influence the fence sitters a lot

[JR8]

When in nearby countries, vote for opposition, and then you find even infrastructure development is stopped and some highways are re-routed to totally avoid your area, because you voted for the opposition. And investors are bluntly told to not put up anything in the opposition area, if they want tax breaks etc.
Atleast in Singapore, it hasn't descended to that level.

It would be hard to mete out the desired punishment on a local enough level to make a point with massive infrastructure projects like that.

I understand that HDB upgrading (i.e. lack of) is the local equivalent.

[JR8]

In another Asian country, Election Commissioner has banned any pre-election opinion polls, as clearly, they do influence the fence sitters a lot

I take it that this other country of which you speak, doesn't claim to be a democracy?

[ecureilx]

I understand that HDB upgrading (i.e. lack of) is the local equivalent.

maybe, but that's considered very mild ..

And the Opposition did say they had enough sinking funds .. etc. etc.

In another Asian country, Election Commissioner has banned any pre-election opinion polls, as clearly, they do influence the fence sitters a lot

I take it that this other country of which you speak, doesn't claim to be a democracy?

Not a western democracy, of course

But in Asian Standards, it is full democracy

Winners get to rename the roads, airport and everything and the state media only sings praise of the rulers.

And when they get thrown out, the reverse happens. And the throwing out happens quite regularly, almost at every other election.

But still, in European Standards, maybe they are NOT democracy

[Wd40]

Ecureilx should have been given honorary citizenship of SG, by now.

[TMD]

Ecureilx should have been given honorary citizenship of SG, by now.

well, considering his comments generally are grounded in the reality of Singapore and his apparent closer understanding of the locals vs what I have seen from the comments by other "expats" in this Forum, I would instead consider him for being an honorary foreigner of SG.

[JR8]

I understand that HDB upgrading (i.e. lack of) is the local equivalent.

maybe, but that's considered very mild .. And the Opposition did say they had enough sinking funds .. etc. etc.

My impression is that such 'goodies' being withheld was regarded as quite some punishment. Otherwise why would it happen

In another Asian country, Election Commissioner has banned any pre-election opinion polls, as clearly, they do influence the fence sitters a lot

I take it that this other country of which you speak, doesn't claim to be a democracy?

Not a western democracy, of course
But in Asian Standards, it is full democracy
Winners get to rename the roads, airport and everything and the state media only sings praise of the rulers.
And when they get thrown out, the reverse happens. And the throwing out happens quite regularly, almost at every other election.
But still, in European Standards, maybe they are NOT democracy

I was going to mock your suggestion that there are different strains of democracy, but then I thought - hang on what if there are, how is it defined? Well (genuine enquiry)... lets see ->
---
From google search on 'definition democracy' --->
'democracy dɪˈmɒkrəsi/ noun: democracy
a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.
"a system of parliamentary democracy"
synonyms: representative government, elective government, constitutional government, popular government;
self-government, government by the people, autonomy; republic, commonwealth
antonyms: tyranny, dictatorship
a state governed under a system of democracy.
plural noun: democracies
"a multiparty democracy"
control of an organization or group by the majority of its members.
"the intended extension of industrial democracy
-----
Merriam Webster --->
'1 a : government by the people; especially : rule of the majority
b : a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections
2 : a political unit that has a democratic government
3 : [Removed, this entry referred to a book of that title]
4: the common people especially when constituting the source of political authority
5: the absence of hereditary or arbitrary class distinctions or privileges
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/democracy
-----
.... so, you decide

I recall a taxi journey, where we must have passed through Hougang/Aljuniad. The oppo's had won it and then their council office had had it's accounts frozen by the state. That meant despite having funds, they were unable to spend it 'pending investigation'. The condition of the buildings was strikingly worn looking when one crossed that borough line. Knowing how house-proud SGns are, and that their home is often their primary asset, that might have felt like punishment to some. IIRC the oppo's increased their vote at the next election too. If so, it would seem that the attempts at enforcing democracy ('Asian style democracy') were having the opposite effect.

[This is based upon news and anecdotes from a couple of people from that district. Although said people are mature and intelligent, *I* cannot personally vouch for their precise veracity].