Drum beat of discontent in Singapore draws near
3,000 protesters put ruling party on notice that iron fist will not always hold sway in city-state
Singapore's biggest protest in decades shows that the ruling party for over half a century is facing a more vocal electorate and must change or watch its popularity slide further, analysts say.
An estimated 3,000 Singaporeans chanted "we want change" and endured heavy downpours on Saturday to reject government immigration proposals, in a rare demonstration in the tightly controlled city-state of 5.3 million people.
Although low by global standards, the turnout was the largest in years in Singapore, where the People's Action Party (PAP) has traditionally responded to any dissent with a firm hand. It provides the government of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong much to consider.
"I think the anti-PAP sentiment will build and spread unless there's a very fundamental change in the way the PAP deals with the people, which I don't see happening," political analyst Seah Chiang Nee said.
For most at the rally, held at a designated free-speech corner after a Facebook campaign, it was their first time waving placards and chanting slogans against the PAP, which has ruled Singapore for almost 54 years.