PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ELECTIONS 2006

PAP's second handover of power to a third Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong could see an uphill task for the long-dominating ruling party to maintain continued hegemony if GE1991 results were anything to go by, where his predecessor, now Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, first assumed leadership and PAP lost four seats. Adding to the challenge were opposition parties being in a better shape than before and carried out preparations earlier. A rejuvenated WP, under the leadership of Secretary-general and sole WP MP Low Thia Khiang and WP's first woman chairman Sylvia Lim, released its manifesto ahead of PAP and introduced several well-qualified candidates. SDA allies continued a united front amid SPP MP Chiam See Tong and NSP NCMP Steve Chia facing the tide of a narrowing margin and the brunt of public mishaps respectively. SDP faced a barrage of problems over a defamation lawsuit against SDP by PAP which threatened unity of the once-strong political party. SDP leader Dr Chee Soon Juan was barred from polls over a fine in 2002 for speaking without a permit and made bankrupt in 2006. In the end, the political status quo was kept but PAP saw a reduced margin. PM Lee's assignment to SM Goh to gain back non-PAP constituencies did not bear fruit as opposition MPs reversed their fortunes. This GE saw many firsts - first time contests in six-member GRCs, overseas voting, a PAP Prime Minister scoring below PAP's national average, PAP not returned to power on Nomination Day since GE1988, purely straight fight since GE1968, no candidate lost their election deposit, were seen. It was also the second GE in history with no independents. Some of the above could be attributed to new election rules requiring the presence of assentors in nomination centres and posed difficulty for candidates without manpower resources, who traditionally entered into three-cornered fights. Lim became the third WP and first woman NCMP while Chia announced retirement from politics after his third unsuccessful bids.

Parliament dissolution: Thursday, 20 April 2006
Nomination day: Thursday, 27 April 2006
Polling day: Saturday, 6 May 2006
Parliament swearing-in: [To be determined]

Eligible voters: 2,159,721 [OV: 1,017]
Voters in walkover constituencies: 936,279 [OV: 459] (43.4%)
Total voters: 1,223,442 [OV: 558] (56.6%)
Total voter turnout: 1,150,003 [OV: 335] (94.0%)

Election deposit: $13,500 (+3.8%)

RESULTS
Single member constituencies	Group representation constituencies (GRCs)
Bukit Panjang	Aljunied GRC [5]	Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC [6]
Chua Chu Kang	Ang Mo Kio GRC [6]	Sembawang GRC [6]
Hougang	Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC [5]	Tampines GRC [5]
Joo Chiat	East Coast GRC [5]	Tanjong Pagar GRC [6]
MacPherson	Holland-Bukit Timah GRC [5]	West Coast GRC [5]
Nee Soon Central	Hong Kah GRC [5]
Nee Soon East	Jalan Besar GRC [5]
Potong Pasir	Jurong GRC [5]
Yio Chu Kang	Marine Parade GRC [6]
Total seats = 84