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Press release from the National Solidarity Party (NSP):

The PAP Government has proposed that the population of Singapore be increased up to 6.9 million by 2030. NSP is of the opinion that this increase is likely to further depress our fertility rate, creating a vicious cycle. We propose a focus on improving our fertility rate, and limiting the number of foreign workers if we want to continue growing our economy with minimal social problems.

We invite you to our presentation.

Date: 1 February 2013, Friday

Time: 7.30 - 9.30pm

Venue: Blk. 231, Bain Street, Bras Basah Complex, Genesis Room, #04-41, Singapore 180231.

Admission: Free.

Editorial

The country needs the PAP to introspect and renew itself.

While the unexpectedly comfortable win for the opposition Worker’s Party (WP) in the Punggol East by-election of 26th January has rightly been hailed as a significant political development, the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has so far reacted to it with a conspicuous lack of introspection.  Ministers and party leaders have publicly played down the loss as an outlier that does not presage a wider loss of affection for the PAP or its long-term agenda.  That is disappointing, because it is likely that the fiasco came about less through the growth of the WP than by the missteps of the PAP itself.

By Andrew Loh

Just over 3 weeks after it conducted what looked like an illegal election poll, the Straits Times has again made another blunder – but this one perhaps more significant and alarming.

On 28 January, just a day after the Workers' Party held its victory parade in Punggol East SMC, the Straits Times’ Forum page published a letter by one Paul Anthony Fernandez. In his letter, titled "Workers' Party lacks minority representation?", Mr Fernandez said that “during 10 days of campaigning, I did not see a Malay, Indian or anyone from a minority race among the WP members.” It is unclear what exactly he means by that – did he mean to say no minority race member knocked on his door or visited his home? Or that he did not see any minority race WP member walking the ground during the campaign? Or that he did not see any minority race member accompany WP’s candidate, Lee Li Lian?

Mr Fernandez then goes on to say:

“I had thought that perhaps such members could not be around due to their work commitments, but at the WP's victory parade yesterday, there was still no one from a minority race among their number.”

By Elaine Ee

In the past 18 months, a wave of change has swept across the political landscape of Singapore. One general election, one presidential election and two by-elections saw the ruling People’s Action Party’s hegemony in the political sphere eroded in one under-performance for them after another. Riding the crest of this wave is The Workers’ Party, with their historic win of Aljunied GRC, then holding on firmly to Hougang and now—in another stunning win—taking Punggol East from the PAP.

The people’s loss of faith in the PAP under Lee Hsien Loong’s leadership is clear. As is their increasingly lack of fear to vote against the PAP, as the stigma of being associated with opposition disappeared with the ‘old normal’ and was replace with a new found street cred or sign of courage in the ‘new normal’.

Also clear is that people disillusioned with the PAP are pinning their hopes on the WP.