Ruling party wins Singapore elections before vote

December 23, 1996
Web posted at: 12:00 p.m. EST (1700 GMT)

SINGAPORE (CNN) -- Singapore's ruling party has won the country's eighth general elections without a single ballot cast.

At Monday's deadline for nominations for Singapore's parliament, the People's Action Party (PAP) -- which has run Singapore since 1959 -- faced no opposition in 47 of the legislative body's 83 seats.

Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew were among those to be returned to office unopposed. Goh has been prime minister since 1990.

The country's election commission set the date for the election for January 2, allowing the minimum nine days for campaigning after the close of nominations.

Analysts say the short time between nomination and election gives opposition candidates little chance of mounting sustained campaigns.

Opposition candidates held only four of the previous parliament's 81 seats and said they were adopting what they called a "by-election" strategy for the upcoming vote -- fielding candidates only in elections they feel they have a chance to win.

Singapore analysts say the public has little faith in the opposition's ability to run the government. The opposition parties deliberately avoided fielding enough candidates to unseat the PAP in order to reassure voters that the opposition couldn't take control, they said.

With a PAP victory assured, analysts said, Singapore voters might be more inclined to support opposition candidates on the principle that an dissenting voice is needed in government.

"It is a generally accepted fact that a large part of the opposition's support stems from Singaporeans' desire to have opposition voices in parliament and not so much from their wanting an alternative government," said Straits Times columnist Chua Lee Hoong on Sunday.

Jakarta Bureau Chief Maria Ressa and Reuters contributed to this report.

 

Related story :

• Singapore parliament dissolved, elections due soon - December 16, 1996

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