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Singapore ruling party in decisive election win

Sydney Morning Herald - September 12, 2015

Lindsay Murdoch, Bangkok – Millions of Singaporeans have swept aside hopes that a two-party state could emerge on their tropical island with the ruling party securing an increased mandate in a snap poll.

The People's Action Party secured 83 of 89 seats in parliament, an almost 10 per cent increase on the last election in 2011.

Prime minister Lee Hsien Loong declared early on Saturday that Singaporeans had given him a clear and fresh mandate in the first election since the death of modern Singapore's founder Lee Kuan Yew in March.

"This election results show that Singaporeans understand what is at stake... that we can prosper only if we stayed united," he said.

Friday's election came during year-long celebrations honouring Singapore's 50th anniversary of independence in August that have generated a wave of patriotism.

There was never any doubt the ruling party would win a mandate but the size of the victory stunned opponents who hoped to benefit from signs of discontent, especially among young voters and the poor.

Voters have strengthened the hand of the prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew's 63-year-old son, to deal with an economic slowdown, with some analysts predicting the city-state is on the verge of a technical recession amid concerns about China's slowdown and volatile markets.

Mr Lee declared before the nine-day election campaign that Singapore was at a turning point as opposition parties promised to bring an alternative voice to parliament and provide checks and balances to the ruling party's dominance.

But the outcome vindicated that PAP's message that the party was a "safe and successful" pair of hands that had built modern Singapore into one of the world's wealthiest societies.

It has strengthened Mr Lee's position in cabinet and endorsed his father's authoritarian style of rule where defamation suits often crippled opposition figures.

Mr Lee said he looked forward to working with a small group of opposition MPs but warned that this depended on them making the effort to "master issues and having the courage to tale clear positions, acting to advance the natural interest and not for partisan advantage".

Since the PAP won barely 60 percent of the vote at the 2011 election – its worst showing – Mr Lee spent four years trying to make amends.

His government moved to make it easier for citizens to buy subsidised housing, curbed an influx of foreign workers seen as taking jobs from Singaporeans and rolled out subsidised health care programs and other welfare programs.

In February, the government imposed a tax increase on the top five percent of earners to help pay for the new programs.

Mr Lee has warned Singapore faces new challenges including an ageing population and the need to transform an economy heavily reliant on foreign labour to one driven by productivity and innovation.

Low Thia Khiang, leader of the main opposition Worker's Party, conceded a "massive swing" in favour of the PAP. "You win. You lose. So I think that is part and parcel of life," he told reporters.

Opposition rallies drew tens of thousands of people, dwarfing PAP events, but they did not translate into votes. (With agencies)

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/singapore-ruling-party-in-decisive-election-win-20150912-gjkysi.html.

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