General Election 2015 is over and Singaporeans have decided the political parties and individuals that will represent their interests in Parliament.

We should be proud of a competitive, fair and clean election.

Most importantly, money plays no role in the electability of a candidate.

In contrast, in the United States, politicians need to raise millions of dollars to contest in elections.

The mass media has generally been fair in the coverage of the campaigns of the various political parties. This is not so in many countries.

We should now let go of the differences that surfaced during the election, and unite as a nation to surmount the formidable challenges ahead.

Storm clouds are already forming outside Singapore.

This election clearly shows that Singaporeans are a discerning electorate and are not easily hoodwinked by rhetoric and unrealistic proposals.

The Government should continue to seek the wisdom and opinion of ordinary Singaporeans on various policies.

Issues should be debated beyond the confines of Parliament.

In turn, Singaporeans should actively participate through various feedback mechanisms, although they have room for improvement.

In essence, we should have a political system where we do not need to decide and vote on issues through the ballot box once in four to five years.

Edmund Lam (Dr)