SINGAPORE: The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has swept several wards, according to the sample count, although the sample count at Punggol GRC and Sembawang West SMC is too close to call, fueling hope among opposition supporters that veteran opposition leader Chee Soon Juan and Workers’ Party’s (WP) Kenneth Foo might finally be elected into Parliament.
According to the sample count, the PAP’s Gho Sze Khee won 62 per cent of the vote while her independent opponent Jeremy Tan walked away with 38 per cent of the vote.
PAP candidate Xie Yao Quan received 81 per cent of the vote against Red Dot United’s (RDU) Kala Manickam’s 19 per cent of the vote at Jurong Central SMC, as per the sample count.
PAP’s Low Yen Ling received three-quarters of the votes at Bukit Gombak SMC, with her opponent Harish Pillay from the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) receiving the remaining quarter.
PSP fresh face Stephanie Tan lost the sample count at Pioneer SMC with 34 per cent of the vote, compared to PAP candidate Patrick Tay’s 66 per cent. PSP’s Kebun Baru candidate Tony Tan also registered 34 per cent against PAP’s Henry Kwek.
PSP’s Jeffrey Khoo walked away with 29 per cent of the vote as per the sample count at Marymount SMC, compared to incumbent Gan Siow Huang’s 71 per cent.
Radin Mas SMC ruling party candidate received 69 per cent of the vote as per the sample count, while the opposition party, Peoples Alliance for Reform (PAR), is expected to lose its deposit with 7 per cent of the vote. Independent candidate Darryl Lo outperformed the PAR with 24 per cent of the vote, as per the sample count.
PAR candidate Michael Fang is expected to keep his election deposit with 24 per cent of the vote compared to PAP candidate Yip Hon Weng’s 76 per cent. PAR candidate Mahaboob Batcha got 18 per cent of the vote compared to PAP’s Eric Chua, who got a resounding 82 per cent of the vote.
In one of the most closely watched fights, Paul Tambyah of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) only received 38 per cent of the vote compared to his opponent, the PAP’s Liang Eng Hwa’s 62 per cent. Prof Tambyah received over 46 per cent of the vote in 2020 when he faced off with Mr Liang.
SDP chief Chee Soon Juan, however, may well get elected into Parliament. His fight against the PAP’s Poh Li San at Sembawang GRC is extremely close, with Ms Poh getting 53 per cent of the vote compared to Dr Chee’s 47 per cent, as per the sample count.
The fight at Tampines Changkat SMC is also close, with WP’s Kenneth Foo earning 45 per cent of the vote compared to the ruling party politician Desmond Choo’s 55 per cent.