Singapore's 17th parliamentary general election will be held this Friday and it will likely be seen as a watershed in the post Lee Kuan Yew era.
Official campaigns have been under way since last week and there is some fierce political competition.
From MRT stations to hawker centres, more candidates from various parties have been intensively lobbying voters, just like the salespersons during the annual Great Singapore Sale. The difference is what candidates are trying to sell are not products, but themselves and their political views and propositions.
In essence, this election is more like a bid, through which voters will choose the nation's next government.
In the retail sector, if there is a monopoly, there is little incentive to introduce a big sale with genuine bargains. It is different when there is competition. It is the same in politics. Politicians become more approachable and humble when they are faced with real competition. Competition is good in the business world and in politics.
Like businesses using various marketing tactics during the Great Singapore Sale, political parties have dazzling campaign strategies. They make attractive promises, but voters have to decide whether these pledges are realistic.