Speaking to CNA, NUS’ associate professor of political science Chong Ja Ian said there were multiple factors which could have contributed to the PAP team’s victory.
These included the addition of Mr Gan and the fact that the WP are relatively new to the area, making residents less familiar with them.
“There’s a lot going for the PAP, and that combination, given the national mood, made the difference,” he said.
In 2020, a PAP team made up of Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Dr Puthucheary, Mr Sharael Taha, Mr Desmond Tan and Ms Yeo won 64.16 per cent of the votes in a three-cornered fight in Pasir Ris-Punggol, against the Singapore Democratic Alliance and Peoples Voice parties.
Ms Sun was fielded in Punggol West SMC in the last General Election, where she beat WP’s Tan Chen Chen with 60.98 per cent of the votes.
Dr Teo Kay Key, research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), added that Ms Sun is “quite popular” in her ward, and likely played a part in “consolidating PAP’s foothold” in Punggol.
Assoc Prof Chong said he was nonetheless surprised by the WP team’s showing this year, and that their results in Punggol GRC showed they have withstood “the national swing against opposition parties and swing for the PAP”.
“What it means is that WP has got momentum, and they are not seen as just any other opposition party,” said Assoc Prof Chong. “(WP is standing) head and shoulders above the other opposition parties.”
