Leongsam said:A by-election is part of the Westminster model. If it was called because the incumbent had passed away or had become too ill to continue serving his constituents, I would be fully supportive of the system in place to elect someone to take over and I would not consider it to be a waste of time at all... merely an execution of due process.
However, in this case, the by-election is the result of the scandalous behavior of an elected MP.
You are right to mention the Westminster model and PAP has tried to make it look a lot like the Westminster model.
In the Westminster system, a by-election is not an election for city council chairman but a member of Parliament who has a role to vote and approve new provisions into laws. How can the Parliament meet with shortage of one guy who forms part of the law-making body? It is therefore important that the vacancy be filled asap.