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- Jul 10, 2008
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Besides the PAP and WP, there are at least three other political parties that have indicated an interest in contesting Punggol East SMC. They are the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), and the Reform Party (RP). Even former Singapore People’s Party (SPP) candidate Benjamin Pwee has also expressed an inclination to throw his hat into the ring as an independent candidate.
My immediate reading of the situation is that it is very unlikely we will see a 5 or 6 way fight if and when the by-election is called. I strongly suspect some parties will withdraw voluntarily before nomination day, either due to concessionary talks with other parties, or of their own accord should they realize they are the underdogs and stand a high chance of being completely sidelined.
The RP and SDA have little credibility, after their poor showing in the last General Elections despite the groundswell against the incumbent PAP. Mr Desmond Lim lost his deposit in a 3 cornered fight in the same SMC, barely garnering 5% of the votes.
The SDP is much better positioned with a better slate of potential candidates and a much improved party image after the 2011 elections.
But it still remains to be seen whether SDP can edge out WP in a multi-cornered contest, despite a series of fumbles the WP made after the last GE, from making a mess of the ministerial salary debate, to plagiarism, and finally to being embroiled in a scandal. It should be duly noted that despite these fumbles, WP retained Hougang SMC with 62% of the votes, an impressive victory by itself.
Despite these drawbacks, contesting parties will have a chance to showcase their political ideologies, connect with residents, and make themselves visible. It is a good opportunity for parties to get a share of the media spotlight and market themselves to the electorate. A good campaign now may pay dividends in the next GE slated for 2016.
It is also possible that out of this cacophony, some agreements or even informal alliances will be forged that will pave the way for better electoral cooperation.
In the opposition camp, the elephant in the room, of course, the Worker’s Party (WP). Other opposition parties will be looking for ways to show that they are strong enough to challenge WP’s claims on constituencies and that the WP does not have a monopoly on good candidates or good party branding.
The National Solidarity Party (NSP) failed to stand up to WP in Moulmein-Kallang in the run-up to GE2011 and was forced to retreat. This time, opposition parties will be looking to send WP a message that they will not be so easily cowed and that their stakes and claims must also be taken seriously.
In this sense, a multi-cornered fight may be good for the opposition as a whole in the long run, even though it may be good for the PAP in the short run.
Perhaps then, our opposition parties have indeed begun to take a long term view of the political situation and strategize for the future.
Therefore, it is my wish that we will have a clean, rambunctious, multi-cornered fight in Punggol East. It will be a chance to see what each opposition party is truly made of.
My immediate reading of the situation is that it is very unlikely we will see a 5 or 6 way fight if and when the by-election is called. I strongly suspect some parties will withdraw voluntarily before nomination day, either due to concessionary talks with other parties, or of their own accord should they realize they are the underdogs and stand a high chance of being completely sidelined.
The RP and SDA have little credibility, after their poor showing in the last General Elections despite the groundswell against the incumbent PAP. Mr Desmond Lim lost his deposit in a 3 cornered fight in the same SMC, barely garnering 5% of the votes.
The SDP is much better positioned with a better slate of potential candidates and a much improved party image after the 2011 elections.
But it still remains to be seen whether SDP can edge out WP in a multi-cornered contest, despite a series of fumbles the WP made after the last GE, from making a mess of the ministerial salary debate, to plagiarism, and finally to being embroiled in a scandal. It should be duly noted that despite these fumbles, WP retained Hougang SMC with 62% of the votes, an impressive victory by itself.
Despite these drawbacks, contesting parties will have a chance to showcase their political ideologies, connect with residents, and make themselves visible. It is a good opportunity for parties to get a share of the media spotlight and market themselves to the electorate. A good campaign now may pay dividends in the next GE slated for 2016.
It is also possible that out of this cacophony, some agreements or even informal alliances will be forged that will pave the way for better electoral cooperation.
In the opposition camp, the elephant in the room, of course, the Worker’s Party (WP). Other opposition parties will be looking for ways to show that they are strong enough to challenge WP’s claims on constituencies and that the WP does not have a monopoly on good candidates or good party branding.
The National Solidarity Party (NSP) failed to stand up to WP in Moulmein-Kallang in the run-up to GE2011 and was forced to retreat. This time, opposition parties will be looking to send WP a message that they will not be so easily cowed and that their stakes and claims must also be taken seriously.
In this sense, a multi-cornered fight may be good for the opposition as a whole in the long run, even though it may be good for the PAP in the short run.
Perhaps then, our opposition parties have indeed begun to take a long term view of the political situation and strategize for the future.
Therefore, it is my wish that we will have a clean, rambunctious, multi-cornered fight in Punggol East. It will be a chance to see what each opposition party is truly made of.
Anyone who argues for a "clean" contest when it comes to politics clearly does not know what they are talking about. There will be a contest -- a multi-cornered contest -- and it need not be clean. Those who cannot stand the heat should stay out of the kitchen.
