GE2020: GE results reflect broad support for PAP, desire for diverse voices

We held this general election in the midst of Covid-19.

To ensure that Singaporeans could vote safely, freely and fairly, the Elections Department planned additional precautions during the voting process. They also set up more polling stations. Nevertheless, the precautions meant that the voting process took longer, the queues to vote were longer, and in some polling stations, much longer.

We extended voting by two hours to make sure that everyone had the opportunity to vote and would not miss out because of the close of voting time. And we achieved this. The turnout this time was higher than the turnout in the previous general election.

The voting arrangements could have been done better. We will do a thorough review and make sure that we improve in future. I'd like to thank all voters for your patience and understanding.

Many more public officers were mobilised in this election to cope with the special arrangements for Covid-19. Besides their usual election duties, they had to take on the additional burden of ensuring a safe election for voters under exceptionally demanding conditions. On behalf of Singaporeans, I thank them for their dedication and hard work.

On the outcome of the election, the popular vote is 61.2 per cent, we won 83 seats out of 93, and we have a clear mandate. But the percentage of the popular vote is not as high as I had hoped for, and we lost one GRC.

Nevertheless, the result reflects broad-based support for the PAP. Singaporeans understand what is at stake and why we must come together to uphold our national interests.

I'm honoured and humbled by the faith Singaporeans have put in the PAP and the heavy responsibility you have entrusted us with. I will use this mandate responsibly to deal with Covid-19 and the economic downturn and to take us safely through the crisis and beyond.

At the same time, the results reflect the pain and uncertainty that Singaporeans feel in this crisis: the loss of income, the anxiety about jobs, the disruption caused by the circuit breaker and the safe distancing restrictions. This was not a feel-good election, but one where people are facing real problems and expect more rough weather to come.

I said on Nomination Day that I expected that this election would be a tough fight for the PAP and that I completely disagreed that it would be a wipeout of the opposition as the opposition was making out. And so it has turned out.

The results show also a clear desire for a diversity of voices in Parliament. Singaporeans want the PAP to form the Government, but they and especially the younger voters also want to see more opposition presence in Parliament.

The next Parliament will have 12 opposition MPs: 10 elected constituency MPs from the Workers' Party, and two Non-Constituency MPs, if the candidates take up the non-constituency seats. I look forward to them participating in and contributing to the debates in Parliament and to the national debate as we deal with the urgent issues before us.

I have called Mr Pritam Singh just now to congratulate him and the Workers' Party for their strong performance. I told Mr Singh that with 10 MPs, I think it is right that he, the Workers' Party leader, be formally designated as the leader of the opposition and that he will be provided with appropriate staff support and resources to perform his duties. And he thanked me for this.

Naturally, I'm disappointed that the PAP lost Sengkang GRC. Ng Chee Meng and his team, Lam Pin Min, Amrin Amin and Raymond Lye, always knew it was going to be a tough fight. They gave it their all but Sengkang voters have spoken and we respect their decision.

It is, however, a major loss to my team and to the 4G leaders, especially as Ng Chee Meng is the secretary-general of the NTUC. I've spoken to Chee Meng and his GRC team to thank them and to encourage them to continue to serve the party and Singapore in different ways.

The PAP will strive to win back Sengkang GRC. We will also continue to fight to win back Aljunied GRC and Hougang SMC. My team and I will serve all Singaporeans whichever party you vote for. Whether or not you voted for the PAP, we will listen to you, do our best to address your concerns and try to win your support.

Now that the election is over, we need to put all our differences aside, close ranks, and work together on the task at hand, which is to get us through the crisis safely. An election is an act of collective choice and Singaporeans have chosen the PAP and the Government as the government. I ask every citizen to support the team that you have chosen and to work with us.

The challenges ahead call for not only a whole-of-government response but a whole-of-the-nation response, and that work has continued throughout this campaign and will carry on starting tomorrow.

In every election, for the PAP especially, and for Singapore, leadership transition is an important issue.

Each election is also an opportunity to renew the PAP slate of MPs and to induct a younger generation, who will in time take over the baton for the next lap.

I'm happy that my new team includes 24 new MPs elected for the first time. The new candidates have performed well. They include Gan Siow Huang and Yip Hon Weng, who contested in SMCs as newbies and won.

The new MPs elected this time will reinforce our renewal process. Thank you for giving them the chance to show what they can do for you.

I've also been preparing the 4G team to take over the reins for many years. What I did not expect was to meet this overwhelming crisis in the last stretch of my premiership.

Together with my older colleagues, like Senior Ministers Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Minister Shanmugam, as well as Heng Swee Keat, Chan Chun Sing and the 4G ministers, I will see this crisis through.

I'm determined to hand over Singapore intact and in good working order to the next team.

The work of the new Government begins at once. My Government will work with all of you to overcome the present health and economic crisis and emerge stronger.

With this election now behind us, let us work as one Singapore to secure our lives, our jobs and our future. Thank you.

PM Lee: It's not as strong a mandate as I hope for but it's a good mandate.

I think the popular vote - 61 per cent - is very respectable in these circumstances, and we won 83 seats. We will make the most of it.

We take this as an endorsement of the PAP's policies, of our team and of our plans, and we will take this forward and work with Singapore to realise those plans and solve the problems which we have. As for losing the ministers, it's a significant loss to the 4G team. But we will move forward and move on from here, as we did after Aljunied went to the opposition in 2011.