Singapore opposition fields team to challenge PM Lee

SINGAPORE: Two Indian-origin men have been included in the opposition party's six-member group that will challenge Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's team in the general election to be held on September 11.
Lee's Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency (GRC) team will have a straight fight with a team from Reform Party comprising blogger Roy Ngerng and activist lawyer M Ravi along with Osman Sulaiman, Gilbert Goh, infocomm trainer Siva Chandran and Jesse Loo as fellow candidates.
Lee's ruling People's Action Party (PAP) team includes Ang Hin Kee, Intan Azura Mokhtar, Gan Thiam Poh, Koh Poh Koon and Darryl David.

A Group Representation Constituency (GRC) is a type of electoral division or constituency in Singapore where the MPs are voted into Parliament as a group.

The Government stated that the GRC scheme was primarily implemented to enshrine minority representation in Parliament: at least one of the MPs in a GRC must be a member of the Malay, Indian or another minority community of Singapore.

Nomination for all the 89 members of parliament closed today.

The PAP, which has governed the prosperous city state for over 50 years, is being challenged by eight political parties and two independent.

Lee leads the PAP as its secretary-general in the first ever general election that will see voting across the island for all 89 parliamentary seats.

In the 2011 general election, 82 of 87 seats in parliament were contested.

The PAP received a record low vote-share of 60.1 per cent in the last election.

Lee has described the coming election as a crucial one that will set the direction for Singapore over the next 50 years.

Addressing supporters after submitting nomination papers, Lee said: "Vote seriously for the PAP to make sure that we can work together with you, for you, for Singapore."

Some 2.46 million people are eligible to vote in the election in which Lee is seeking a strong mandate for Singapore's future.