Singapore’s ruling party wins seat in byelection

Singapore’s ruling party has won a seat in a byelection, cementing its influence on parliamentary decisions with an overwhelming majority.

The People’s Action Party candidate, lawyer Murali Pillai, garnered 61.2 per cent of the vote, the Elections Department announced late Saturday, beating out Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan.

More than 24,000 votes were cast in Bukit Batok, a constituency in Singapore’s West Region that went to the polls after a former PAP member of parliament resigned over allegations of an extramarital affair.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said voters had chosen a representative who is “committed, trustworthy, and will go the extra mile for you.”

“This is not just a win for Bukit Batok, but shows all Singaporeans, and others too, that the government and people are united in building a better nation together,” Lee added in a post on Facebook.

Chee, a long-standing opposition figure, was jailed and sued on multiple occasions for political activities, before a defamation lawsuit drove him to bankruptcy in 2006. He made his return to politics last year.

While it was clear that Chee faced an uphill battle, the skilled orator was greeted by large byelection rally turnouts and queues for book signings, triggering reaction from PAP members who questioned his motives and capability. The results were Chee’s best showing in more than 20 years.

“The PAP has worked to personalize and to a lesser extent racialize the contest rather than address the issues and broader call for the opposition,” said Bridget Welsh, a political science professor at Ipek University.

The PAP has ruled the government since Singapore’s independence in 1965. It holds 83 out of 89 seats in parliament, following a massive victory in the 2015 general elections where it won nearly 70 per cent of the votes cast. The remaining six seats are held by the opposition Workers’ Party.