Remember this for future elections: 61% is enough for a clear mandate for PAP

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GE2025: ‘Plain and simple’ electioneering to state losing ministers won’t weaken Govt, says ESM Goh​

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng greeting supporters before a PAP rally at Keat Hong Plaza on April 26.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Angelica Ang
May 01, 2025


SINGAPORE - The opposition’s assertions that the PAP government will not be weakened if it loses ministers is “plain and simple” electioneering that misleads voters, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

In a Facebook post on April 30, ESM Goh used the analogy of a football team to refer to Singapore’s political office-holders.

“If four seasoned members of a football team’s starting 11 are absent, will the team be weaker? According to the Opposition, the answer is ‘no’. Because you can use the reserves, they say,” he wrote.

“How can that be? Even with capable substitutes, nothing beats having your first team on the field,” he said.

ESM Goh, who was Singapore’s second prime minister, painted the scenario of the WP winning all 26 seats it is contesting at the general election, and the PSP winning five seats in West Coast-Jurong West GRC.

This would result in a “scoreline” of 66 PAP MPs and 31 opposition MPs, ESM Goh noted.


The WP is fielding 26 candidates in three SMCs and five GRCs, including East Coast GRC, Punggol GRC and Tampines GRC.

The PAP losing in these eight constituencies and West Coast-Jurong West would mean the loss of 10 political office-holders, ESM Goh said.

These include four seasoned ministers – Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong who is contesting Punggol GRC, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong in East Coast GRC, Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli in Tampines GRC and National Development Minister Desmond Lee in West Coast-Jurong West GRC.

“This will undeniably hamstring PM Wong for the upcoming term of government. He will find it difficult to play against other teams on the global stage,” he said.

“In a world at risk of becoming ‘might is right’, we need the strongest team for our little red dot.”

ESM Goh, in an April 25 Facebook post, made the point that voters have to decide between having more opposition in Parliament and a weaker government, or giving PM Wong and the PAP a strong mandate to govern Singapore.

On April 30, he said: “Singapore deserves the best team to lead us domestically and internationally. It also deserves honest political debate.”

 

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GE2025: Meaningful opposition needed for PAP to govern Singapore better, says Chee Soon Juan​

SDP chief Chee Soon Juan signing autographs for attendees after the party's lunchtime rally at UOB Plaza on April 29.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Shabana Begum and Lee Li Ying
Apr 29, 2025

SINGAPORE - Voters should see through the “propaganda” that the PAP is an exceptional party which does not need an elected opposition to hold them accountable, SDP chief Chee Soon Juan said on April 29.

In his lunchtime rally speech, the opposition politician listed a litany of missteps by the PAP government in the last few years to urge voters to send the Singapore Democratic Party’s candidates to Parliament.

Dr Chee also led the SDP’s call for Singaporeans to reject the PAP’s “fearmongering” that more opposition in the House would weaken the Government’s ability to field a strong team.

Speaking at UOB Plaza a day after Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s Fullerton rally on the same stage, Dr Chee cited the PAP government’s “scandals and screw-ups” to argue that Singapore would be stronger with more opposition MPs.

Among the cases he cited were Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s handling of former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan Jin’s affair, the Ridout Road rentals by Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam and Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, the “bungled” SimplyGo roll-out by the Land Transport Authority, and the six-day East-West Line MRT breakdown in September 2024.

Dr Chee also highlighted the $3 billion money laundering case, and remarked that it was why “Singapore is now called the world’s laundromat”.

“Believe me, there are other screw-ups which I can list out, but you have to go back to the office,” he told the downtown crowd during the sweltering afternoon rally.

These incidents showed that the PAP is not the exceptional party it says it is, said Dr Chee, who is standing in the new Sembawang West SMC.

“And if you’re not exceptional, then be humble, don’t demand exceptional salaries,” he said in a 20-minute address. “Most of all, acknowledge and accept the fact that the PAP needs meaningful opposition in Parliament to govern Singapore better.”

Dr Chee said times have changed, and Singaporeans want a more democratic system where the Government censors less and listens more.

He added that it did not look like PM Wong was off to a promising start, and cited how the prime minister had called for elections just one month after new electoral boundaries were announced.

This sent the message that PM Wong was “cut from the very same, old PAP cloth”.

“When the (PAP) started off, yes you could say that our first generation of ministers, they were capable and competent,” he said. But the quality of its present ministers, the younger set of leaders, leaves very much to be desired.”

SDP chairman Paul Tambyah, who also spoke at the rally, said he was puzzled when current PAP leaders said more opposition in Parliament would be bad for Singapore.

He recounted how he learnt survival skills by competing against the world’s best medical practitioners during his post-graduate training in the US.

“I firmly believe that healthy competition can only make someone better,” said Professor Tambyah, as he urged young people to “give the PAP a chance to improve” by voting for opposition candidates on May 3.

SDP’s candidate for Sembawang GRC, Dr James Gomez, said it was “nonsense” that the PAP would not be able to govern effectively if there were more opposition MPs.

At a rally on April 27, SM Lee had urged Singaporeans not to vote against the PAP in the hope of getting two or three more opposition MPs into Parliament, as this could lead to a loss of key ministers and put the Government “in some trouble”.

Dr Gomez said such logic was unbelievable, and came from the PAP’s desperation. “Losing ministers will be a problem for the PAP, not for Singaporeans.”

He added: “If (PM) Wong says that his team can only function when given unchecked power, then the problem is not with us Singaporeans, but with the PAP - a PAP that fears scrutiny.”

Dr James Gomez said it was “nonsense” that the PAP would not be able to govern effectively if there were more opposition MPs.ST PHOTO: KEVIN KIM
An effective government is one that has accountability, transparency, and debate, with MPs that challenge bad policies, added Dr Gomez, who is SDP’s deputy policy head.

“With SDP MPs in Parliament, there will be no more sleeping on the job,” he said. “If anyone sleeps in Parliament, you can rest assured that the SDP MPs will give them a tight slap of questions that will wake them up.”

SDP’s youngest candidate, Arrifin Sha, 27, called on the crowd to reject “the PAP’s fear tactics”, and to picture Dr Chee winning in Sembawang West SMC, Prof Tambyah in Bukit Panjang SMC, and the WP prevailing in Punggol GRC and Jalan Kayu SMC

“Keep that feeling in your hearts, hear that noise, because on May 3, it will be 10 times louder than this,” he said.

Speaking to reporters after the rally, Dr Chee said the PAP can “stomach losses here and there” and still form a Cabinet.

“The whole premise of PAP’s election message so far is just on fear…Oh you adopt SDP’s proposal, there’ll be retrenchments. You vote for the opposition, you won’t have good ministers,” he said.

“It’s just this kind of fearmongering, it is so stark (compared to) what we’re telling Singaporeans: Go vote with hope.”

 

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GE2025: Only elected opposition MPs can pressure the Government, says Pritam Singh​

(From left) WP chief Pritam Singh, incumbent WP MP for Hougang Dennis Tan and WP chair Sylvia Lim posing for photos with a resident during a walkabout in Hougang on April 29.ST PHOTO: TARYN NG
Claudia Tan
Apr 29, 2025

SINGAPORE - Only elected opposition MPs can pressure and push the Government, and that is why the ruling PAP prefers to have just Non-Constituency MPs in Parliament, said WP chief Pritam Singh.

“Look, let’s be very clear, the NCMPs have no voters, have no residents that they can solicit feedback from. They don’t have an office under a block in the constituency where they have worked at,” he told reporters in an interview during a walkabout in Hougang on April 29.

“Essentially this is where the PAP wants to keep the opposition,” he added.

Mr Singh was responding to remarks by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah, who said on April 28 that alternative voices in Parliament are guaranteed because of the NCMP scheme, which provides for at least 12 opposition members in the House.

Under the scheme, introduced in 1984, seats are reserved for the losing opposition candidates with the highest vote shares.

Mr Singh, who was accompanied by WP chair Sylvia Lim and incumbent WP MP for Hougang Dennis Tan, said the purpose of the scheme was to slow down the growth of the opposition.

He added that his party was not just angling for more seats in Parliament, without more responsibility.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had pointed out at the April 28 Fullerton rally that while the opposition wants more seats, they still want the PAP to form the government.

“More seats, but not more responsibility,” PM Wong had said.

Asked about this, Mr Singh said: “I welcome him to give us more responsibility. He can have us on committees.”

He cited the all-party committee that was formed in 1959 to decide on the state emblems and flag, adding: “So there’s nothing stopping the Government from reaching out, and we welcome that, because if we want to work in the interests of all Singaporeans, then that is one way to do it.”

Currently, opposition MPs are appointed to some Parliamentary committees, such as the Public Accounts Committee.

Mr Singh also reiterated his point that having more opposition MPs in Parliament will not weaken the Government’s mandate.

“I believe when you have a diversity of views in Parliament, as long as we are moving in the same direction, this red dot will continue to be a bright, shining red dot,” he said, citing how the WP had not opposed the Government during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“A balanced Parliament will not result in a more divided Singapore.”

Mr Singh was also asked about his pointed remarks about Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong at the WP rally on April 28.

The WP leader had suggested that DPM Gan, at 66 years old and no longer a member of the PAP’s central executive committee, was near retirement and not all that important a member of PM Wong’s team.

“You mean the (prime minister) has no one else in his Cabinet that can negotiate with the United States on tariffs? If this is true, to quote Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, si liao la,” said Mr Singh referring to the Hokkien phrase by SM Lee which means “we are doomed”.

Mr Singh had also taken aim at DPM’s Gan’s remark about asking his “good friend” PM Wong for more funds to build infrastructure, saying that there should be a fair allocation of resources regardless of friendship.

DPM Gan is leading the PAP’s team contesting Punggol GRC.

Ask why he had focused on DPM Gan in his rally speech, Mr Singh said he was “stumping hard” for his teammates in Punggol.

“I wanted to put across certain perspectives which I think the Punggol voters should hear,” he said.

Both Mr Singh and Ms Lim also reiterated their call for voters to vote for the strongest slate the WP has ever fielded.

“This round, the people we have are of superb calibre, and it will be a wasted opportunity if voters do not realise how urgent it is for us to promote this aspect of Parliamentary representation,” said Ms Lim.

Meanwhile, Hougang candidate Dennis Tan said the WP was not resting on its laurels in Hougang, even though the constituency has been a WP stronghold since former WP chief Low Thia Khiang won there in 1991.

Since taking over from his predecessor Mr Png Eng Huat in 2020, said Mr Tan said he has been trying to engage as many residents as possible so that he can address their municipal concerns and also bring up issues in Parliament on their behalf.

He added that the WP has started upgrading the neighbourhoods, such as by building more sheltered walkways in the past five years.

“We continue to do our best, we can never be perfect but we can try to help our residents... that’s what my team and I aim to do,” said Mr Tan.

 

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GE2025: PAP has enough depth on its team even if it loses some ministers, says Pritam Singh​

Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh taking pictures with members of the public during a walkabout in Punggol Central on May 1.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Nadine Chua and Wong Pei Ting
May 01, 2025

SINGAPORE - The PAP has enough depth of talent on its bench to form a ministerial team even if it loses some ministers this election, said WP chief Pritam Singh on May 1, adding it is the WP that will run into problems with leadership renewal if its candidates are not elected.

Responding to a football analogy used by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Mr Singh said no football team would go into a game with only its starting 11 players, and that reserves were also integral parts of a football team.

PM Wong had said in his May Day Rally speech that if three to four members of the starting 11 are unable to play, the team will have backups and reserves but can’t function at the same level.

With Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong anchoring the PAP’s team in Punggol GRC against a WP team helmed by lawyer Harpreet Singh, the WP has sought to assure voters that Singapore would be ok even if DPM Gan was not elected.

Meanwhile, the PAP has said that losing key ministers like DPM Gan would weaken the Government, and by extension Singapore’s position in an increasingly volatile world, especially since DPM Gan is head of a taskforce set up to help Singapore navigate the uncertainties brought by American tariffs.

Speaking at an interview in Punggol GRC, Mr Singh said every team has substitutes that can be deployed when strategies change and new formations are needed.

To this end, the PAP is like a football team with a bench of 10 reserves, while other parties like the WP are more like football teams with only two reserves, he said.

“Overall, I think the PAP has tremendous depth of talent. There are only 26 Workers’ Party candidates contesting in these elections,” he added.

In fact, it was the WP’s leadership renewal which would be affected if its candidates are not voted into Parliament, he said.

He added that for the WP to grow and become a “permanent part of (the) national firmament”, the party’s leaders needed to bring in people better than themselves.

They have done so in this election, fielding one of the party’s best slates, Mr Singh said.

“So I hope Singaporeans understand, if we want a more balanced Parliament, we also need to think actively about renewal in the Workers’ Party too,” he said.

“I think we’ve got excellent individuals on every team, and you can see the future of Workers’ Party taking root, taking shape.”

Meanwhile, Mr Harpreet Singh said of losing ministers: “If the future of this country turns on one person being elected, it tells you something has gone terribly, terribly wrong.”

He added that it was time for the PAP to “rightsize” the Government, suggesting that there were too many political office-holders.

Mr Harpreet Singh also said the Government should not treat difficult questions as personal attacks.

The WP’s primary objective is to represent Singaporeans in Parliament, and that means asking difficult questions even if they make some leaders uncomfortable, he added.

Mr Harpreet Singh speaking to the media during a walkabout in Punggol Central on May 1.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
During the interview, Mr Pritam Singh was also asked about former chief executive of NTUC Income Tan Suee Chieh’s public endorsement of Mr Harpreet Singh. Mr Tan had declared his support on Facebook, several days after writing open letters critical of the Government and labour chief Ng Chee Meng.

To this, Mr Pritam Singh said: “We cannot stop Singaporeans from stumping for our candidates. If they wish to do so, that is their prerogative.

“But we don’t look for an issue and then needle them from behind or encourage them to speak. I don’t think that’s the right way to do things.”

Ms Alexis Dang, also on the WP’s Punggol GRC slate, was asked about some voters’ focus on the appearance of female candidates, and how this might affect young women.

Acknowledging that society tends to view women in a certain way and that there are expectations on how women should carry themselves, Ms Dang said: “I think it’s very important, at least for myself, to not let these ideas limit who I am, how I carry myself and how I bring my message across.

She added: “We appreciate all scrutiny and attention given to the team. I think it’s important for people to get to know us as individuals, and who will be representing them in Parliament.”

Ms Dang has been crowned the best-looking candidate in some online forums such as Reddit, and subjected to catcalls at WP rallies when on stage.

While he did not refer to these episodes, Mr Harpreet Singh said: “This is my message for men out there, those types of comments are unacceptable, and they must stop.

“We must respect women. They’re absolutely, absolutely bright. We must, first and foremost, see them as individuals.”

Mr Pritam Singh also commented on the leaked text messages of WP candidate for Jalan Kayu SMC Andre Low. Mr Low had apologised on April 30 for the expletive-laden messages on topics ranging from local brands to journalism and a resident at a meet-the-people session.

Noting the apology, Mr Singh said he was proud that Mr Low had taken ownership and responsibility for what he said in a private context.

“I meet many residents who have views that are said privately, and they hope it can be kept private. Obviously, somebody in this circle decided to bring it up at this time. I am not going to second guess this person’s motives, but I think the key point here is that we in the Workers’ Party are proud of him,” he added.

 

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GE2025: PM Wong appeals to voters to give him the best team to take Singapore forward​

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (second from left) with the PAP's Punggol GRC candidates – Minister of State Sun Xueling, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary and trade unionist Yeo Wan Ling – at the rally at Yusof Ishak Secondary School on May 1.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Goh Yan Han
May 02, 2025

SINGAPORE – Prime Minister Lawrence Wong called on Singaporeans to make the right choice for themselves and the nation, as he rounded off nine days of frenzied campaigning in his final two rally speeches on May 1.

Speaking in Punggol, he said that voting for the PAP means not opting for a contrarian opposition voice. It means getting a dedicated team and capable leaders to help steer Singapore safely through troubles and take the country forward.

It is a privilege for citizens to decide on the future of the country, he said, calling on Singaporeans to consider carefully the character of the individuals they vote for.

“If you vote for the PAP, you will not elect the contrarian voice the opposition will surely make in Parliament,” said PM Wong, who also spoke in Sengkang but chose to give his last rally speech for the 2025 General Election in Punggol.

“But you will get a dedicated and experienced team to serve you and your family.”

Importantly, Singaporeans will also have capable leaders in government who will help steer Singapore safely through the storm and take the country forward, said PM Wong, who over the course of the campaign has reiterated this message as he spoke highly of Cabinet teammates and put forth several new faces as potential office-holders.

“That’s the key choice that Singaporeans and voters will have to consider... I know it’s not an easy decision to make, but that’s your privilege. As a citizen of Singapore, you decide on the future of our country. That’s what democracy is about,” he said.

While everyone will have their own perspectives and views, he asked that voters consider the character of individuals they choose – whether they are upfront and upright, whether voters can trust them to put the interests of Singapore and Singaporeans before their own, and whether they will uphold the fundamental ideals of Singaporeans.

“I believe a lot comes down to character. Character matters,” said PM Wong, who then personally vouched for the character of Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.

DPM Gan, the leader of the PAP’s Punggol team who was deployed to the GRC on Nomination Day, has been a central figure during the hustings.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (left) on stage with DPM Gan Kim Yong at the Punggol GRC rally held at Yusof Ishak Secondary School on May 1. With them is Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Senior party leaders, including PM Wong and senior ministers Lee Hsien Loong and Teo Chee Hean, have repeatedly endorsed DPM Gan. At the May 1 rally, other PAP figures including former minister Lim Swee Say, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah and Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC candidate Zaqy Mohamad also threw their weight behind him.

Ms Indranee pointed out that Mr Gan was the health minister at the height of Covid-19, steering the country through the pandemic by securing early supplies of vaccines and protective equipment, for instance.

“He’s not flashy, he doesn’t give you smooth words, he’s not glib... but he gets things done,” she said.

PM Wong noted that beyond serving residents in their constituency, those who are elected will also serve as leaders, in Parliament and in government.

“I know there is some tension in the minds of some Singaporeans, because on the one hand, some Singaporeans say they would like to have more alternative voices in Parliament to serve as a check and balance on the PAP.

“I understand why some people would feel that way,” he said.

“But in fact, you can be assured that there will be alternative voices in Parliament,” he said, noting that a WP candidate had himself said that the Workers’ Party now has “safe seats”.

There are multiple hotly contested group representation constituencies and single-member constituencies in this election, and not just Punggol, he said.

“Some could very well make a breakthrough... and will add to the opposition presence in the next Parliament.”

On the other hand, hotly contested GRCs are helmed by experienced ministers, along with new PAP candidates who could be Singapore’s future leaders, said PM Wong.

He pointed out that four senior members in his Cabinet had stepped down, so he had made a great effort to bring in new blood for this election.

“But the new faces will take time to develop and grow before they can take on leadership positions,” he pointed out.

With four ministers having stepped down earlier, and if four were to be lost in the election, that would be eight in total, he added.

“The opposition says, don’t worry. The Workers’ Party team can do the same job at a cheaper price. But you know that cannot be true,” said PM Wong.


A minister would have accrued years of policymaking experience, ground engagements as well as personal ties with foreign counterparts, he said.

“How would any new backbencher be able to come in immediately and do the work at the same level?”

Voting for the opposition would mean more alternative voices in Parliament, he said.

“But you will also weaken me and my team. You will weaken our ability to serve you. Ultimately, you will weaken ourselves – Singaporeans, at a time when Singapore is facing a serious and growing challenge.”

Over the campaign period, Singaporeans would have heard different arguments and views put forth by the political parties, noted PM Wong.

“In a campaign, emotions get heated up. I hope things will calm down as we go into Cooling-off Day tomorrow, then we can all take a step back from the heat of the elections, and consider what really matters,” he said.

May 1 marks the last day of the hustings, as May 2 is designated as Cooling-off Day ahead of the polls on May 3.

“I ask Singaporeans here in Punggol and everywhere on our island to consider: Who do you trust to serve you and your families? The party matters. The people you choose matter,” PM Wong said.

This matters because they will be the first touchpoints in any municipal issue.

National upgrading programmes are extended across all estates, but that is the baseline, the minimum, he said.

“Don’t settle for the minimum... A good team led by the PAP can make a difference.”

“You look at all you have here now in Punggol today – yes, some of it was due to national planning and national programmes, but it’s not only that. It’s because successive generations of PAP teams have carefully tended to your needs.”


He called on Singaporeans to choose unity over division.

“Let’s choose integrity over half-truths. Let’s choose action over posturing. Let’s choose Singapore and build our future together,” he said.

Earlier in the evening, PM Wong had also stopped by the PAP’s Sengkang rally.

He acknowledged that the PAP has not had a chance to serve Sengkang GRC residents in the last five years, as the constituency was newly formed in 2020 and was lost to the WP.

“Give our PAP team a chance this round. Give us a chance to show you what we can do for you.

“I’ve said that Singaporeans are sophisticated and discerning voters. And I believe that’s so everywhere, and it is so right here in Sengkang. You know that the party you choose; and the individuals that you choose to represent you matter,” he said.

He reiterated the party’s message that the PAP is the best team to take Singapore through the storms ahead.

“The storm is already upon us, and we must brace ourselves for more turbulence. We can’t avoid this. The storms are everywhere, it’s global. But we can choose how we respond,” he said.

“We can give in to anger, and cynicism, and division, which you sometimes hear in opposition rallies. Or we can choose compassion, solidarity and strength. We can choose to tear down. Or we can choose to build. We can choose to pull apart. Or we can choose to pull together.

“What the PAP offers is very clear: We choose to build; we choose to pull together; we choose to unite.”

 

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GE2025: PAP gets 65.57 per cent of votes in landslide win​

PM Lawrence Wong (second from right), with his fellow Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC teammates (from left) Hany Soh, Zaqy Mohamad and Alex Yam, addressing supporters at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on May 4.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Lim Yan Liang
May 04, 2025


SINGAPORE - Singaporeans have returned the PAP to power with 65.57 per cent of the popular vote, a commanding swing from its 61.24 per cent share in the last general election.

Voters overwhelmingly endorsed the ruling party, which secured 87 of 97 seats in an election that took place against a backdrop of global uncertainty and trade wars.

They gave Prime Minister Lawrence Wong the clear mandate that he had sought, in his first electoral contest as head of government and leader of the PAP.

Constituencies tipped to be fierce battlegrounds – Punggol GRC, Tampines GRC and Jalan Kayu SMC – were in the PAP’s grip by 11pm, when all sample count results were in.

Contests in East Coast GRC and West Coast-Jurong West GRC that were expected to be close also ended in decisive wins for the PAP.

At a press conference at 3am, PM Wong said the clear and strong mandate that Singaporeans have given the PAP was deeply humbling, and called the results “a clear signal of trust, stability and confidence” by Singaporeans in their government.

The immediate next task is to form the Cabinet, and PM Wong said he was grateful that all his key MPs had been voted in, and he could put together the best team to serve Singapore. “I will announce the Cabinet line-up when ready.”

While voters largely heeded PM Wong’s call for a strong PAP team to steer Singapore through coming storms, they also helped the WP retain its 10 seats and strengthen its grip on Sengkang GRC and Hougang SMC.

However, the WP’s call for a more balanced Parliament – and that more opposition MPs would lead to better policies – did not seem to have resonated with voters, as the party failed to make inroads elsewhere.

In Tampines, the only four-cornered fight in this election, the PAP secured 52.02 per cent of the vote against a WP team that garnered 47.37 per cent.

In Punggol, which was a focal point of the hustings after Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong was deployed there, the PAP polled 55.17 per cent to clinch the new GRC against a WP team led by senior counsel Harpreet Singh.

The other opposition parties failed to win any constituencies or send any candidates to Parliament as Non-Constituency MPs.

The PSP failed to convert or retain its two NCMP seats.


Its West Coast-Jurong West team, led by party chairman Tan Cheng Bock and NCMPs Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa, polled 39.99 per cent. This was a near-10 percentage point drop in votes from 2020, when the PSP came close to winning then West Coast GRC.

Instead, the “best loser” of this election was the WP’s candidate in Jalan Kayu SMC Andre Low, who took 48.53 per cent of the votes against labour chief Ng Chee Meng. Mr Ng made a successful comeback after losing in Sengkang GRC in the 2020 election.

The second NCMP came from the WP’s Tampines team, which comprises WP vice-chair Faisal Manap, Institute of Mental Health senior principal clinical psychologist Ong Lue Ping, former diplomat Eileen Chong, start-up co-founder Michael Thng and industrial equipment supply firm co-founder Jimmy Tan.

PM Wong said an issue that came up in the election was the desire for more alternative voices in Parliament, and that he respected Singaporeans with these views.

While he understood the sentiments, he urged those who held them to consider the merits of having a strong team in the Government to work effectively for the country.

The WP fielded a strong and young slate that gave the PAP a tough fight in several constituencies, and now have 10 elected seats as well as two NCMP seats, if they choose to accept them, he added.

“That’s an increase from what they have today, so they will have an increased and continued strong presence in Parliament, as well as the opportunity to refresh some of the members in their slate,” he said.

The WP did not hold its customary post-election press conference right away, but party chief Pritam Singh told supporters at Serangoon stadium at about 1am that it was always going to be a difficult election.

“The slate is wiped clean. We start work again tomorrow, and we go again,” he said to cheers.

The PSP’s Mr Leong, who is the party’s chief, said the results were “shocking” and that the party needed to regroup to fight another day.

SDP chairman Paul Tambyah expressed disappointment at his party’s showing, and attributed voters’ flight to safety to “the constant drumbeat of crisis”.

He said the silver lining was Dr Chee Soon Juan’s showing. The SDP chief took 46.81 per cent of votes in Sembawang West against the PAP’s Poh Li San in his best electoral performance to date. This, however, was not enough for the SDP to secure a parliamentary presence.

At the PAP press conference, PM Wong said he heard feedback from Singaporeans on key issues like cost of living and housing, and gave his assurance that the Government will redouble its efforts in the coming term to tackle these concerns.

“We have already started work on many of these issues and progress has been made, but we will work even harder with this mandate now to ensure concrete progress, and to see how we can achieve even better outcomes across all of these issues and on the economic challenges that are coming,” he said.

He also highlighted the mixing of race and religion with politics as an issue that surfaced at the election.

This was not just a matter of foreign interference, as there were also many negative comments by Singaporeans encouraging people to vote along racial lines, he added.

PM Wong said: “I am heartened that all political parties made clear their stance in this campaign to reject identity politics and reaffirm their commitment to multiculturalism, and the election results show that Singaporeans, by and large, reject identity politics and continue to support a multiracial and multi-religious society.”

The PAP had asked Singaporeans to vote for the name on the ballot that could best represent them in Parliament, and that it was not time for political experimentation given external turbulence.


In the end, the people chose stability and continuity over the opposition’s call for greater checks and balances, and gave PM Wong and his 4G team an unequivocal mandate to tackle the coming storms.

At the close of polls at 8pm, there were 2,429,281 votes cast in Singapore, including 42,829 rejected votes. This made up 92.47 per cent of the 2,627,026 registered voters in all contested electoral divisions.

PM Wong said Singapore has always been and continues to be the underdog despite what it has achieved, and must now close ranks to face the challenges ahead together.

“Now that the election is over, we must put aside our differences and stand together as one Team Singapore to confront the storms ahead, and to secure a brighter future for ourselves, our families and Singapore.”

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said changes happening to the world are worrying, but that Singapore can come through with cooperation between the PAP and the people.

“With your trust and your full support and cooperation, we will do the best for our families, for our country and for our future,” SM Lee said.