GE2020: Swing towards PAP in two constituencies

While the People's Action Party (PAP) saw a dip in its national vote share this election, two constituencies bucked the trend, with votes swinging towards the ruling party.

In MacPherson, two-term MP Tin Pei Ling swept up 71.74 per cent of the votes, a gain of 6 percentage points from 2015.

Meanwhile, PAP incumbent Lim Biow Chuan garnered 73.84 per cent of the votes in Mountbatten single-member constituency (SMC), up from 71.86 per cent in 2015.

Despite a shaky entry into politics in 2011, when she came under harsh criticism online for her youth and inexperience in politics, Ms Tin has held her own in MacPherson, which she has helmed since 2015. Ms Tin, 36, focused her campaign on caring for the community.

Her opponent, People's Power Party (PPP) secretary-general Goh Meng Seng, 50, was disadvantaged by his newcomer status in the constituency. He told reporters earlier today that it was difficult to engage the elderly population of MacPherson on social media.

In 2015, the SMC saw a three-cornered fight, with Ms Tin facing off against candidates from the Workers' Party and the National Solidarity Party.

This is Mr Goh's fourth electoral defeat since he entered politics in 2006. While he has indicated that this will be his last contest, he said he will work to expand his party and hopes to form an alliance with other opposition parties.

The PAP's Mr Lim, 57, also enjoyed home-ground advantage in Mountbatten SMC, which he has held since 2011. He beat first-time candidate Sivakumaran Chellappa of Peoples Voice, a 57-year-old private educator.

In the previous two elections, Mr Lim faced lawyer Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss, who stood as a National Solidarity Party candidate in the 2011 General Election, and then as a Singapore People's Party candidate in 2015.

In Holland Bukit-Timah GRC, the PAP team led by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, 59, maintained its vote share against the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). The team won 66.36 per cent of the votes, similar to its result of 66.6 per cent in 2015.

This follows the departure of SDP heavyweights Chee Soon Juan, 57, and Paul Tambyah, 56, from the opposing line-up. They contested in single seats this time round. The SDP team comprised former Singaporeans First party chief Tan Jee Say, 66, Mr James Gomez, 55, and first-time candidates Min Cheong, 35, and Alfred Tan, 54.

The PAP slate included Mr Christopher de Souza, 44, Senior Minister of State Sim Ann, 45, and new face Edward Chia, 36.

Despite being a newcomer to Radin Mas SMC, first-term MP Melvin Yong, 48, who stepped into Mr Sam Tan's shoes, won 74.03 per cent of the vote, beating the Reform Party's Mr Kumar Appavoo, 51. Radin Mas is the second-highest-scoring constituency for the PAP, after Jurong GRC.