It is the Hougang people' responsibility to make sure that we in SINgapore have a stable & inclusive society, without a domineering party in power.
That's too unfair and hefty a responsbility to be for Hougang voters to bear alone. It should be for all Singaporeans to bear equally, whether win or lose. Even on the losing side, there're many opposition candidates scoring above 40%, that's the beginning of a good sign for inclusivity and plurality.
As long as PAP doesn't call a by-election, Hougang should be under WP responsibility. After winning Aljunied GRC, WP has set up a merged Aljunied-Hougang Town Council. PAP didn't and couldn't stop that since it's been common PAP practice too, that a SMC TC be merged with a neighboring GRC TC.
There're a few reasons why PAP is hesitating to call a by-election when there's seemingly nothing to lose, for it has always lost it and now there's another chance of a shot at it. Worse come to worst, lose again, isn't it? Eric Low could score as high as 45% against LTK. Desmond Choo could only score about 35% against YSL, i.e. DC is a sure-lose case regardless of who WP fields. Who else to field to ensure a respectable result? Who in PAP wants to volunteer? WP is clearly going to field Png Eng Huat who has been active and well known in Hougang for 5 years or so and part of the EC team that scored above 45%.
A BE is most likely to be just another humiliation for PAP. In the unlikely event of a PAP win, there's the problem of the Hougang TC. Hougang is unique in Singapore. It has only one neighboring GRC, i.e. Aljunied. Hougang is completely surrounded by Aljunied. That's the result of PAP own gerrymandering.
There's no possibility of risking a current serving minister there. There're only two persons left in PAP with enough reputation in Hougang area with prospect of a respectable result and an outside possibility of a win, George Yeo and Eric Low. I think they'd say no thanks even if they're approached.
