Election campaign heats up

The Star
ANALYSIS BY JOCELINE TAN

THE contest in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s Ang Mo Kio constituency has been likened to “an egg going against a rock”, meaning the opposition party is likely to be crushed.

It has been an uphill campaign for the Worker’s Party team which is taking on Lee’s PAP team in the group representation seat in Singapore’s May 6 general election.

The seat is being contested for the first time in 18 years.

Constituents smile when asked about the campaign, saying there is little to discuss and implying they have decided who they want.

In denying Lee his usual walkover win, the Worker’s Party said that they were fighting Lee so that he would not be a “walkover PM”.

Lee, who was not without a sense of humour, replied that PAP was grateful for the Worker’s Party doing “national service”.

When asked whether he thought the opposition would lose its deposit in Ang Mo Kio, Lee said with a laugh: “We’ll try our best to make sure it’ll cost them some money.”

Despite the assured victory, the prime minister’s team of six, which includes Malaysian-born engineer Lee Bee Wah, has not taken it easy.

They still hit the pavements, go door-to-door and make the rounds at markets and hawker centres.

Now that the campaign has crossed the half-way point, the pace has quickened and the pressure on the opposition even hotter than ever.

On Tuesday night, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew joined the rally circuit for the first time in the campaign.

He turned up at a rally to help an “old friend” from the 1960s, Ong Ah Heng, who is fighting to keep his Nee Soon Central seat. But it was obviously more than just for old times’ sake or friendship.

It was also a strategic stage appearance which the elder statesman used to attack the Worker’s Party, calling its leaders a string of unsavoury names and challenging them to sue him.

At 82, the senior Lee is still an electrifying speaker and he did it in his trademark style, emphasising each accusation with karate chops in the air and lots of finger pointing.

The Worker’s Party, which has emerged as the most prominent among the motley opposition parties, has emerged as the PAP’s chief target of attack.

The PAP may resemble a rock but the Worker’s Party seems to be a tough egg to crack.

The attacks have focused on what has become known as the James Gomez saga.

It began with Worker’s Party candidate Gomez saying he had submitted some forms required for his candidature when he had not.

But cameras at the Elections Department office caught him filling up, then putting the forms into his briefcase.

His party called it an honest mistake, the PAP accused him of dishonesty and the whole thing has been blown up to such an extent that it has eclipsed other election issues.

The PAP has used the Gomez saga to question the integrity of the Worker’s Party.

The Worker’s Party accused the PAP of making a mountain out of a molehill on the issue.

“The PAP tactic does not reflect a first world government. It is the start of third world gutter politics,” Gomez said at a rally.

Analysts said the Gomez issue was unlikely to influence the way people vote.

“There have usually been about 30% of people who will support the opposition with another 5% to 10% of swing votes depending on the issues. If there is a vote swing, it will be within these margins,” said an analyst.

Lunch hour rallies also made a comeback this year and Lee who is seeking a mandate for his leadership was the crowd drawer in the central business district yesterday. His speech touched on Singapore’s future and sense of self.