SINGAPORE: A People’s Action Party (PAP) team helmed by Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Gan Kim Yong has won the newly formed Punggol Group Representation Constituency (GRC) with 55.17 per cent of the vote in the General Election.
The PAP team of DPM Gan, Senior Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Janil Puthucheary, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Sun Xueling, as well as Ms Yeo Wan Ling clinched 63,589 votes at the May 3 polls.
They beat a Workers’ Party (WP) team of Mr Harpreet Singh, Ms Alia Mattar, Ms Alexis Dang and Mr Jackson Au, who took 44.83 per cent and 51,663 votes.
Punggol, with 123,557 voters, is a new constituency made up of estates formerly in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and Punggol West SMC - both of which are now defunct.
Mr Gan, who is also Trade and Industry Minister, had been previously unveiled as anchor minister of the Chua Chu Kang GRC slate. But in a surprise move on Nomination Day, he filed his papers together with the Punggol team.
"Residents of Punggol, I must thank you for your support and the mandate that you've given us, for my team and I to serve you for the next five years," said Mr Gan in a speech at Bedok Stadium.
"We will do our best to serve you and to make Punggol a better place and a better home."
In a speech at Serangoon Stadium, Mr Singh told his team's PAP opponents to be the voice of Singaporeans.
"I cannot tell you the number of Singaporeans who held our hands over the last nine days and said, please speak up for us," he said.
"Do not return to business as usual, because that would be a betrayal of what a very large number of Singaporeans are telling us in this election."
Speaking to CNA, NUS’ associate professor of political science Chong Ja Ian said there were multiple factors which could have contributed to the PAP team’s victory.
These included the addition of Mr Gan and the fact that the WP are relatively new to the area, making residents less familiar with them.
“There’s a lot going for the PAP, and that combination, given the national mood, made the difference,” he said.
In 2020, a PAP team made up of Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Dr Puthucheary, Mr Sharael Taha, Mr Desmond Tan and Ms Yeo won 64.16 per cent of the votes in a three-cornered fight in Pasir Ris-Punggol, against the Singapore Democratic Alliance and Peoples Voice parties.
Ms Sun was fielded in Punggol West SMC in the last General Election, where she beat WP’s Tan Chen Chen with 60.98 per cent of the votes.
Assoc Prof Chong said he was nonetheless surprised by the WP team’s showing this year, and that their results in Punggol GRC showed they have withstood “the national swing against opposition parties and swing for the PAP”.
“What it means is that WP has got momentum, and they are not seen as just any other opposition party,” said Assoc Prof Chong. “(WP is standing) head and shoulders above the other opposition parties.”
Mr Gan’s move to Punggol also came under scrutiny by the WP during hustings, with party chief Pritam Singh commenting on how the deputy prime minister was not elected into the PAP’s Central Executive Committee in November 2024.
“This is very strange for a deputy prime minister,” he said. “Could it be that he was ready to retire and did not plan to run in these elections? If so, can he be so critical to the PM's plans? You mean the PM has no one else in his Cabinet that can negotiate with the United States on tariffs?”
Punggol GRC candidate Ms Dang then brought up how Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had been similarly “parachuted” into East Coast GRC in the 2020 General Election, which she said was a move “forcing voters into a difficult choice between more balanced politics and keeping a future PM”.
“Again, they are trying to pull the same stunts in Punggol, forcing you into a corner,” said Ms Dang.
“He certainly helped,” said Assoc Prof Chong of Mr Gan. “But the fact that he parachuted in probably helped the WP (also) get some support there … He is an advantage for the PAP, but he is not an unadulterated advantage.”
However, former PAP MP Inderjit Singh said that Mr Gan’s move was a “well-played strategy” by the PAP.
“I think the flight to safety worked for the PAP and also the scare of potentially losing too many ministers triumphed over the desire to have more alternative voices in parliament,” he said.
“Political reform took a backseat, and giving the 4G leaders a strong mandate won. I don't think bread and butter issues were forgotten, but people trusted that PAP can solve their problems.”
He said the PAP’s narrow win in Punggol GRC should still be seen as a “worrying thing” for the ruling party.
“I think PAP won because of the fear of losing an important minister like Gan,” said Mr Singh. “And not because of the young voters shifting their votes.”
Additional reporting by Taufiq Zalizan
Continue reading...
The PAP team of DPM Gan, Senior Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Janil Puthucheary, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Sun Xueling, as well as Ms Yeo Wan Ling clinched 63,589 votes at the May 3 polls.
They beat a Workers’ Party (WP) team of Mr Harpreet Singh, Ms Alia Mattar, Ms Alexis Dang and Mr Jackson Au, who took 44.83 per cent and 51,663 votes.
Punggol, with 123,557 voters, is a new constituency made up of estates formerly in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and Punggol West SMC - both of which are now defunct.
Mr Gan, who is also Trade and Industry Minister, had been previously unveiled as anchor minister of the Chua Chu Kang GRC slate. But in a surprise move on Nomination Day, he filed his papers together with the Punggol team.
"Residents of Punggol, I must thank you for your support and the mandate that you've given us, for my team and I to serve you for the next five years," said Mr Gan in a speech at Bedok Stadium.
"We will do our best to serve you and to make Punggol a better place and a better home."
In a speech at Serangoon Stadium, Mr Singh told his team's PAP opponents to be the voice of Singaporeans.
"I cannot tell you the number of Singaporeans who held our hands over the last nine days and said, please speak up for us," he said.
"Do not return to business as usual, because that would be a betrayal of what a very large number of Singaporeans are telling us in this election."
Related:
Speaking to CNA, NUS’ associate professor of political science Chong Ja Ian said there were multiple factors which could have contributed to the PAP team’s victory.
These included the addition of Mr Gan and the fact that the WP are relatively new to the area, making residents less familiar with them.
“There’s a lot going for the PAP, and that combination, given the national mood, made the difference,” he said.
In 2020, a PAP team made up of Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Dr Puthucheary, Mr Sharael Taha, Mr Desmond Tan and Ms Yeo won 64.16 per cent of the votes in a three-cornered fight in Pasir Ris-Punggol, against the Singapore Democratic Alliance and Peoples Voice parties.
Ms Sun was fielded in Punggol West SMC in the last General Election, where she beat WP’s Tan Chen Chen with 60.98 per cent of the votes.
Assoc Prof Chong said he was nonetheless surprised by the WP team’s showing this year, and that their results in Punggol GRC showed they have withstood “the national swing against opposition parties and swing for the PAP”.
“What it means is that WP has got momentum, and they are not seen as just any other opposition party,” said Assoc Prof Chong. “(WP is standing) head and shoulders above the other opposition parties.”
Mr Gan’s move to Punggol also came under scrutiny by the WP during hustings, with party chief Pritam Singh commenting on how the deputy prime minister was not elected into the PAP’s Central Executive Committee in November 2024.
“This is very strange for a deputy prime minister,” he said. “Could it be that he was ready to retire and did not plan to run in these elections? If so, can he be so critical to the PM's plans? You mean the PM has no one else in his Cabinet that can negotiate with the United States on tariffs?”
Punggol GRC candidate Ms Dang then brought up how Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had been similarly “parachuted” into East Coast GRC in the 2020 General Election, which she said was a move “forcing voters into a difficult choice between more balanced politics and keeping a future PM”.
“Again, they are trying to pull the same stunts in Punggol, forcing you into a corner,” said Ms Dang.
Related:
“He certainly helped,” said Assoc Prof Chong of Mr Gan. “But the fact that he parachuted in probably helped the WP (also) get some support there … He is an advantage for the PAP, but he is not an unadulterated advantage.”
However, former PAP MP Inderjit Singh said that Mr Gan’s move was a “well-played strategy” by the PAP.
“I think the flight to safety worked for the PAP and also the scare of potentially losing too many ministers triumphed over the desire to have more alternative voices in parliament,” he said.
“Political reform took a backseat, and giving the 4G leaders a strong mandate won. I don't think bread and butter issues were forgotten, but people trusted that PAP can solve their problems.”
He said the PAP’s narrow win in Punggol GRC should still be seen as a “worrying thing” for the ruling party.
“I think PAP won because of the fear of losing an important minister like Gan,” said Mr Singh. “And not because of the young voters shifting their votes.”
Additional reporting by Taufiq Zalizan
Continue reading...