Tuesday 10 May 2011

Why is the PAP worried?

If the elections were contested online, the opposition would have trashed PAP on every count. Nearly all the online polls conducted were overwhelmingly in favour of the opposition.
Despite the numerous attempts to woo young voters, including attempts at hip-hop, they seem to have difficulties connecting with the younger generation.


However, it was a triumph in the end for MM Lee, err PM Lee and his 81 MPs.
Why then is the PAP so concerned about the results?





  • 40% or 880,000 Singaporeans voted against them. If we exclude the estimated 100,000 new citizens whom we can safely assume , voted PAP, the figure is 43%.
  • The PAP share of popular votes has plunged from 75% in 2001 to 60% in 2011. If the trend continues, they could see their share hit the crucial 50% mark in 2016.
  • They have given literally everything in this fight: Grow & Share package, PM Lee's apology, smear tactics, MM Lee's threats, redrawing of GRC boundaries etc.
  • They put their best minister in charge of Aljunied GRC and yet he lost to a coherent and formidable Workers' Party team. If George Yeo can lose a GRC, any other lesser minister can be vulnerable in 2016
  • They are getting a real bitter taste of their own medicine. What is it like to lose three ministers and one future speaker of Parliment in one fell swoop?
  • One of their strongest GRC anchors, former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, came within a whisker of a shambolic embarrassment. And their opponents? A bunch of unknowns including a raw 24 year old candidate. SM Goh has said this would be his last elections. Who then is going to helm Marine Parade in the next GE?
  • How did they let TPL into their political ranks? Steve Tan? What happened to the screening process?
  • How much more can they rely on MBT and WKS? If they had come up against opposition of the calibre of Low's team, these deeply unpopular Ministers would probably have lost. WKS, the veteran Minister, has mind-blowing number of "Likes" on Facebook-847 to be exact.

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