Fight in 'rich man's GRC' heats up
Strong opposition team, well-heeled voters could mean a close contest
By Amresh Gunasingham & Aaron Low
HEART or mind? That is what this election boils down to for Ms Sabrina Tay, 27.
On the one hand, the People's Action Party (PAP) takes the crown when it comes to track record, says the health-care consultant who lives in Sixth Avenue in the prime District 10.
But on the other hand, Ms Tay, who describes herself as a young voter with a 'liberal bent', feels there should be a larger opposition voice in local politics.
And to her, the team from the opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) appears 'quite credible'.
'There are pros and cons to both sides so I could go either way,' she concludes.
Tipped as a shoo-in for the PAP just a few weeks ago, the fight for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC - dubbed the 'rich man's GRC' - has heated up significantly.
Analysts who spoke to The Straits Times rank the constituency, helmed by Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan, as one of the hottest GRCs being contested, the others being Aljunied and Bishan-Toa Payoh.
The contest may turn out to be closer than expected because of a confluence of factors, they point out.
First, the constituency has a significant proportion of upper-class voters - around a third live in private property - who tend to identify more with high-minded ideals like the need for alternative voices in politics.
Second, a strong opposition line-up from the SDP which has come up with fairly detailed alternative policy proposals.
And there is the big unknown factor: The GRC has not been contested since it was formed in 2001. There is no telling how the ground may have shifted.
'Rich' grounds for opposition support?
THE area is home to some of Singapore's most well-heeled, for whom hot-button issues such as the cost of living or HDB prices may not hold much sway.
Says Institute of Policy Studies senior research fellow Gillian Koh: 'People in this constituency are probably going to be concerned about the bigger picture in terms of economic strategy.
'SDP has tried to persuade the voters by presenting its economic strategy.'
Voters from the higher social economic class are also generally more likely to value political pluralism, she adds. Hence, the SDP or whoever might have been the alternative party would have likely drawn interest.
'It makes it a place where there's going to be a tough choice for voters.'
Could these factors contribute to the 'unsettled' mood among Singaporeans that Dr Balakrishnan alluded to in his rally speech on Wednesday?
In an interview with The Straits Times ahead of that speech on Tuesday, the minister cuts a calm figure.
If the pressure of a fortnight of intense campaigning was meant to crack him, it certainly does not show.
Asked about the theory that the opposition may appeal to the more well-off voters, he says it is an untested 'hypothesis'.
Strong opposition team, well-heeled voters could mean a close contest
By Amresh Gunasingham & Aaron Low
HEART or mind? That is what this election boils down to for Ms Sabrina Tay, 27.
On the one hand, the People's Action Party (PAP) takes the crown when it comes to track record, says the health-care consultant who lives in Sixth Avenue in the prime District 10.
But on the other hand, Ms Tay, who describes herself as a young voter with a 'liberal bent', feels there should be a larger opposition voice in local politics.
And to her, the team from the opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) appears 'quite credible'.
'There are pros and cons to both sides so I could go either way,' she concludes.
Tipped as a shoo-in for the PAP just a few weeks ago, the fight for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC - dubbed the 'rich man's GRC' - has heated up significantly.
Analysts who spoke to The Straits Times rank the constituency, helmed by Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan, as one of the hottest GRCs being contested, the others being Aljunied and Bishan-Toa Payoh.
The contest may turn out to be closer than expected because of a confluence of factors, they point out.
First, the constituency has a significant proportion of upper-class voters - around a third live in private property - who tend to identify more with high-minded ideals like the need for alternative voices in politics.
Second, a strong opposition line-up from the SDP which has come up with fairly detailed alternative policy proposals.
And there is the big unknown factor: The GRC has not been contested since it was formed in 2001. There is no telling how the ground may have shifted.
'Rich' grounds for opposition support?
THE area is home to some of Singapore's most well-heeled, for whom hot-button issues such as the cost of living or HDB prices may not hold much sway.
Says Institute of Policy Studies senior research fellow Gillian Koh: 'People in this constituency are probably going to be concerned about the bigger picture in terms of economic strategy.
'SDP has tried to persuade the voters by presenting its economic strategy.'
Voters from the higher social economic class are also generally more likely to value political pluralism, she adds. Hence, the SDP or whoever might have been the alternative party would have likely drawn interest.
'It makes it a place where there's going to be a tough choice for voters.'
Could these factors contribute to the 'unsettled' mood among Singaporeans that Dr Balakrishnan alluded to in his rally speech on Wednesday?
In an interview with The Straits Times ahead of that speech on Tuesday, the minister cuts a calm figure.
If the pressure of a fortnight of intense campaigning was meant to crack him, it certainly does not show.
Asked about the theory that the opposition may appeal to the more well-off voters, he says it is an untested 'hypothesis'.
