GMS: Reflections on GE 2011

[Char_Azn]

Many people tend to believe that Internet, New Media or Social Media have played the critical role in GE2011 but I think otherwise. Among the highest scoring teams, most of them enjoyed significant spotlight by the main stream media.

Workers Party (WP) is the biggest winner in terms of media coverage. Singapore Democratic Party (SDP)also enjoys significant media coverage on their two main GRC teams. As for NSP, the best performing team, Marine Parade Team, enjoys the most media coverage as well.

Many people have talked about the strategic failure of NSP Tampines Team. To put on record, NSP Tampines Team is quite a decent team with passionate people on board. Nevertheless, there are many factors to make a team win. My failure to convince people like Tony Tan, Hazel Poa or even Nicole Seah to join the Tampines Team has cost us a lost opportunity of punching through.

There are many other factors which will determine the results:

The Ground
1) Class Types: In comparison, Tampines is definitely a hard ground in terms of housing types. 32% of flats are 5 room and above, presumably middle class. This is the highest percentage among all other GRCs. From GE 2006 and further confirmation in this GE 2011, surprisingly those who lives in landed properties are more supportive of opposition as a whole.

2) Pass electoral records: Tampines result in GE 2006 was only slightly more than 30%. Tampines is a fortress and doesn't have any changes to its boundaries. Though we do not have fair comparison of Marine Parade, but Marine Parade has the worse ground. Prior to nomination day, my estimate is for NSP to get about 35% to 40%. This is based on past electoral records of Braddel Heights (48%, Sin Kek Tong time), Eunos-Ubi (49%, Francis Seow's time) and the swollen ground from Chai Chee, part of Joo Chiat. On top of that, better ground like Mountbatten was cut out.

The People

3) Demographics & Race composition: Tampines has a pretty high percentage of Malay as well as young voters. The swing in Malay and young votes have actually helped us to get much better result, though falling short of a win.

4) Candidates play an important part in winning votes. Apparently Nicole Seah has managed to win quite a substantial number of votes in Marine Parade. Uncle Chiam also played an important role in getting votes for both Potong Pasir and Bishan Toa Payoh. Needless to say, WP's three stars, Low Thia Khiang, Sylvia Lim and Chen Show Mao are the pillars of WP's branding which helped to raise the votes and profiles of all other teams and candidates. As mentioned, the failure to convince Tony and Hazel to join my Tampines Team has cost us dearly.

5) Opponent's profile is also an important factor to determine whether we could get better results or even a win. Minister Mah and Tin PL are just two prime examples.


The Issues

6) Marine Parade has issues in Joo Chiat area as well as local issues in other places. Tampines has less local issues but national issue like high HDB Housing prices was the main thrust.

Party Branding

7) Apparently Party Branding plays a very important role in WP's campaign while NSP has to depend on other factors which I have mentioned above.



Failure of Minister-Specific Strategy?

Contrary to news report, I think the Minister-Specific Strategy has worked, though not to its fuller extend. Both Tampines and Marine Parade teams have applied minister-specific strategy and they have yielded better results as compared to other NSP teams.

However issue-based minister-specific strategy is just necessary but insufficient strategy for parties without STRONG branding to win the elections.

Although overall NSP has done better than the National Vote swing of 6% (we have gotten about 8% against the setting of 31% in GE 2006) but anything falling short of a win is still regrettable.

Goh Meng Seng

http://singaporealternatives.blogspot.com/

At least we agree on one thing. The A-list team should all be put together in Tampines

 

[IR123]

GMS should also consider if his comments on UFOs and not looking after the estate, have any impact on the voting pattern and the decisions of the others not to join him.

Since Chiam commands that many votes, a team comprising CST, GMS, Nicole, Tony, Hazel and a worthy can lead them into Parliament in the next Election. If that is the game plan, perhaps Lina Chiam can keep the SPP flag up and flying for that purpose. And GMS start talking about how important the estate is to him and his team.

 

[saratogas]

GMS recognized that it is also about his Party "Branding", Nicole Seah took the majority eye-balls away from other party candidates and poor command & control as a Party secretary genera,l he let his candidates run their own show without focus on Party objectives.

One word - Very messy.

 

[myfoot123]

GMS recognized that it is also about his Party "Branding", Nicole Seah took the majority eye-balls away from other party candidates and poor command & control as a Party secretary genera,l he let his candidates run their own show without focus on Party objectives.

One word - Very messy.

That is why his members like his party. All given full atanomy to run their own election. Hope next time they can strategise the game like what Low Thia Kiang did. But I hope NSP don't discount new media, without which NSP won't get beyond 40% mark.

 

[eatshitndie]

it is true in the sinkandpour context that the local main stream media carries more weight in political publicity and exposure than rubbish websites such as this on the internet. only the lunatic fringe places much faith in the credibility of trashy web forums.

 

[jw5]

The part where he says that "he failed to convince Tony, Hazell or Nicole to join the Tampines team" sounds very unconvincing.

I don't think he "failed to convince Tony and Hazell", there were possibly other reasons. And I don't think he foresaw the impact Nicole would have. Just my humble personal opinion.