Friday, May 6, 2011

Singapore voters head to the ballot box in hotly contested election

More than 2.2 million Singapore voters started to head to the ballot box on Saturday for a general election in which the everruling People’s Action Party (PAP) could face the strongest electoral challenge in its history.
Polling stations close at 8 pm (1200 GMT) and results are expected to be announced late Saturday.
The PAP, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at its helm, was projected to win the election handsomely.
But six opposition parties have fielded 82 candidates, the highest number in decades, to contest 87 parliamentary seats.
As voters are increasingly concerned about rising costs of living, the influx of foreign workers and other social issues, PAP leaders said during their campaign they found resentment against the government and its policies.
In a surprise gesture of humility, Mr. Lee admitted several mistakes and offered apologies.
“We made mistakes. ... We should apologize, take responsibility, put things right,” he said.
At the last election in 2006, the PAP won 66.6 per cent of the votes and 82 of the current 84 seats.
This time observers expected the PAP to come in with 60 to 63 per cent, saying the opposition could take advantage of the growing political consciousness in the tightly controlled city-state.
The PAP has ruled Singapore with a firm hand for 52 years.
However, especially younger Singaporeans, who voice their dissent in popular internet forums, were increasingly unwilling to accept the PAP’s dominance as an axiomatic fact, analysts said.
“The overwhelming dominance of the PAP is seen as a freakish state of affairs,” said Eugene Tan, assistant law professor at the Singapore Management University.
source-DPA and The Hindu

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