Singapore's ruling party confident as polls close

January 2, 1997
Web posted at: 1:45 p.m. EST (1845 GMT)

SINGAPORE (CNN) -- Singapore's general election ended Thursday with voters casting ballots for 36 of 83 parliamentary legislators. At stake was the ruling party's prestige, not its control of Parliament.

The People's Action Party was assured of a majority. The PAP won the other 47 seats on December 23, and the opposition failed to contest them. On Thursday, prominent opposition leader Chee Soon Juan, head of the Singapore Democratic Party, was soundly defeated in his bid for a seat.

Official results were expected by midnight. Voting was brisk throughout Thursday with most of the 760,000 voters among the city-state's 3 million people casting their ballots, according to the Elections Department.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Related stories:

• Ruling party wins Singapore elections before vote - December 23, 1996
• Singapore parliament dissolved, elections due soon - December 16, 1996

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