Summary of GE2025 results
– PAP remains the government, with supermajority.
– Lawrence Wong got the strong mandate he wanted. Popular vote is 65.67%, a resounding victory by any standards.
– PAP did very well in some GRCs, with 10 getting 75% or more of the votes.
– WP only manages to retain all its seats. Hot GRCs like Punggol and Faisal Manap loses seat.
– Ng Chee Meng wins by a razor thin margin. WP Tampines lost by narrowest margin.
– Andre Low will be offered NCMP. WP will pick one candidate from Tampines to take the other NCMP seat.
– Chee Soon Juan loses.
– Mosquito parties all did badly, whether in straight fights or multi-corner.
– support for PSP sees the biggest drop. Losing margin surprised many. Won’t see Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa in Parliament any time soon.
I think like me, many of my readers are disappointed with the results in general. WP showed so much promise in Punggol (my home) and even though I knew it was an uphill battle, I had expected a closer margin. There were loud cheers and lots of support on social media, but as I’ve mentioned in a previous post, only votes matter.
There is too much to talk about here and there are a million reasons why the opposition didn’t do better. When visiting my parents, I stopped by at a senior citizen corner and overheard someone saying (loudly and with authority) that Tan Cheng Bock wanted to overthrow the PAP and become PM himself. I will just focus on one issue – why the West lost so badly in GE2025?
Some folks say that it’s the Tan Cheng Bock effect wearing out. Yes, with no disrespect to Dr Tan, I think his image of an aged fighter had already lost its shine. He put forward the best team but the results were nowhere near that of GE2020. The more mature voters tune in to parliamentary debates and cheered Leong Mun Wai on, but make no mistake, many voters don’t even know who he is. Some may actually dislike or despise him. In spite of his background (former Managing Director of OCBC Securities), Leong does not carry himself as a distinguished scholar would. Neither does he have many wefies with senior residents on social media. Candidates need to have photos like this on social media.
When I saw thousands of likes on Sun Xueling’s FB profile, I knew that Punggol was going to be tough for the WP to win in GE2025. Most WP supporters hang out at rallies and opposition platforms, forgetting that only votes count.
Sadly, the PSP’s campaign was a little too “intellectual” this time round. I’m OK with it, but I’m in the minority. Not everyone likes to see ministers getting interrogated and cornered and there are definitely more voters who can’t be bothered. Sun Xueling knows what gets those aunties excited. In contrast, a “profile” like this will not get you too many auntie friends. It’s too glaring. The uncles will need to tell their wives that they prefer Sun Xueling.
The PSP has always been pushing for more transparency and accountability. Back in 2020, the intellectuals were all stuck at home watching and listening. Everyone got fired up by Tan Cheng Bock’s convictions. This time round, they could be overseas for work or holiday. Or they could be drowning in work at the office. The PSP’s message would only fall on the ears of diehard fans in GE2025.
There is another significant factor signalling the PSP loss in GE2025. I don’t have the numbers, but anecdotally, we have a sizable number of PRCs holding pink ICs in the western part of Singapore. Talk about transparency and accountability to them? They are more interested in making friends with those who have provide them with funds or maybe just fish and ice cream.
Chee Soon Juan and the PSP have one thing in common. The former is tenacious under any circumstances. He never gives up and that’s an excellent textbook role model for the idealistic. As we’ve seen, PSP is only second in tenacity and they really kept the ministers on their toes with their incessant questioning. That’s what I would want in an opposition. The WP is too timid IMO. Parliament is much more “watchable” with PSP around and I would definitely stay glued if CSJ were in there. But that’s me in the minority.
From conversations I’ve overheard, many people, especially those busy with work, are afraid of having too much “drama” in Parliament. Democracy will be messy. Democracy will be disruptive. They know it. Amid the cheers for the opposition and cries for greater freedom and democracy, some just want a limited, dose of it provided by WP’s kid gloves. Some will actually get worried if Parliament drifts too far from its function as a rubber stamp. They believe that Singapore is not ready for it. In other words, they are not ready for it. As long as it’s business as usual, any policy is tolerable. Cheer for the opposition, but don’t let the “disruptive” guys like Leong Mun Wai and Chee Soon Juan get in. Keep it “constructive”. SDP and PSP have made it clear that they mean business and won’t just engage ministers in minimally stressful conversation. And that’s why many people keep cheering for you only to slam the door in your face at the last minute. Take this fictional adventurer for example. Great physique, great sense of humour, very knowledgeable, street smart, many stories to tell, many women love to go on a date with him.
But will they marry him? In Singapore, we don’t consider this good husband material. Our women like the nerdy type who can provide material needs. It’s the same with leaders.
Back to GE2025. This is the best fight that the opposition has ever put up thus far. There was never a time before this that our official media had been so kind to them. They appeared highly credible or even more than a match for their opponents in podcasts, videos and rallies. Unlike in previous years, the mainstream media didn’t portray the opposition negatively in GE2025. So with results like this, we can only conclude that the majority of Singaporeans…
1. Are OK with the rising cost of living without comparable increase in wages and standard of living.
2. Are OK with unaffordable public housing.
3. Are OK with the NRIC, SimplyGo debacle, public transport disruptions etc.
4. Are OK with bailing out the failed newsPAPers and government mouthpieces with public funds.
5. Don’t appreciate PSP’s relentless pursuit of transparency and accountability.
6. Don’t value the voices that speak out for their concerns in Parliament.
7. Are OK with 10 million population and overcrowding.
8. Are OK with a House dominated by former civil servants and military men and women.
9. Can’t appreciate what people like Dr Tambyah and Dr Chee can bring to the table.
10. Can let someone like Ng Chee Meng get back in.
11. Are OK with high job stress, poor mental health and no work life balance, leading to low TFR.
12. Don’t like them but still vote for them.
13. Keep quiet and accept POFMA even though they know it’s wrong.
Don’t blame the government. Blame yourself for being kiasu, kiasi and gian png.