Latest news with #2020GeneralElection
CNA
03-05-2025
- Politics
- CNA
GE2025: SDP's 28-year wait for an elected MP continues after losses to the PAP
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) will extend its almost three-decade wait for a seat in parliament, after it lost in all four constituencies it was contesting for the 2025 General Election. In Sembawang West Single Member Constituency (SMC), party chief Chee Soon Juan lost to the People's Action Party's (PAP) Poh Li San after securing 46.81 per cent of the votes. It was the third-closest contest of the night after the Workers' Party lost by the slimmest margins in Jalan Kayu SMC and Tampines Group Representative Constituency (GRC). This means Dr Chee narrowly missed out on becoming a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) by less than one percentage point. Under the scheme, if there are fewer than 12 opposition MPs elected, the best-performing losing opposition candidates are offered NCMP seats to make up the shortfall. When the official results for Sembawang GRC and Sembawang West SMC were still pending, Dr Chee told reporters: 'It's been a very disappointing set of results across the board, as far as SDP is concerned. 'My jaw just dropped when I saw the Bukit Panjang results, as well as our constituencies in Sembawang and Marsiling Yew-Tee and Sembawang West.' He was seen wiping his face with a handkerchief when the returning officer announced the official result for Sembawang West SMC. He gave lengthier comments after all the results were announced, and expressed dissatisfaction with the 'taking away' of Bukit Batok SMC, which was merged into Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC due to electoral boundary changes in March. He had contested the single-seat ward in the 2016 Bukit Batok by-election and the 2020 General Election, managing to improve his vote share to 45.2 per cent in 2020. UPHILL BATTLE Dr Chee arrived at the party's assembly centre at the MOE (Evans) Stadium close to 1am on Sunday. Supporters and members had been gathering there since the polls closed about five hours before that. The official results showed that SDP chairman Paul Tambyah lost to PAP's Liang Eng Hwa with 38.59 per cent of the votes in Bukit Panjang SMC – a rematch from 2020. In Sembawang GRC where there was a three-cornered fight, the SDP's five-member team lost to a PAP team led by Health Minister Ong Ye Kung after getting 29.93 per cent of the votes. The SDP's team comprised the party's vice-chairman Bryan Lim, deputy head of policy James Gomez, treasurer Surayah Akbar, and members Damanhuri Abas and Alfred Tan. The National Solidarity Party (NSP), which previously contested in the constituency in 2020 and 2015, got the lowest share of the votes – 2.32 per cent. In Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, SDP's four-member team lost to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's team with 26.54 per cent of the votes. The SDP team there comprised organising secretary Jufri Salim, founder of alternative news site Wake Up Singapore Ariffin Sha, theatre director Alec Tok and Dr Gigene Wong. The SDP last had seats in parliament in 1997, when three MPs – party founder Chiam See Tong as well as members Ling How Doong and Cheo Chai Chen – won in the 1991 General Election. Dr Chee told reporters that it would have 'made a difference' if the PAP waited 'just another month' before calling the election after the boundary changes were announced. 'But that was not to be, and I just worry in terms of where we're going with our political system here, our electoral system,' Dr Chee added. When asked specifically about the result for Sembawang West SMC, he said it was an 'uphill battle'. 'I've just heard people telling me that, you know, sometimes it's that rapport with the bond with the community, with the electorate. And then I had to just relocate, move everything to Sembawang West, and it started anew again,' he added. 'As I said, (Prime Minister) Lawrence Wong would have known that he would have to hold (the election) just around this time. Why not announce your boundaries in January, February?" Dr Chee also questioned what would stop the PAP government from merging Sembawang West SMC into a GRC in the next election. 'This is the kind of game that I think is so unhealthy for Singapore,' he added. He said the party will take some time to rest and then analyse the data to see what happened.
Straits Times
25-04-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
GE2025: ‘Views must be grounded in reality' – PAP's Alex Yam on opposition proposals to reduce GST
PAP candidate for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Alex Yam speaking to the media after a walkabout in Yew Tee on April 25. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI GE2025: 'Views must be grounded in reality' – PAP's Alex Yam on opposition proposals to reduce GST Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE - While the opposition is free to offer counter narratives and alternative proposals to combat the rising cost of living, many parties do not address how future needs may be funded, said PAP candidate for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Alex Yam in response to calls by opposition parties to roll back the goods and services tax hike. Mr Yam was speaking to the media on April 25, after a two-hour walkabout with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in the vicinity of Yew Tee MRT station where the duo visited nearby malls and a senior care centre. At rallies on April 24, opposition parties had criticised the Government's decision to raise GST rates from 7 per cent to 9 per cent in two stages in 2023 and 2024, despite inflationary pressures. The Workers' Party, Progress Singapore Party (PSP) and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) had said that the tax increase has impacted cost of living, with PSP and SDP calling for a reduction in GST rates. Mr Yam said that while the Government hears a lot of demands from the opposition, they don't hear enough of how much the alternative proposals would cost. 'Very often, even when they provide some sort of alternative, it does not come with actual numbers and calculations that make sense,' said the North West District mayor. 'The Government has always been prepared to listen to other views and take them on board, but they must be grounded in reality, not made purely (made) as political statements.' Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC will see a face-off between a PAP team led by PM Wong, and a SDP team led by party organising secretary Mr Jufri Salim. The PAP team is an unchanged slate from the 2020 elections comprising Mr Yam, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad and Ms Hany Soh. The SDP line-up comprises alternative news site founder Mr Ariffin Sha, theatre director Alec Tok and former entrepreneur Gigene Wong. Mr Yam also weighed in on SDP secretary-general Dr Chee Soon Juan's decision to contest in Sembawang West SMC against Ms Poh Li San from the PAP, instead of Bukit Batok, where he had contested in the 2020 General Election and 2016 by-election. At the PAP rally on April 24, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said Dr Chee had not given Bukit Batok residents a good reason for why they were 'abandoned' and cautioned voters to be careful of politicians who are not honest about their intentions. Countering that, SDP chairman Paul Tambyah drew a parallel to significant slate changes made at the last minute to the PAP's Punggol and Chua Chu Kang GRC teams. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong was deployed to Punggol GRC in a surprise last-minute switch on Nomination Day, while Manpower Minister Tan See Leng was moved from Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC to lead the PAP team in Chua Chu Kang. In response, Mr Yam said the PAP had explained why the slate changes were made, as Punggol needed a good heavyweight minister like DPM Gan who can carry the ground there. 'The difference is that Dr Chee made a public pledge not to abandon Bukit Batok,' he said. 'Here you have an individual who made a promise, but yet changed his mind. That's the point Mr Ong (Ye Kung) was trying to make,' added Mr Yam. He was referring to Dr Chee's pledge to contest in Bukit Batok SMC in the upcoming polls, which he declared in a Facebook video in mid-February before the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee Report. It was later announced that Bukit Batok SMC would be absorbed by Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC. On the SDP's 'northern strategy' in this election, Mr Yam added that the PAP does not 'have a choice of a northern campaign, or a southern campaign or a central campaign.' 'Our responsibility is to every Singaporean. We run (for) every single seat with the hope of being able to secure representation in Parliament so we can do our best for Singaporeans.' Mr Yam also addressed an assertion by Mr Sha a smaller margin of victory for the PAP would push the ruling party to work harder. Mr Sha had said that a PAP that wins with 80 per cent of the vote is very different from a PAP that wins by 60 per cent of the vote. Mr Yam said the PAP has always worked on the basis that every vote counts. 'After the election results are out, regardless of the margin, if we have the opportunity to become the Government, we must make sure that we deliver on our promises,' said Mr Yam. Describing this election as a watershed one in light of the global climate, Mr Yam added that the PAP's Marsiling-Yew Tee team has received lot of support and encouragement from residents. 'This is, of course, a good sign but we shouldn't rest on our laurels. It does mean that we must continue to work hard to secure every vote, not just in our GRC, but across Singapore,' he said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
