Tanjong Pagar GRC has been declared a walkover, as the Socialist Front put in their nomination papers 35 seconds late. It is the fifth consecutive walkover as PAP has not been contested since 1991.


Another development that was keenly watched is the results for Aljunied GRC. It will be contested by Workers’ Party Low Thia Khiang and his dream team. They will be up against the PAP team led by Foreign Minister George Yeo.

An objection was put up by the Singapore Democratic Party over PAP’s candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC. Dr Vincent Wijeysingha and his team filed an objected to Ms Sim Ann’s candidacy over her employment status, which stated that she was unemployed, although she is in the midst of serving notice as a civil servant. They said that this technically disqualifies her as a candidate.

SDP’s Dr Wijeysingha was also embroiled in an earlier controversy following the posting of a YouTube video revealing Dr Vincent Wijeysingha’s participation at a gay forum

One last minute change involved Mr Baey Yam Keng, who was put up in the PAP team for Aljunied GRC. New PAP candidate Dr Chia Shi Lu replaced him in the PAP team for Tanjong Pagar GRC.

As the names of the parties and the candidates were put up, objections were also put up in Joo Chiat SMC and Mountbatten SMC against the PAP by challengers Mr Yee Jenn Jong and Ms Jeanette Chong-Aruldoss respectively.

Mr Yee stated his objection over one the names of the assentors for PAP’s candidate, Mr Charles Chong.

The PAP team there is led by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Mr Christopher De Souza and Ms Sim Ann. The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) team comprises Mr John Tan, Dr Vincent Wijeysingha, Dr James Gomez and Mr Michael Fernandez.

Also expected to be of interest to Singaporeans is Marine Parade GRC, where the incumbent PAP team led by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong also include its youngest candidate, 27-year-old Tin Pei Ling. Other members are Dr Fatimah Lateef, Mr Seah Kian Peng and Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin.

Facing the PAP team is the team from National Solidarity Party (NSP) led by former MP Cheo Chai Zheng and include the youngest candidate of this general election, 24-year-old Nicole Seah. Other members are Mr Ivan Yeo Tiong Boon, Mr Abdul Salim Harun and Mr Spencer Ng Chung Hon.

Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC will pit veteran politicans from the PAP and Singapore People’s Party (SPP). The PAP team is led by Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng. Other members include Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Education, Mr Zainudin Nordin, Mr Hri Kumar Nair and Mrs Josephine Teo.

The SPP is led by Mr Chiam See Tong, who is the longest-serving opposition MP. In his team are Mr Benjamin Pwee, a former government scholar and ex-senior civil servant, Mr Jimmy Lee, another former government scholar and civil servant, Mr Mohamad Hamim Aliyas and Mr Wilfred Leung.

Single Member Constituencies (SMC) keenly watched include Potong Pasir SMC, where incumbent MP Chiam See Tong has left the contest to his wife, Lina Chiam while he leads the SPP team to contest Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. She will face off against PAP’s Sitoh Yih Pin.

And while many expected to see several three-corner fights during this election, only one for Sengkang West SMC turned out in the end.

PAP’s Michael Palmer, Singapore Democratic Alliance’s (SDA) Desmond Lim and Worker’s Party Lee Li Lian will be facing off during May 7.

At nomination centre Deyi Secondary School, 70-year-old independent candidate Mr Ooi Boon Ewe turned up bright and early to put in his nomination. However, one of his assentors failed to show up. He then went into the field of opposition supporters to try and get someone to be his assentor, but did not succeed

Singapore’s electoral boundaries are divided into 12 single member constituencies (SMCs) and 15 Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs).

In total, 14 GRCs and 12 SMCs will be contested during the 2011 General Election.

There are a total of 2,350,873 eligible voters for this General Election.

For Nomination Day, candidates had to file their papers at nine Nomination Centres before nominations closed at noon, with an extra 30 minutes for objections.

In the last General Election held in 2006, the PAP gained 37 seats in divisions which were uncontested by other parties on Nomination Day.

In the party’s first election under Mr Lee Hsien Loong, the PAP won 66.6 per cent of the overall votes and gained 82 out of 84 seats. The PAP returned to power for a twelfth consecutive term in office.

Mr Chiam See Tong and Mr Low Thia Kiang retained their seats in opposition in Potong Pasir and Hougang respectively.

In the previous General Election in 2001, the PAP also won 82 out of the 84 seats contested, capturing 75.3 per cent of the votes.

This was the PAP’s third best results after 1968′s 86.7 per cent and 1980′s 77.7 per cent.

The two opposition MPs who retained their seats in Potong Pasir and Hougang respectively were Mr Chiam and Mr Low.

Then into his 17th year of service, the 2001 GE made Mr Chiam Singapore’s longest serving opposition MP. It was also then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong’s last GE as PM.

Mr Lee Hsien Loong took over as Prime Minister from Mr Goh in 2004.

Singapore will be looking forward to its most keenly contested General Election since independence. This is the second time in a row that the ruling government has not been returned to power.

This officially kicks off the nine-day election campaign.