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Singapore’s 13th general election was held on July 10 and saw the ruling People’s Action Party returned to power with a comfortable supermajority in the legislature, extending its run as the world’s longest continuously ruling elected government. However, the eight percentage point drop in its vote share to 61.24 per cent was the third-worst showing since the country gained independence in 1965, and the party lost a second group representation constituency to the opposition.
The city state’s ruling party has weathered a crisis poll, now it must work with the opposition to confront challenges, contribute to region’s growth and ensure balanced ties with China and the US
- Former Workers’ Party MP Raeesah Khan last year accused police of mishandling a sex assault case during a debate on gender equality, which she later said was untrue
- The parliamentary Committee of Privileges is also recommending that WP chief Pritam Singh is referred to the public prosecutor for possibly breaking the law during his testimony before the group
The saga surrounding Raeesah has not stopped with her resignation, but snowballed. Now it is threatening to drag down Workers’ Party leader Pritam Singh too
The 28-year-old lawmaker’s resignation is a setback for the Workers’ Party after its breakthrough result in last year’s general election.
Raeesah Khan tearfully apologises for her August comments, saying in reality she did not accompany victim to report crime three years ago.
Former leader urges the next generation to ‘deliberate carefully’ as he launches the second instalment of his biography ‘Standing Tall: The Goh Chok Tong Years’.
Political observers say the upcoming cabinet reshuffle will offer clues and they are preparing to read the tea leaves.
Heng Swee Keat’s health and age came under scrutiny on Weibo and WeChat, as one analyst praised the outgoing deputy PM’s ‘overriding consideration’ for the city state’s well-being.
Heng Swee Keat will remain deputy prime minister but will relinquish his finance portfolio at the next cabinet reshuffle in two weeks, while the so-called 4G ministers have asked PM Lee Hsien Loong to stay on until they decide on a new successor.
The PAP is expected to maintain the status quo in choosing its central executive committee but observers are on the lookout for any clues on leadership succession, including what is in store for education minister Lawrence Wong.
Lee Hsien Loong was questioned for four hours on the first day of a defamation trial against blogger and opposition politician Leong Sze Hian, a critic of the ruling PAP’s economic policies.
An Institute of Policy Studies survey conducted after the July general election showed a greater desire for political pluralism among voters and a rise in perceptions of credibility of the main opposition Workers’ Party.
Pritam Singh says the city state should welcome businesses relocating due to Hong Kong’s ‘seismic political changes’, backs government on foreign and defence policies.
It’s younger, more gender-diverse and for the first time ever there’s a Leader of the Opposition. But the ruling PAP will still expect unity on issues of national concern.
The public service stalwart’s career stretched from the city state’s independence to a time when he said it was run by ‘little Lee Kuan Yews’.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told an Atlantic Council form that stable US-China relations were crucial for Asia, and touched on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, fears over Huawei and the National Security Law in Hong Kong.
While analysts say the new role signals a maturing of the island nation’s politics, they also flag its funding limitations and the need for full access to data.
Singapore’s foreign minister has sought to quash speculation of waning support within the ruling People’s Action Party for the country’s designated future leader Heng Swee Keat.
New education minister Lawrence Wong is among the few members of the PAP’s 4G group to be handed a new portfolio.
The home affairs ministry will look into past cases involving violence against women after 23-year-old Yin Zi Qin received a relatively light sentence.
From Malaysian beauty queens to aspiring Singaporean politicians, few are immune to the threat of being ‘cancelled’.
To some, the Chinese leader’s call to Singapore’s Lee Hsien Loong seemed a routine post-election call. To others it seemed a warning against siding with the United States.
There were 27 female politicians voted in as members of parliament, an increase from 21 in the last polls in 2015.
People’s Action Party retained a firm grip on power but suffered its weakest performance in 55 years in office.
An 8 percentage point drop in vote share is unsettling for Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party amid plans for a leadership transition.
The People’s Action Party was seeking a strong mandate to contend with the economic and public health crisis caused by the pandemic – instead it got one of its lowest vote shares in decades.
WP has 10 of 93 seats, the highest ever percentage of opposition lawmakers, with analysts saying this indicates desire by voters for checks and balances on PAP government.
