The 17th parliamentary ‘General Elections Singapore 2015’ on Sept. 11, 2015.
- First election without the prime minister after the death of the man, considered who built Singapore into an Asia’s powerhouse, Lee Kuan Yew.
The Singapore’s government announced Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015, in what is expected to be a tight contest for the ruling party that has dominated politics in the city-state for 50 years but is now facing growing disaffection among citizens, according to report.
President Tony Tan Keng Yam dissolved parliament last August 25, 2015. 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.
A statement from the Elections Department (ELD) published on the ELD’s website on Tuesday, stated that the candidates are advised to refrain from making ‘negative campaigning practices’ such as false statements that allege corruption or commission of criminal offences, or statements that may cause racial or religious tensions or affect social cohesion,”.
The new 67-page Parliamentary Election Candidates 2015 handbook was published on the ELD’s website on Tuesday (Aug 25) hours after it was announced that Singaporeans will go to the polls on Sep 11.
According to Channel News Asia report, So far, 68 candidates have been introduced, including 15 new faces, while nine Opposition parties have indicated they will contest the upcoming General Election, to be held on Sep 11.
On September 11 election day, 16 areas in Singapore will be contested in groups, while 13 others will be contested individually, amounting to a total of 89 seats. Parliament was dissolved by the president earlier Tuesday and nomination day is Sept. 1. Elections are conducted by the Elections Department, which is under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister’s Office.
The current ruling party, the People’s Action Party, has ruled the country since it broke away from Malaysia 50 years ago. The upcoming election will be about reinforcing and rounding out the team, said Mr Lee, speaking at the National Day Rally last August 23, Sunday.
Lee’s son, current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, recounted at the rally the country’s progress in the last 50 years and urged Singaporeans to think about the next 50.
The 2011 election was a watershed election. The WP won a GRC in addition to Hougang with the war cry of a “First World Parliament”. But Potong Pasir was lost by not Mr Chiam but Mrs Chiam. Mrs Chiam came into Parliament as a NCMP, so did WP’s Gerald Giam and Yee Jenn Jong. WP’s Eric Tan left WP over this.
“If you are proud of what we have achieved together, if you support what we want to do ahead, the future that we are building, then please support me, please support my team,” he said.
“We have to do it together, so that we can keep Singapore special for many years to come. Another 50 years. And Singapore has to stay special because if we are just a dull little spot on the map, a smudge, we are going to count for nothing. We have to be a shining red dot,” he added.
The Parliament of Singapore’s maximum term is five years, within which it must be dissolved by the President and elections held within three months, as stated in the Constitution. One of the main reasons the current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loongo, called the elections in the first place, is because his party faced stiff competition from the opposition in 2011, and now they are hoping to capitalize on the positive sentiment of the electorate towards the 50th anniversary of independence and the goodwill generated by the death of Lee Kuan Yew, Nasdaq reported. Image courtesy of Blackbox Research Singapore.