May 8 (Bloomberg) -- Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong may increase efforts to help the country's poorest citizens after opposition groups increased their share of the vote at weekend elections, political analysts said.
The People's Action Party, which has ruled the city-state since 1959, won about 67 percent of votes cast on May 6, down from 75 percent at the last election in 2001.
``The electorate is clearly telling the government they are willing to exercise their vote,'' said Antonio Rappa, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore. ``The PAP will have to pay attention to local issues. In future, the battle will be tougher.''
While the economic policies of the People's Action Party have entrenched Singaporeans as the wealthiest in Southeast Asia, voters took a stand on domestic issues, such as housing, health care and the expense of day-to-day life, analysts said. Last month, Lee Kuan Yew, founder of modern Singapore, said the gap between the city's rich and poor was an ``increasing problem'' that might persist for a decade.
The government won 82 of 84 seats in Parliament, matching its tally from the 2001 ballot. Opposition groups for the first time since 1988 mustered enough candidates to prevent the People's Action Party from being reinstated without a vote.
``The people are trying to get them to cut the cost of living,'' said Jeanne Conceicao, research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies in Singapore. ``We can expect programs on this in months to come. Perhaps Singaporeans would like the style of government to change.''
Campaign Fights
The government's election campaign, which highlighted the lowest unemployment rate in more than four years and the country's growth prospects, was overshadowed by lawsuits against senior members of the rival Singapore Democratic Party and a spat with opposition candidate James Gomez.
Gomez, the subject of a police investigation over complaints made by the elections department, was part of a Workers' Party group competing in the government-held constituency of Aljunied. Though Gomez and four colleagues failed to dislodge a team that included Foreign Minister George Yeo, the reduced margin of victory may have concerned the People's Action Party, at least one analyst said.
The Workers' Party in Aljunied drew 44 percent of the vote. In 1997, the government took 67 percent of votes in the area. The district is a so-called Group Representation Constituency, which may have as many as six members of parliament. In 2001, Aljunied was unopposed.
``The PAP nearly lost a GRC,'' said Conceicao. ``That doesn't bode well for them. If a GRC is lost, it would be a wake- up call to all. In fact, because it was such a close call in Aljunied, we've woken up already.''
`Credible Opposition'
A Workers' Party victory in Aljunied would have more than doubled the opposition's seats in Parliament. The result suggests the electorate needs only a ``credible opposition'' in the future to give the government ``a run for its money,'' said Conceicao.
In the two seats retained by the opposition, Hougang and Potong Pasir, the government's share of the vote declined, even after it wooed voters with accommodation upgrades.
Prime Minister Lee called the election result ``a very strong mandate.'' It was hard to take the two opposition seats because Singaporeans had a ``natural loyalty'' to the two resident lawmakers, he told reporters after votes were counted.
About 94 percent of the 1.22 million Singaporeans who live in contested electorates voted. There were no polls in areas where opposition candidates did not stand.
The electoral system allows for extra seats to be provided in Parliament. As many as three members of the opposition and nine others unconnected to any parties may be selected.
New Lawmakers
The People's Action Party, after securing its 11th straight victory, is seeking to freshen its appeal with new batches of candidates. After this year's election, 80 percent of lawmakers in Parliament will be those who entered Parliament after 1997, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng said.
The ruling party aims to bring in more than 20 new candidates at the next election, Prime Minister Lee said at a press conference.
Singapore's regime has been criticized by groups including Human Rights Watch and billionaire George Soros, who have called for fewer restrictions on speech and political lobbying.
The Asian Network for Free Elections, which studied Singapore's electoral system last week, yesterday recommended that the government create an independent elections department, make vote-counting accessible to the public, and liberalize the country's media.
Victory Margin
The margin of Lee's victory, the second-largest since 1980, places little pressure on him to instigate reform, according to Professor Diane Mauzy of the University of British Columbia in Canada, who has written on politics on Singapore and Malaysia.
``I don't think this is the kind of result that will lead to much softening or reform,'' Mauzy said. ``This is really a pretty solid performance by the PAP and they must be secretly quite pleased and relieved. The only way the opposition can improve its position is if the PAP runs into trouble, as dominant parties sometimes do.''
