SINGAPORE – Despite predictions the People’s Action Party (PAP) could see its share of the votes erode, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong had expected Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC) to at least buck the trend.
But support dipped at the polls on Saturday, when only 56.65 per cent of the votes were cast in his team’s favour, prompting Mr Goh to acknowledge they had been unable to duck the “sea change in the political landscape” that had swept the nation.
He had expected a bigger margin of victory and said that, apart from the electorate’s clamour for more alternative voices in Parliament, local and national issues weighed in as well.
Speaking to reporters mid-way through his team’s victory parade in the ward yesterday, Mr Goh also admitted that Ms Tin Pei Ling, 27, the PAP’s youngest candidate, and the National Solidarity Party’s Ms Nicole Seah, 24, were factors in the outcome of the Marine Parade results.
But he defended Ms Tin and said she has made a connection with segments of residents in MacPherson under her watch that will help her grow to become an effective Member of Parliament (MP).
Continue reading ‘Marine Parade could not avoid ‘sea change’ in S’pore’s political landscape’
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong says he is confident of strong support from elderly residents in Marine Parade GRC.
But he says he can’t say the same when it comes to the younger population.
Continue reading ‘SM Goh: I can’t get feel of younger voters’
Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Mr Tan Jee Say said Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong was wrong when he said most of the population were not concerned with ministerial pay.
Mr Tan said many residents had told the SDP candidates during their walkabouts that they were concerned about the high salaries ministers drew.
Continue reading ‘SDP: SM Goh wrong on ministerial pay’
After the recent analogies on drivers and co-drivers, old horses, chili crab stalls, and substitutes in soccer matches, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, 69, has thrown in another analogy into the ring – boxing.
He said there was now the need to focus on the central theme about the future of Singaporeans, their families and their homes.
Continue reading ‘PAP on defensive, will now fight back: SM Goh’
There may be national schemes to help the low income in Singapore but elected People’s Action Party (PAP) MPs must pay attention to residents who may fall in between the cracks, said Senior Minister (SM) Goh Chok Tong.
He said that was a key task he had for the PAP’s Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC) team.
Continue reading ‘My team will pay more attention to special help cases: SM’
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong has urged for “a clean fight” in the upcoming contest in the GRC.
Writing on the MParader Facebook page, Mr Goh emphasised there should be “no personal attacks, no rude language.”
He said Singapore is “a gracious, generous community” and the contest should be about which party voters trust “to secure you and your children a better future.”
