The rallies tonight will commence at 7pm. Our volunteers on the ground will bring you the latest updates.
6:10pm:
Small crowd forming at Serangoon stadium where the Worker’s Party will hold their rally tonight.
6:37pm:
From a TOC reporter at Serangoon: Crowd having fun here. Man with t shirt with word “Singaporean”. Another with t shirt “Tak Boleh Tahan”. Both stood together to form “Singaporeans Tak Boleh Tahan” and crowd cheers.
6:38pm:
WP candidates arrive. Crowd cheering.
6:44pm:
At a PAP rally: Major General Chan helping out with chair arrangements. Where’s everyone? #sgelection #TOClive
6:57pm:
First PAP bus unloaded.
7:16pm:
Emcee is asking the crowd to practice cheer for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s arrival: ‘PAP ANG MO KIO, PAP SINGAPORE, PAP ANG MO KIO!’
7:34pm:
Suraiya of Young Democrats: “This is our time and we are taking it back!”
7:35pm:
Activist Eric Lim starts off with the first speech at the PAP rally. He said, “I’ve been an activist since the fime of the Konfrontasi.”
7:43pm:
Cheng San activist Cik Salleh speaking in Malay at the PAP rally in Yio Chu Kang. There is no sign of the PM yet.
7:44pm:
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong arrives at the PAP rally at Yio Chu Kang.
7:45pm:
Singapore Democratic Party: “In Sembawang they are building beautiful beaches. But the question is do you have time to go to the beach?”
7:50pm:
Chairman of Keban Baru CCC Tan Ah Teck speaks in Hokkien at PAP rally.
7:57pm:
John Tan of SDP on a retiree who spent $10K on surgery. “How is it that Khaw Boon Wan only pays $8!”
7:59pm:
At PAP’s rally at Yio Chu Kang: Dr Intan Azura is the first candidate to speak at tonight’s rally. She is speaking in Malay.
8pm:
Singapore People’s Party Mr Sim Kek Tong, a Hong Kah North candidate says GRC stands for ‘Group Representative Conspiracy’.
8.05pm:
Jaslyn Go of SDP: “PAP is Pay And Pay. SDP is So Don’t Pay!”
8:06pm:
PAP Rally: Dr Intan is speaking on municipal level issues. He says that facilities in Buangkok and Jalan Kayu will help build familial ties. He pledges to listen to problems, no matter how small they are.
8.10pm:
SDP proposes pay cuts for Ministers and pledges 50 percent of the pay of their MPs be put back in for the people.
8:11pm:
Second candidate from PAP’s Ang Mo Kio GRC, Mr Ang Hin Kee speaks.
8:12pm:
At Singapore People Party’s rally site: Chiam See Tong arrives. People cheering his name. Only a fraction of the crowd is cheering and clapping. His arrival broke up Mr Jimmy Lee’s speech.
8:14pm:
SPP Rally: Crowd breaks into spontaneous chants of “Chiam See Tong!” when the veteran politician arrives at the rally site.
8:15pm:
SPP Rally: Mr Jimmy Lee says “MP is a retail arm of the government.”
8:18pm:
Ang Hin Kee: Ang Mo Kio has good facilities, everything you need to work, live and play. But they didn’t come on their own. Good work of activists, MPs played a part.
8:20pm:
Mr Alec Tok at SDP Rally: “This is a turning point because we stand days away from a victory at the polls!”
He also said, “The media is no longer in the hands of the PAP, but in the hands of the people.”
Over to the PAP Rally, Mr Ang Hin Kee says, “We want to make AMK a good place for the elderly, good place for tbe young – with good schools, ITEs, JCs.”
8:23pm:
Alec Tok: “BUAY TAHAN LIAO AH!”
8:27pm:
Worker’s Party rally site: Mr Eric Tan of East Coast GRC says “One party rule has outlived its usefulness.”
8:28pm:
Yeo Guat Kwang: Purpose and Passion, PAP.
8:30pm:
Yeo Guat Kwang: What we need for solving problems is not alternative views but alternative solutions. We cannot simply follow foreign practices. Speaking about his experience in CASE and policy implemented against unfair trading practices.
8:31pm:
SPP Rally: Mhd Hanim at SPP rally: For every policy, PAP takes the credit but must also take the blame.
8:32pm:
SDP Rally: Tan Jee Say: Teo Chee Hean says $60 billion is “no small change”. Then did he ask the GICs how much they lost?
Tan Jee Say mentions Dr Balakrishnan and crowd erupts in booing. #TOC Live
8:37pm:
Tan Jee Say to Balakrishnan: “Manage your own ministry budget well first, before you comment on figures of others.” #TOC Live
8:39pm:
From a TOC Reporter: There’re about 1,500 people present at SDP Rally.
8:41pm:
Prime Minister is speaking in Malay now.
8:43pm:
Lina Chiam: I have my own name – ‘Mrs Lina Chiam’. I will do things my way. Upon hearing this, the crowd applauds and cheers.
8:45pm:
James Gomez: Your SDP throws PAP questions, they ‘siam’. #TOC Live
James Gomez holds up PAP booklet of plan for Sembawang and says, “Photos of themselves, nothing about Sembawang.”
8:58pm:
PM Lee: To ensure that the sandwich class has affordable housing while ensuring value of flats of existing home ownders not to drop.
8:59pm:
PM Lee: In order for economic problems to be solved, you must have a solid political foundation.
9:01pm:
PM Lee: Opposition’s two-driver analogy is dangerous. Do you see an assistant driver when you take a bus? If the driver is of good quality, you don’t need a co-driver.
9:04pm:
PM Lee: Opposition NCMP can ensure government explains policies clearly.
9:05pm:
From a TOC reporter at SPP Rally: Crowd at spp rally. Approximately abt 1000 pax.
9:06pm:
Ang Yong Guan on fertility rate: “More stress cannot make baby!” #TOC Live
9:07pm:
PM Lee: The life has improved for most Singaporeans. USave, Workfare etc help lower income cope with inflation, higher costs of living.
9:09pm:
PM Lee: Many Singaporeans want to be self-reliant. Problems cannot be solved by government packages, but by making ppl more self reliant, and helping them grow their wages.
9:10pm:
Pitram-Singh, WP Aljunied: “The PAP of today is no longer the PAP of yesterday.”
9:11pm:
PM Lee: Low income people is a problem most countries share because of low wage workers in China and India. Special housing grants for low income households amount to $60,000. That’s a lot of money.
9:13pm:
PM Lee: 22,000 flats to be built this year- different types of flats including Pinnacle. Of course, Pinnacle cannot be as cheap as other flats.
9:15pm:
At SPP Rally: Wilfred Leong: How come when I go to PAP website, the RC member campaign together with PAP?
9:16pm:
Pitram Singh: ‘Youths of Singapore, take ownership of your country.’ Chen Show Mao is speaking at the WP rally now.
Overheard at SDP rally about Ang Yong Guan: “Yeah Super Mario!”
PM Lee: PAP doing a lot of issues such as immigration. We are managing the inflow so they don’t overwhelm us.
9:18pm:
PM Lee: We have serious debate in parliament. You don’t see people throwing things at one another.
9:19pm:
PM Lee: PAP is not perfect. When things go wrong, we have to apologize and put things right and make sure it doesn’t happen again.
SPP Rally: Benjamin Pwee takes to stage to fanfare.
9:20pm:
PM Lee: Opposition wants to have two drivers for the bus but there’s only one steering wheel.
9:21pm:
Low Thia Khiang: This is the Hard Truths – no system lasts forever.
9:22pm:
Teo Soh Lung takes the stage at SDP rally: TOC reporter goes deaf with the cheers.
9:23pm:
Benjamin Pwee: If I want to come out (into politics), it’s for the good of everybody.
9:23pm:
National Solidarity Party: Christopher Neo now on stage.
9:25pm:
Benjamin Pwee: We stand up because we believe in Singapore. This is Singapore and this is our home.
Go to the ballot box and vote for your children.
9:27pm:
Teo Soh Lung: SDP MPs will donate 50 percent of allowance to service the residents, set up endowment fund for the needy.
9:29pm:
Teo Soh Lung: When I am elected, I will become a full-time MP.
9:31pm:
Benjamin Pwee: You can vote SPP because of Chiam See Tong… We want to listen to your heart and bring it to parliament.
9:32pm:
NSP: Steve Chia takes to the stage.
9:35pm:
Teo Soh Lung asks Grace Fu, Senior Minister of Education: “What is wrong with our education?” (97 out of 100 students surveyed attend tuition, reported to mainstream media)
9:36pm:
Chiam See Tong speaks and the crowd breaks into cheers and chants of ‘Chiam See Tong!’ once again.
9:37pm:
Low Thia Khiang responding to George Yeo: “There is nothing more against the spirit of democracy than the GRC system.”
9:38pm:
Steve chia: “raise your hand if you think the cost of living is too high”
9:39pm:
Chiam: SPP believes in building a democratic society. SPP believes in freedom. Democracy needs a strong opposition to grow.
9:40pm:
SDP: Next speaker announced to be Dr Vincent Wijeysingha. Crowd goes nuts.
9:43pm:
Inderjit Singh – Do you know what a first world parliament is? I don’t.
9:44pm:
We need to have first world parliamentarians, not a first world parliament. Arguing in parliament is just one part of the role of a good parliamentarian – Inderjit.
SPP rally: Member of crowd shouts minister should commit suicide to take responsibility for Mas Salamat’s escape.
#TOCLive VW: Grace Fu says she has worked hard. “Well, for $1mil a year I would bloody well hope she works hard!” #SDPRally #sgelections
9:45pm:
CST: I am not a great man, but I love Singapore.
Audience member: we love you too.
CST leaves to chants of his name.
9:52pm:
Sim Kek Tong: if elected, I will study GST to see if it can be scrapped.
9:58pm:
NSP’s Tony Tan speaking.
SPP rally: End. Chiam See Tong shaking hands with crowd.
10pm:
#TOCLive Supporter from Sembawang wants to garland Dr Chee, but law does not allow him to do so onstage. (Dr Chee not allowed on stage.) #SDPRally #sgelections
10:04pm:
At PAP rally – buses loading supporters back to their constituencies. There are around ten buses to ferry them.
10:08pm:
SPP: After the rally, Chiam went up to thank members of the public. A few of them broke down when they shook his hand.
10:17pm:
SDP rally just ended.
10:19pm:
Chee Soon Juan: “Under the law I cannot talk.” He urges people to read the SDP website, “that’s where we can talk.”
10:23pm:
WP rally ended 15 min ago. Crowd is leaving Serangoon Stadium. Police stopped traffic at the junction outside stadium to allow crowd to leave.
— END —
A big thank you to everyone who has stayed with us from 7-10pm during our live blogging session! 🙂 The live blogging has now ended. We will bring you more updates soon!
In the meantime, have a nice night, and check out the rally sites fo tomorrow: http://www.spf.gov.sg/mic/2011/110429_election_meeting_for_30Apr.htm
