SINGAPURA - Para pengundi di sini membuang undi semalam (Sabtu 26/1/2013) dalam
satu pilihan raya kecil yang sekali gus menguji pendirian orang ramai
terhadap parti pemerintah iaitu Parti Tindakan Rakyat (PAP) selepas ia
mengalami prestasi terburuk dalam pilihan raya umum di republik
tersebut.
Kerusi kawasan Timur Punggol kosong apabila bekas Speaker, Michael
Palmer meletak jawatan dan keluar daripada PAP selepas mengaku menjalin
hubungan sulit pada Disember tahun lalu.
Kempen pilihan raya didominasi oleh isu sosioekonomi seperti kenaikan
kos sara hidup. Para penganalisis menyatakan kehadiran tiga calon
pembangkang pasti memecahkan undi pengundi anti-PAP.
Pusat-pusat pengundian dibuka seawal pukul 8 pagi selama 12 jam dan keputusan diumumkan pada waktu malam. Keputusannya Parti Buruh menang!. (Lihat gambar dibawah untuk maklumat lanjut)
Lebih 31,000 pengundi layak mengundi dalam pilihan raya kecil itu. Ia
merupakan pilihan raya kecil kali kedua sejak pilihan raya umum pada
Mei 2011 yang menyaksikan PAP hanya memperoleh undi sebanyak 60 peratus.
Doktor bedah, Koh Poh Koon yang mewakili PAP dicabar oleh Lee Li Lian
dari Parti Pekerja, Desmond Lim (parti Perikatan Demokratik Singapura)
dan Kenneth Jeyaretnam (Parti Reformasi). -
BERITA BERKAITAN:
CHANNEL ASIA
SINGAPORE: The
Workers' Party's (WP) secretary-general Mr Low Thia Khiang has said that
the results of the Punggol East by-election show that Singaporeans
expect the government to work harder for them.
At a news
conference on early Sunday morning held after results were announced,
MP-elect Ms Lee Li Lian also spelled out her priorities for the
constituency.
Flanked by party leaders, she thanked residents and
pledged to stand up for them in Parliament as well as manage Punggol
East diligently.
The 34-year-old won 16,038 or 54.52 per cent of the valid votes - up from the 41 per cent she garnered in the last election.
She
said: "My most immediate task is to build up the town council, as we
are all aware the current Punggol East Town council is actually under
the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council, so that will be the most immediate
thing that I need to do, after which I will also need to build up a
group of volunteers to help lead grassroots as well as community events
at Punggol East."
With the victory, she becomes the first woman
opposition party candidate to have won a single member constituency
since 1965. History too, for the Workers' Party, as it captures another
constituency from the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).
Mr Low
said: "The results of the by-election show that Punggol East voters as
well as Singaporeans still expect the government to work harder.
Although many policies have been reviewed... the results show that (its)
effect has not really trickled down to the ground and people still feel
the pressure of high cost of living," he said.
"So I would expect the government to work harder on that and the Workers' Party would assist whenever we can," he added.
Party leaders are also well aware of the expectations that come with the victory.
Chairman
of WP Ms Sylvia Lim said: "This is also an important episode for
Singaporeans to take note of, the value of political competition in
getting the government to sit up and take notice.
"Despite this
victory, the Workers' Party is still a small party with much to do and
improve upon. The Workers' Party will continue to serve residents in
Hougang SMC and Aljunied GRC and now the residents of Punggol East SMC
on the ground and in Parliament."
Party leaders added that the
victory is as much a vote against the ruling People's Action Party as it
is a vote for the Workers' Party.
Work will start almost
immediately for Ms Lee, with her first Meet-the-People session slated
for the 4 February at Block 135 Rivervale Street.
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