PM Lee Hsien Loong and his brother Lee Hsien Yang will be on hotly opposed sides at upcoming July 10 elections
When Singaporeans cast their ballots on July 10 in Southeast Asia’s first pandemic era general election, voters will choose between the region’s longest-governing incumbent party and one of ten smaller opposition parties who hope to clinch a toehold in Parliament.
The spirited, gloves-off contest since campaigning officially began on June 30 has so far belied the city-state’s reputation for placid politics owing to the uninterrupted rule of the People’s Action Party (PAP), which has won every election since 1959, when Singapore gained self-rule from Britain.
What sets this election apart isn’t just that it is being held amid a public health crisis with altered ground rules for campaigning. No political rallies will be held during the nine-day campaign period due to safe distancing requirements and restrictions on large gatherings, obliging parties to rely on virtual outreach, walkabouts and door-to-door visits.
Still, the entry of a charismatic former PAP stalwart, 80-year-old Tan Cheng Bock, as an opposition challenger under the new, electorally untested Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has enlivened the campaign. But it is the decision of one of the party’s newest members to join the fray that has tongues wagging.
When Singaporeans cast their ballots on July 10 in Southeast Asia’s first pandemic era general election, voters will choose between the region’s longest-governing incumbent party and one of ten smaller opposition parties who hope to clinch a toehold in Parliament.
The spirited, gloves-off contest since campaigning officially began on June 30 has so far belied the city-state’s reputation for placid politics owing to the uninterrupted rule of the People’s Action Party (PAP), which has won every election since 1959, when Singapore gained self-rule from Britain.
What sets this election apart isn’t just that it is being held amid a public health crisis with altered ground rules for campaigning. No political rallies will be held during the nine-day campaign period due to safe distancing requirements and restrictions on large gatherings, obliging parties to rely on virtual outreach, walkabouts and door-to-door visits.
Still, the entry of a charismatic former PAP stalwart, 80-year-old Tan Cheng Bock, as an opposition challenger under the new, electorally untested Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has enlivened the campaign. But it is the decision of one of the party’s newest members to join the fray that has tongues wagging.
Read the full story at Asia Times.
Nile Bowie is a journalist and correspondent with the Asia Times covering current affairs in Singapore and Malaysia. He can be reached at nilebowie@gmail.com.
