2011 Singaporean general election

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2011 Singaporean general election
Flag of Singapore.svg
  2006 7 May 2011 (2011-05-07) 2015  

All 87 directly elected seats in Parliament (and up to 9 NCMPs)
Registered2,350,873 [a]
Turnout93.18% (Decrease2.svg 0.82pp)
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Lee Hsien Loong - 20101112.jpg Low Thia Khiang 4 (3x4 cropped).jpg ChiamSeeTong-SDARally-20060502.jpg
Leader Lee Hsien Loong Low Thia Khiang Chiam See Tong
Party PAP WP SPP
Leader's seat Ang Mo Kio GRC Hougang SMC
(won in Aljunied GRC)
Potong Pasir SMC
(defeated in Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC)
Last election66.60%, 82 seats16.50%, 2 seats12.96%, 1 seat
Seats won8181
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 1Increase2.svg 6Steady2.svg
Popular vote1,212,154258,51062,639
Percentage60.14%12.83%3.11%
SwingDecrease2.svg 6.46ppDecrease2.svg 3.67ppDecrease2.svg 9.85pp

Map of the results of the 2011 Singaporean general election.svg
Results by constituency

Prime Minister before election

Lee Hsien Loong
PAP

Prime Minister after election

Lee Hsien Loong
PAP

General elections were held in Singapore on 7 May 2011. President S. R. Nathan dissolved parliament on 19 April 2011 on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. [1] Voting is mandatory in Singapore and is based on the first-past-the-post system. Elections are conducted by the Elections Department, which is under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister's Office. Nominations were accepted on Nomination Day, 27 April 2011. For the second election in a row, the PAP did not return to government on Nomination Day, but did on Polling Day. [2] This election also marked the first and the only three-cornered fight since 2001, in Punggol East Single Member Constituency (SMC).

Contents

The elections were described as a "watershed" by various parties. It had the highest proportion of contested seats since independence, with 82 of 87 seats contested. [3]

The final results saw a 6.5-point swing against PAP from the 2006 to about 60%, its lowest since independence. [4] The WP gained Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), giving them five additional Members of Parliament (MPs) and marking the first time a GRC was won by an opposition party since the introduction of GRCs. [5] [6] Three non-constituency MP (NCMP) seats were given, one to the Singapore People's Party (SPP) and the other two to the WP, resulting in a total of nine opposition MPs after the election. [7] [8]

The electorate exceeded 2 million for the first time, and with 82 of 87 seats contested, this was the most actively contested election in Singapore's history at the time since the first held in 1968.

Background

The 2011 general elections were the sixteenth general elections in Singapore and eleventh since independence. The governing People's Action Party (PAP) sought to secure their 13th consecutive term in office since 1959. This was the second election since Lee Hsien Loong became its Secretary-General.

The returning officer is the Chief Executive Director of the People's Association Yam Ah Mee, who replaced his predecessor Tan Boon Huat after serving as returning officer for three general elections from 1997 to 2006. [9] As of the recent 2025 election, this was the most recent election with Yam declaring the "pursuant to section 49" line and the rejected votes announced first before voter's turnout; subsequent elections from 2015 would omit the lines due to time constraints and the practice of announcing valid votes first before announcing rejected votes. [10]

Parliamentary reform

On 11 March 2010 the Government tabled three bills in the parliament to amend the Constitution, the Presidential Elections Act and the Parliamentary Elections Act. [11] These amendments reduced the number of Group representation constituencies (GRC), increased the number of Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) to a maximum of nine (inclusive of the number of elected opposition members of Parliament), and the number of Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) permanent also to nine. [11] A one-day "cooling-off" day was implemented, during which campaigning was forbidden, with only party political broadcasts allowed. Internet campaigning was also formally legalised as a legitimate means of political campaigning. [11] On 26 April 2010, the amendments to the Constitution were passed by a vote of 74–1 after a three-hour debate on the bill. [12]

Political parties

The governing People's Action Party (PAP) has been in power since Singapore's independence in 1965, and is currently led by the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Besides the ruling PAP, the other major political parties that may contest the upcoming elections are the Workers' Party of Singapore (WP) led by Low Thia Khiang, the Singapore People's Party led by Chiam See Tong which left the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) in 2011, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) led by Chee Soon Juan, [b] [13] the National Solidarity Party (NSP) led by Goh Meng Seng which left the SDA in 2007, the Reform Party (Singapore) led by Kenneth Jeyaretnam, and the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) led by Desmond Lim, which is composed of the Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura (Singapore Malay National Organization) (PKMS) and the Singapore Justice Party (SJP). The Reform Party is the newest party and was created on 18 June 2008 and was then led by former Member of Parliament J.B. Jeyaretnam. He could have stood for election after he was discharged from bankruptcy and reinstated to the bar, [14] however, Jeyaretnam died of heart failure on 30 September 2008 at the age of 82. [15] His eldest son, Kenneth Jeyaretnam has since taken up leadership of the party and is now its secretary-general. [16]

PartyLeaderVotes in GE2006Seats wonRemarks
People's Action Party Lee Hsien Loong
66.60%
82 / 84
80 seats at time of dissolution.
Workers' Party Low Thia Khiang
16.34%
1 / 84
Including one Non-constituency Member of Parliament.
Singapore Democratic Alliance Desmond Lim
12.96%
1 / 84
Alliance with Singapore Justice Party and Singapore Malay National Organisation parties.
National Solidarity Party Goh Meng Seng Withdrew from the alliance in 2007.
Singapore People's Party Chiam See Tong Withdrew from the alliance in 2010.
Singapore Democratic Party John Tan [b]
4.83%
0 / 84
Chee did not stand for the election.
Reform Party Kenneth Jeyaretnam Did not exist

Electoral divisions

The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee normally publishes an updated list of electoral divisions just before elections are called. Prior to the latest amendments, there were 14 GRCs, each with five or six seats, and nine Single Member Constituencies (SMC). There were a total of 84 seats being contested in the 2006 elections. [17] [18]

The new electoral map for 2011 was announced on 24 February 2011. The number of MPs to return has increased by three seats to 87, and four-member GRCs reappeared from the political map for the first time since 1997. Both Hong Kah and Jalan Besar GRCs were retooled into Chua Chu Kang and Moulmein-Kallang GRCs respectively, while three of five existing six-member GRCs were reduced to five seats each with Ang Mo Kio and Pasir Ris-Punggol remained at six (these GRCs would eventually be reduced in 2020). With the population growth in Yishun and Simpang leading to the formation of Nee Soon GRC, [19] there are a total of 15 GRCs this election, up by one from the last election. Only two constituencies of Bishan-Toa Payoh and Tampines were left untouched.

The number of SMCs have been increased by three to 12 for this election, with the introductions of Hong Kah North, Pioneer, Punggol East and Sengkang West, as well as returning SMCs of Mountbatten, Radin Mas, Whampoa and Yuhua after being part of GRCs in previous elections. In turn, Chua Chu Kang, MacPherson, Nee Soon Central, Nee Soon East and Yio Chu Kang were absorbed into neighbouring GRCs.

Singapore electoral boundaries, released in February 2011 Electoral boundaries during the Singapore general elections 2011.svg
Singapore electoral boundaries, released in February 2011
20062011
Seats
84
87
Electoral divisions
23
27
Group
Representation
constituencies
Total GRCs
14
15
Four-Member GRCs02
Five-Member GRCs911
Six-Member GRCs52
Average GRC size5.365.00
Single member constituencies912
Voters
2,158,704
2,347,198
Voters (overseas votes inclusive)
2,159,721
2,350,873

The changes made in the electoral divisions are as follows:

ConstituencyChanges
Aljunied GRC Absorbed portions of Kaki Bukit division from Marine Parade GRC, and a minor portion of Hougang SMC
Carved out portions of Aljunied–Hougang division to Ang Mo Kio GRC, and a minor portion of Aljunied–Hougang and Bedok Reservoir-Punggol divisions to Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC
Ang Mo Kio GRC Absorbed Aljunied–Hougang division (renamed to Ang Mo Kio-Hougang) from Aljunied GRC and Yio Chu Kang SMC

Absorbed a minor portion of Punggol South from Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC
Carved out Nee Soon South division (excluding the Lentor area south of Seletar Expressway) into Nee Soon GRC, and Sengkang West division into SMC

Chua Chu Kang GRC New Constituency
Formed from a majority of Hong Kah GRC (except for Hong Kah North division, which carved into SMC), and Chua Chu Kang SMC
East Coast GRC Carved a portion of Kampong-Chai Chee to Marine Parade GRC
Holland–Bukit Timah GRC Ward downsized to four members
Carved out Buona Vista division into Tanjong Pagar GRC, a minor portion of Bukit Timah to West Coast GRC, and portions of Toh Guan to Jurong GRC
Jurong GRC Carved out Yuhua division into SMC
Portions of Jurong Central and Taman Jurong divisions, West Coast GRC and Hong Kah GRC were formed into Jurong Spring division
Marine Parade GRC Ward downsized to five members
Absorbed MacPherson SMC and a minor portion of Joo Chiat SMC
Portions of Kaki Bukit and the entire Kampong Ubi-Kembangan divisions, and Kampong Chai Chee division from East Coast GRC were formed into Kembangan-Chai Chee division
Carved out a portion of Kaki Bukit division to Aljunied GRC, and Mountbatten division into SMC
Moulmein–Kallang GRC New Constituency
Formed from Jalan Besar GRC (except for Kreta Ayer–Kim Seng division (excluding northern Hong Lim portions) which was absorbed into Tanjong Pagar GRC, and Whampoa division as a SMC), and Moulmein division from Tanjong Pagar GRC
Nee Soon GRC New Constituency
Formed from Nee Soon Central SMC, Nee Soon East SMC, Nee Soon South divisions from Ang Mo Kio GRC (excluding the Lentor area south of Seletar Expressway), and Canberra and Chong Pang divisions from Sembawang GRC
Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC Carved out Punggol East division into SMC, and a minor portion of Punggol South division to Ang Mo Kio GRC
Portions of Punggol Central and North divisions were formed into Punggol West division
Sembawang GRC Ward downsized to five members
Carved out Canberra and Chong Pang to Nee Soon GRC
Portions of Sembawang and Woodlands were formed into Woodgrove division.
Tanjong Pagar GRC Ward downsized to five members
Absorbed Buona Vista and Kreta Ayer–Kim Seng divisions from Holland–Bukit Timah GRC and Jalan Besar GRC, respectively
Carved out Moulmein division into Moulmein–Kallang GRC, and Radin Mas division into SMC
Merged Tanjong Pagar and Tiong Bahru divisions to form Tanjong Pagar-Tiong Bahru division
West Coast GRC Carved out portions of Pioneer division into SMC, while Jurong Industrial, Jurong Island, Gul Circle, Tuas and Joo Koon were transferred to Ayer Rajah division
Ayer Rajah-West Coast division were split into Ayer Rajah and West Coast divisions.

Nomination

Timeline

DateEvent
24 FebruaryPublication of Electoral Boundaries report
3 MarchCertification of Registers of Electors
19 AprilDissolution of 11th Parliament; Writ of Election issued
22 AprilDeadline of Submission of Political Donation Certificates
27 AprilNomination Day/First Live Political Party Broadcast
27 April-5 May Campaigning Period
6 May Cooling-off Day/Second Live Political Party Broadcast
7 MayPolling Day
11 MayOverseas Votes Counting
16 MayCandidates revealed for Non-Constituency Member of Parliament
21 May 12th Parliament assembled
10 OctoberOpening of 12th Parliament

New candidates

A total of 78 candidates were brand-new to this election. Notable candidates out of the 24 introduced from the People's Action Party that were part of the "fourth-generation" (4G) cabinet which include the eventual fourth Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong, a future Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore Heng Swee Keat, an ex-SAF Chief and ministers Chan Chun Sing, Tan Chuan-Jin, as well as Desmond Lee and Ong Ye Kung, the sons of former MPs Lee Yock Suan and Ong Lian Ten respectively.

There were 54 debuting candidates from six opposition parties, which include Pritam Singh who made another inroad into Parliament and went on to become the Workers' Party's leader in 2018, as well as Lina Loh (wife of then-Potong Pasir SMC MP Chiam See Tong), Kenneth Andrew Jeyaretnam (son of the late J. B. Jeyaretnam), Nicole Seah, Tan Jee Say, Hazel Poa (who also joined by her spouse Tony Tan Lay Thiam) and Benjamin Pwee Yek Guan.

Retiring politicians

20 existing PAP members from the 11th Parliament will not see re-election, among which 18 announced their retirement, ten of which being office holders, [20] and two members, Balaji Sadasivan (Ang Mo Kio GRC) and Ong Chit Chung (Jurong GRC), died during their term in office but neither by-elections were called since their wards were part of a Group Representation Constituency; the latter however would later become a Bukit Batok Single Member Constituency on the next election in 2015. Eric Low, another PAP candidate that first entered politics in the 2001 election but lost twice to WP, did not seek re-election, making him the second PAP candidate to participate but did not enter parliament (the first being Pang Kim Hin).

Nomination day details

Nomination day occurred on 27 April 2011 and opened from 11am for an hour. The election deposit for this election was S$16,000, the highest amount set in any election's history. The Elections Department allocated the following nine places of nomination as nomination centres: [21]

Nomination centreElectoral division(s)
Admiralty Secondary School Nee Soon GRC IO
Sembawang GRC M
Bedok View Secondary School East Coast GRC M
Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC M
Punggol East SMC
Deyi Secondary School Aljunied GRC M
Ang Mo Kio GRC IO
Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC IO
Sengkang West SMC
Dunman Secondary School Hougang SMC
Tampines GRC M
Greenridge Secondary School Bukit Panjang SMC
Holland-Bukit Timah GRC IO
Jurong Junior College Jurong GRC IO
Pioneer SMC
West Coast GRC IO
Yuhua SMC
Singapore Chinese Girls' School Moulmein-Kallang GRC M
Radin Mas SMC
Tanjong Pagar GRC IO
Whampoa SMC
South View Primary School Chua Chu Kang GRC M
Hong Kah North SMC
Tao Nan School Joo Chiat SMC
Marine Parade GRC M
Mountbatten SMC
Potong Pasir SMC

During nomination, Steve Tan Peng Hoe pulled out from contesting Tampines GRC; Tanjong Pagar GRC incumbent Baey Yam Keng took his place, in turn new candidate Chia Shi-Lu replaced Baey in his place. [22] [23] [24] [25]

Staking claims

Soon after the announcement of the new electoral boundaries, various opposition parties indicated their intent to contest, subject to negotiations between political parties to avoid three-cornered fights. The parties declaring an interest to contest each constituency and their nomination status is reflected below.

Nominations by various opposition parties as on nomination day on 27 April 2011. Banded shading indicates constituencies with three-party contests. There was no contest in Tanjong Pagar after the opposition team intending to submit a nomination were disqualified. Map of contested electoral divisions in the Singaporean general election 2011.svg
Nominations by various opposition parties as on nomination day on 27 April 2011. Banded shading indicates constituencies with three-party contests. There was no contest in Tanjong Pagar after the opposition team intending to submit a nomination were disqualified.

General election campaign

Televised forums

In the first pre-election forum of this nature in Singapore since the 1988 General Election, Channel NewsAsia invited the main parties to record an hour-long programme. The programme, in English entitled, “A political forum on Singapore's future” brought together the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) and four opposition parties to discuss long and short-term challenges for the country. [26] The forum included:

Social media

The Worker's Party utilised social media to circumvent obstacles placed in front of them by Singapore's government-controlled media. [27]

Battleground Constituencies

Similar to the previous elections, many media outlets named the following constituencies as "hotspots": [28] [29] [30]

Political rallies

The Singapore Police Force announced 41 political rally sites on 27 April which could be booked by political parties on a first-come-first-served basis. Rallies were allowed to be conducted from 28 April to 5 May, from 7am to 10pm. The 41st site is for lunch time rallies at Boat Quay near to the UOB Plaza. [31]

Controversies

Online video

During the 2011 elections campaigning, Vivian Balakrishnan said the SDP was "suppressing a certain YouTube video, which raises some very awkward questions about the agenda and motivations of the SDP and its candidates". [33] He issued the following statement:

I am not sure what [the SDP] strategy is...I can't help feeling that part of the reason for their reticence is they have elements of their agenda they are not prepared to disclose and subject to scrutiny. Eventually, they will have to come out of the closet. (The Straits Times, 20 April 2011)

Vincent Wijeysingha rejected his comments stating, "We've been a very open party and we're very clear." [34]

This incident was cited in an article published in The Economist criticising the ruling party's election strategy [35] The New Paper released a story next day, with the headline: "Is Singapore ready for a GAY MP?". [36] Kenneth Jeyaretnam of the Reform Party called Balakrishnan's campaign a "low attack." [33]

Balakrishnan received widespread controversy and criticism online for his remark,. [37] On 28 April, he told the press: "there is "no need" to further discuss [the] video". He said that his question was a "legitimate". [38]

Cooling-off day

Nicole Seah, a team member contesting Marine Parade GRC under the NSP team, filed a complaint to the Elections Department on 6 May stating PAP-team member Tin Pei Ling had violated the state-mandated cooling-off period 24 hours before polls by posting a Facebook comment "in response to a video [in the state press] that showed Seah crying after being told about a MacPherson female resident who could not get a refund of her son's $80 tuition fees". [39]

The NSP team was advised by the Elections Department to lodge a police report before the Elections Department could investigate. [40]

The day after the election, Seah told reporters that her party had not received any response after making the complaint, and said no decision had been taken on whether or not to pursue the issue. She added that the NSP knew "it is an uphill battle to get any results out of this. I would rather devote my time and resources to the residents". [41]

A similar complaint was lodged against Seah alleging that material had been published on her Facebook page during Cooling-Off Day. On 10 August, the Singapore Police Force announced that it had concluded its investigations into the two incidents, and that aside from a "stern warning" to Tin's friend, neither action was taken against either Tin or Seah. [42]

Separately, the NSP also complained that the PAP had been distributing election material to residents in Tampines GRC in violation of cooling-off regulations. [40]

Results

After polls closed at 8pm, vote counting began. Results were announced by Yam Ah Mee, chief executive director of the People's Association, who acted as the Returning Officer for the election. [43] The first result was declared at 11.58pm on 7 May 2011, where PAP candidate Lim Biow Chuan won the Mountbatten SMC with a majority of 3,529. The final result to be declared was for the Potong Pasir SMC at 2.51am on 8 May, where the PAP won the seat from the SPP by a narrow margin of 0.72%, or a majority of 114, following a recount.

While People's Action Party retain government control for the 13th consecutive election, its vote majorities were reduced island-wide for a second election in a row, down to its lowest national vote share to 60.17%, surpassing 1991's share of 60.97%. The constituency with the best performing result this election was Hong Kah North SMC with 70.61%, being the only one to score at least 70% for the election.

PAP won all but two constituencies with 81 out of 87 seats; the WP won the remaining six seats after successfully retain Hougang SMC and for the first time since GRCs were introduced in 1988, WP also won Aljunied GRC, the first instance where any opposition party won a GRC. [44] Its victory also lead to the defeat of cabinet minister George Yeo and Lim Hwee Hua, who became the first two cabinet ministers to lose re-election since independence, [45] [46] with the last time being 1963 (minister Kenneth Michael Byrne lost his seat of Crawford). [47] Furthermore, Hougang SMC clocked in the best performing result for WP at 64.80%, and the second-best performing result for any opposition party in post-independence Singapore's history, only behind 1991's Potong Pasir SMC's record of 69.64%.

The election also saw several records, with the elections of first female opposition MP Sylvia Lim and first Malay opposition MP Faisal Manap into Parliament. At 27 years of age, Marine Parade GRC MP Tin Pei Ling set a record of becoming the youngest MP-elect, which was previously held by 29-year old Ho Kah Leong back in 1966. [48] Her record would later be surpassed by 26-year old MP-elect Raeesah Khan in the 2020 elections. [49] Both Tin and Alex Yam were also the first two millennial MPs to be elected into parliament, and Michael Palmer become the first ethnic minority MP to manage a SMC since the introduction of the GRC system.

Excluding electorates from Tanjong Pagar GRC, voter turnout for the election was 93.18%, with 2,060,373 votes cast. [50]

Popular vote
  1. PAP (60.1%)
  2. Workers' (12.8%)
  3. NSP (12.0%)
  4. SDP (4.83%)
  5. Reform (4.28%)
  6. SPP (3.11%)
  7. SDA (2.78%)

Post-election events

Ruling party's immediate reactions

The People's Action Party's secretary-general, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, described the results as delivering his party a "clear mandate to form the next government". [52] In his post-election press conference, Lee said the polls had "heightened (voters') political consciousness and awareness", and admitted that "many of them desire to see more opposition voices in Parliament to check the PAP government". [53] He described the PAP's loss of Aljunied GRC, which resulted in George Yeo being voted out of Parliament and losing his position as foreign minister, as a "heavy loss to my Cabinet and my team of MPs", but said that the party would "accept and respect the voters' decision". [54] The country's Senior Minister, Goh Chok Tong, also admitted that "there is a sea change in the political landscape" after his team won Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency with just 56.6 percent of the vote. [55]

The third cabinet was announced two weeks later where extensive changes were made to the cabinet, and several ministers announcing stepping down from the cabinet, including Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam succeeded Wong as the new DPM, with existing DPM Teo Chee Hean named the new successor to the Coordinating Minister for National Security. Two new MPs were given cabinet portfolios, with Chan Chun Sing given the acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and Heng Swee Keat as the Minister for Education, making Heng only the second MP to be ascended directly to cabinet minister, after Richard Hu. [56] It was also announced that Michael Palmer would be named the new Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore, replacing outgoing speaker Abdullah Tarmugi.

Opposition parties' immediate reactions

The Workers Party's secretary-general Low Thia Khiang said his team's win in Aljunied meant that voters had "accepted the WP as a rational, responsible and respected party". [57] In his victory speech, Low declared his win as a "political landmark in modern Singapore". [58] [59] He added that it meant the electorate wanted to tell the PAP to be "a more responsive, inclusive, transparent and accountable government”. [4]

In a statement on its website, the Singapore Democratic Party thanked its supporters for their support, saying that it was for them that the party "(continues) to labour on in this undemocratic system with all the odds stacked against us." [60] Its assistant treasurer Vincent Wijeysingha, who stood in Holland–Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency, said that the party's positive vote swing in its contested wards of almost 13 percent from the last elections was an "indicator that things are beginning to move up for our party." [61] In a second statement on its website, the SDP described its results as "disappointing", but promised to "build on the foundation that we have laid" for the next elections. [62] The party's secretary-general Chee Soon Juan, barred from standing in the election, went on to write an opinion piece for the Guardian, in which he said it "would have been a miracle" had the SDP won any seats, and accused the media in Singapore of suppressing news of the SDP's campaigning. [63]

Other than the PAP and WP, the only other opposition seat pre-election had been held by the Singapore People's Party, which lost it in the polls by just 114 votes. Chiam See Tong, the SPP's secretary-general, said his party would fight to win back Potong Pasir Single Member Constituency, and said that despite being defeated in Bishan–Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency, he would continue in politics, health permitting. [64] He also questioned the margin of votes in Potong Pasir, contested by his wife, saying there was "funny business" happening. A petition calling for a by-election in the constituency was started by SPP supporters and Potong Pasir residents. [65]

The National Solidarity Party, which contested the most seats of all opposition parties, admitted it may have taken on too much, with its leader Goh Meng Seng telling reporters that he would be "personally responsible" for the party's failure to win a single seat. [61] Its star candidate, Nicole Seah, said Singaporeans now had to unite as a country. [66] Seah, who contested in Marine Parade, also said there was "so much that needs to be done", and that she would continue her work in the area despite her team's defeat. [67] On 26 June, Goh announced his resignation from the party. [68] [69]

The leader of the newest opposition party contesting the elections, the Reform Party's Kenneth Jeyaretnam, described his party as having "learnt a lot" and said they had "done very well", as the first new party in over 20 years. He added that the party was "very happy" at its result in West Coast Group Representation Constituency, [61] and that its second team had done "creditably" in Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency. Jeyaretnam also said the team being able to win the votes it did despite being a new party meant that its "core values resonate with the voters". [70]

The worst-performing party at the polls was the Singapore Democratic Alliance, whose secretary-general Desmond Lim polled under 5 percent of votes in Punggol East Single Member Constituency (the sole three-cornered contest), being the only candidate to lost his S$16,000 election deposit this election. He said voters had voted based on brand name, as the other opposition candidate in the ward was from the WP. The SDA also contested Pasir Ris–Punggol Group Representation Constituency, and Lim said the party was "very happy" at its positive vote swing from 2006 of over 4 percent. However, the SDA's anchorman in the constituency Harminder Pal Singh described the loss as a "time for painful reflection" and said the party would work harder to win more votes. [71]

Foreign reactions

At an ASEAN heads-of-state meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, leaders of ASEAN nations reportedly told S. Jayakumar, Singapore's representative at the event, that they were "saddened, disappointed and surprised" at the news that foreign minister Yeo had been defeated, according to the state-run Straits Times, [72] while at the same meeting the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Tun Razak, said the PAP's win would mean a continuity in understanding between the Malaysian and Singaporean governments on bilateral issues. [73] The BBC described it as a landmark result. [74]

Non-Constituency Member of Parliament offers

Three Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMP) seats were offered after the election to the top three losing opposition candidates. The Singapore People's Party accepted the seat for Lina Loh, ensuring that the Chiam family retained representation in Parliament. While Chiam See Tong has said he is opposed to the scheme, the SPP reasoned that it was "critical" to ensure an "alternative voice in Parliament", to allow the party to "remain engaged in national issues", and to be publicly visible until the next election due by 2016. Loh also pointed out that she was "influenced by the wishes of Potong Pasir residents" and she accepted the post as her losing margin was too small. [75]

The Workers' Party was offered the final two NCMP seats for having the second and third best performing losing candidates, which it accepted despite Low also disputing the scheme. Yee Jenn Jong was thus appointed for his performance in Joo Chiat SMC, but as it had to choose one member from the East Coast GRC team, the younger Gerald Giam was chosen over team leader and party treasurer Eric Tan as part of its leadership renewal process. Tan resigned from the party, citing his disagreement with the appointment. [76]

On 16 May 2011, the three proposed NCMPs were formally appointed. [77]

By-elections

During the parliamentary term following this election, two seats fell vacant throughout 2012 after the MPs resigned following allegations about extramarital affairs. The first was Hougang SMC MP Yaw Shin Leong on 14 February, [78] and the other was Speaker and Punggol East SMC MP Michael Palmer on 12 December. [79]

This were the first two by-elections to be called in nearly two decades after the 1992 Marine Parade by-election. In the ensuing by-elections, former East Coast GRC WP candidate Png Eng Huat and two-time Punggol East SMC WP candidate Lee Li Lian respectively won those by-elections. Consequently, it was also the second time where a seat changed hands to the opposition after 1981. [80] [81] [82]

Exit poll

On 3 September, Joseph Ong Chor Teck was arrested for conducting exit poll through Temasek Review, a socio-political website, ahead of the election. It was announced that Ong was released on bail pending further investigations as of 17 October. Conducting exit polls during the election period between the time where the writ of election is issued and election day is an offence under the Parliamentary Election Act, with penalties of a maximum S$1,500 fine or up to a year's imprisonment or both. [83] [84] [85] [86] [87]

Reactions

Use of social media

The election saw a heavier use of social and online media compared to 2006 Singapore general election, especially to evade censorship in Singapore. It is widely perceived by the populace that the major state-run newspapers and broadcasters "align[ed] itself with the party's ideals and decisions" and that the electoral system was tilted against the Opposition. [35] It had been difficult to create alternative media until the rise of sites such as The Online Citizen and such internet tools such as Facebook, Twitter and blogs, which saw increased significance in the 2006 elections but became especially prominent in the 2011 elections. [88] According to The Economist, the PAP's aggressive modernisation of Singapore created "one of the world's most wired societies," leading to new media that "transformed" the electoral scene in Singapore. Characterising the state-run mainstream press as "docile", the Economist also argued that this also forced significantly more news coverage of the Opposition than in previous elections, since the mainstream media feared their readership deserting them. [35] One blogger from CNN wrote, "Thanks to social media, it doesn't matter that the country's largely state-run media leans towards reporting the actions of the PAP, no one's reading anyway.". [88] The Economist however was more cynical in its analysis of the election: "in Singapore, winning 7% of parliamentary seats is tantamount to an opposition triumph". [35]

Reactions to Aljunied GRC's result

Traditionally regarded as a PAP "fortress", this marked the first instance where the opposition captured a GRC since the scheme was formed in 1988, five elections prior, where the oppositions had unsuccessfully done so due to ostensible requirements of ensuring minority representation in parliament and extensive resources. GRCs comprise over 86% of the seats, but oppositions in previous elections would contest "less than half the seats". The election saw the most extensive use of co-ordination to avoid "three-cornered fights" and was also notable for seeing "two veteran MPs" making immense risks by choosing to contest in GRCs rather than their traditional SMC safe seats. [35]

With the PAP's team defeated in Aljunied GRC, four of the five members, including Foreign Minister George Yeo and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Hwee Hua, announced their retirements from politics in separate news conferences given in the days after the election. [89] [90] George Yeo, who remained popular online and continued to have "a flood of support" after the election and had been repeatedly urged to contest the next election, or even contest the 2011 Singaporean presidential election turned his supporters down, declaring, "I'm a free spirit, and I don't think I'm temperamentally suited for such a job." [91] A fifth candidate, Ong Ye Kung, however, would continue to work in private sector and would later join their team in Sembawang GRC in the next election four years later. [92] [93] [94]

Signals to the ruling party

The election results were widely used in national and international discussions that the population was trying to send a message to a ruling party that "can also come across as smug, arrogant and high-handed" despite a win margin of over 20%, which usually counts as a landslide victory for most democratic nations but has been one of the narrowest margins since 1965. [35] The last election with a similarly narrow victory occurred in the 1963 Singapore general election, when the PAP's major opponent was the Barisan Sosialis—which in itself was a splinter group formed from the leftist wing of the PAP, where it had comprised 80% of the PAP grassroots membership, 35 out of the PAP's 51 branch committees and 19 of its 23 organising secretaries. According to the Economist, Singaporeans would prefer not to have an alternative government but a humbler one, as well as a "stronger opposition".

On 14 May, exactly a week after the election, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew announced in a joint statement that they would be quitting the country's Cabinet, saying it was time for a "team of younger ministers" to "engage with this young generation in shaping the future of Singapore." [95] In a similar analysis by Bloomberg, the resignations and the ensuing cabinet reshuffle were the actions of a ruling party "seeking to overhaul its image with voters" whose "narrowest election victory on record signaled a shortfall in support among younger voters". [96] Analysts such as Citigroup economist Kit Wei Zheng believed that Minister Lee had contributed to the PAP's poor performance. [97]

Lee Kuan Yew was also quoted as saying that a younger generation was required to "carry Singapore forward in a more difficult and complex situation" while Lee Hsien Loong declared the party "would change the way it governs" and do some "soul-searching". A Singapore Management University professor said "[The PAP] will have to demonstrate that it remains a mass movement, and not [Lee Kuan Yew]’s alter ego," noting that younger Singaporeans do not see Lee Kuan Yew with the same godlike perception as older Singaporeans born before 1980.

With the vacation of the Senior Minister roles, the role remained vacant for the next eight years until on 1 May 2019 following Heng Swee Keat's ascension of Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. Goh was also conferred the title of "Emeritus Senior Minister". [98]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 139,771 of the 2,350,873 registered voters were in uncontested constituencies, leaving 2,211,102 voters able to vote.
  2. 1 2 After the ruling government sued him into bankruptcy, Chee Soon Juan is barred from standing in elections. The SDP was thus led by its assistant secretary-general, John Tan, contesting in Sembawang GRC.
  3. Punggol East SMC is excluded from the table as there were two opposition parties which competed against the incumbent. If the opposition parties for Punggol East SMC were to sum up (WP had 12,765 votes (41.02%) and SDA had 1,386 votes (4.45%)), the opposition won 14,151 votes (45.47%) while PAP had 16,969 votes (54.52%), which would place it fifth in the table below while WP would place on 13th.
  4. If Moulmein-Kallang GRC is considered an existing constituency due to the renaming of Jalan Besar GRC, the results would see a 10.71% swing, which would have placed it sixth in the table.

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