The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) spent S$6.97 million on the 93 seats it contested in the General Election (GE) 2020, making it the biggest spender of all the political parties.
The alternative candidates spent S$2.19 million altogether, based on the election expenses records which were disclosed by the Elections Department (ELD) on 21 August for public inspection.
Overall, the 192 candidates who contested in the GE2020 had spent a total of S$9.16 million. This means the election spending has leapt by 30 per cent compared to the S$7.1 million spent during the 2015 polls despite the absence of rallies.
Newcomer Progress Singapore Party (PSP) – which contested in nine constituencies – spent the highest amount among the alternative parties with S$781,275, followed by the Workers’ Party (WP) with S$705,647 contesting in six constituencies.
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) contested in five wards had spent a total of S$323,292. While the sole independent candidate who contested single-seat Pioneer, Cheang Peng Wah, spent a total of S$31,537 on his election campaign.
Meanwhile, the following politicians have spent the most amount of money on their election campaign during the GE2020.
1. Liang Eng Hwa, S$110,510
PAP’s Liang Eng Hwa – who contested and won in Bukit Panjang SMC with 53.74 per cent of the votes – had the highest expenditure with S$110,510 in total, or S$3.12 per voter.
Most of his expenditure went to print advertising (S$78,506) and digital advertising (S$22,651). While his opponent, SDP’s Paul Tambyah, spent S$29,390.
2. Victor Lye Thiam Fatt, S$101,539
PAP’s Victor Lye Thiam Fatt was ranked second with S$101,539 of total expenditure, which most of it was spent on print advertising (S$78,119) and digital advertising (S$16,386).
He contested in Aljunied GRC alongside PAP’s Chua Eng Leong, Shamsul Kamar, Alex Yeo, and Chan Hui Yuh. His team had spent a total of S$401,178 in Aljunied, while its opponent, the WP only spent S$200,940. The WP won the GRC with 59.93 per cent of the votes.
3. Raymond Lye, S$101,067
PAP’s Raymond Lye had the third-highest expenditure among all politicians with S$101,067, which was mostly spent on print advertising (S$64,303) and digital advertising (S$24,826).
He contested in the newly-carved Sengkang GRC with teammates Lam Pin Min, Ng Chee Meng and Amrin Amin. The team’s expenditure amounted to S$364,371 in total, which tripled the total expenditure of their opponent, the WP’s S$132,406. However, the PAP team lost to the WP who garnered 52.13 per cent of the votes.
4. Edwin Tong, S$98,439
PAP’s Edwin Tong had spent a sum of S$98,439, of this, S$62,309 went to print advertising and S$23,396 on digital advertising. He contested in Marine Parade GRC alongside party members Tan Chuan-Jin, Seah Kian Peng, Tan See Leng and Fahmi Aiman.
The team had spent a total of S$405,181, or S$2.90 per voter, compared to the WP’s S$156,155. They beat the WP team by 57.76 per cent of the votes.
5. Gan Thiam Poh, S$97,492
PAP’s Gan Thiam Poh, who contested in Ang Mo Kio GRC, had spent a total of S$97,492. He spent S$58,435 of his expenditure on print advertising and S$28,854 on digital advertising.
His team – which comprised of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Darryl David, Nadia Ahmad Samdin and Ng Ling Ling – had spent a total of S$452,262, or S$2.44 per voter, which more than tripled of the Reform Party’s (RP) S$28,931. PAP won against the RP by garnering 71.91 per cent of the votes.
6. Nadia Ahmad Samdin, S$93,491
PAP’s Nadia Ahmad Samdin’s total expenditure amounted to S$93,491, which she spent S$51,606 on print advertising and S$28,854 on digital advertising.
Ms Nadia contested in Ang Mo Kio GRC alongside Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Darryl David, Gan Thiam Poh and Ng Ling Ling. The team had spent a combined sum of S$452,262, compared to its opponent the RP who only spent S$28,931 in the election.
7. Sun Xueling, S$92,312
Next is PAP’s Sun Xueling, who contested against the WP’s Tan Chen Chen in Punggol West SMC. Her total expenditure amounted to S$92,312, in which she channelled most of her expenditure on print advertising (S$74,967) and internet advertising (S$13,232).
WP’s Ms Tan, on the other hand, spent a total of S$29,322 in the election. Nevertheles, PAP’s Ms Sun won by 60.97 per cent of the votes.
8. Daryl David Wilson, S$90,138
Another PAP’s candidate who contested in Ang Mo Kio GRC, Daryl David Wilson, had one of the highest amounts of total expenditure in the GE2020. He had spent a sum of S$90,138, of which S$48,627 went to print advertising and S$31,654 on digital advertising.
9. Heng Chee How, S$90,118
PAP’s Heng Chee How contested in Jalan Besar GRC alongside PAP’s Josephine Teo, Denise Phua and Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah, in which the team had spent a combined sum of S$288,977. The team beat Peoples Voice’s (PV) team – who spent S$23,354 in total – with 65.37 per cent of the votes.
Mr Heng’s total expenditure alone amounted to S$90,118, which was mostly spent on print advertising (S$59,636) and internet advertising (S$19,146).
10. Alex Yeo, S$89,217
PAP’s Alex Yeo – who teamed up with Victor Lye, Chua Eng Leong, Shamsul Kamar and Chan Hui Yuh to contest in Aljunied GRC – had spent a total of S$89,217. Of this, S$68,233 went to print advertising and S$13,636 on digital advertising.
They spent a total of S$401,178 in Aljunied, compared to the WP’s S$200,940. But the PAP team was defeated by the WP who garnered 59.93 per cent of the votes.
11. K.Shanmugam, S$88,056
The current Minister of Law, K.Shanmugam, had spent S$88,056 of total expenditure during the GE2020. The PAP’s member utilized S$53,792 of his expenditure on print advertising and S$17,924 on internet advertising.
He went against the PSP team in Nee Soon GRC alongside teammates Carrie Tan, Derrick Goh, Muhd Faishal Ibrahim and Louis Ng, in which the team won by 61.90 per cent of the votes. PAP team’s total expenditure amounted to S$420,348, or S$2.86 per voter, compared to the PSP’s S$174,165.
12. Lee Hsien Loong, S$87,992
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was ranked 12th biggest spender in GE2020 with a total expenditure of S$87,992. The PAP’s member largely spent his expenditure on print advertising (S$44,563) and digital advertising (S$29,536).
PM Lee spearheaded his team – which comprised of Nadia Ahmad Samdin, Darryl David, Gan Thiam Poh and Ng Ling Ling – in Ang Mo Kio GRC against the RP who had spent S$28,931 for the election campaign. While the PAP team spent a combined sum of S$452,262 in the election.
13. Ng Chee Meng, S$87,966
PAP’s Ng Chee Meng contested alongside PAP’s Raymond Lye, Lam Pin Min, and Amrin Amin in Sengkang GRC against the WP. His team’s expenditure tripled the total expenditure of the WP’s S$132,406, with S$364,371 in total. The PAP team, however, lost to the WP who garnered 52.13 per cent of the votes.
But Mr Chee’s total expenditure alone amounted to S$87,966, which he spent S$63,842 on print advertising and S$19,916 on internet advertising.
14. Low Yen Ling, S$87,800
PAP’s Low Yen Ling had spent S$87,800 of total expenditure in the election, in which she spent S$39,477 on print advertising and S$18,938 on digital advertising.
Ms Low was teamed up with Gan Kim Yong, Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim and Don Wee to contest in Chua Chu Kang GRC against the PSP team – who spent a total of S$140,304. The PAP team won against the PSP with 58.64 per cent of the votes.
Meanwhile, it was notable that she was the biggest spender among her teammates, followed by Mr Zhulkarnain’s S$74,754, while Mr Gan and Mr Don Wee each spent below S$68,000.
15. Lam Pin Min, S$87,669
Another PAP’s candidate contested in Sengkang GRC, Lam Pin Min, was ranked as one of the biggest spenders in GE2020. His total expenditure amounted to S$87,699, in which S$63,842 spent on printed advertising and S$19,916 on digital advertising.
16. Amrin Amin, S$87,669
Similarly, PAP’s Amrin Amin also spent a total of S$87,669 in the election. Mr Amrin also spent the same amount of expenditure as his teammate, Mr Lam, on both print and digital advertising. They were both contesting in Sengkang GRC including PAP’s Ng Chee Meng and Raymond Lye against the WP team. But the team lost to the WP by 47.87 per cent of the votes.
17. Dr Tan See Leng, S$86,953
One of Mr Edwin Tong’s – who was ranked 4th biggest spender – teammates contesting in Marine Parade GRC, Dr Tan See Leng, had spent a total of S$86,953 individually. Dr Tan spent S$56,081 on print advertising and S$13,896 on internet advertising.
The team had spent a combined sum of S$405,181, which was higher than the WP’s S$156,155. The PAP won by 57.76 per cent of the votes.
18. Louis Ng Kok Kwang, S$85,786
The second PAP’s candidate of Nee Soon GRC – after Mr K. Shanmugam who was ranked 11th – Louis Ng, listed as one of the biggest spenders in the election. Mr Ng’s individual expenditure amounted to S$85,786, in which he spent S$54,275 on print advertising and S$17,924 on digital advertising.
19. Alvin Tan, S$85,163
PAP’s Alvin Tan – who contested in Tanjong Pagar GRC alongside PAP’s Chan Chun Sing, Indranee Rajah, Joan Pereira and Eric Chua and won by 63.13 per cent of the votes – had spent S$85,163 of total expenditure individually. Most of his spending went to print advertising (S$50,775) and on digital advertising (S$20,865).
The PAP team in combined had spent S$360,052 in the election, doubled from its opponent, the PSP’s S$161,951.
20. Sim Ann, S$84,091
PAP’s Sim Ann was ranked 20th biggest spender in the GE2020, with a total expenditure of S$84,091. She spent S$46,810 on print advertising and S$23,834 on internet advertising.
Compared to her other teammates contesting in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC – which includes Vivian Balakrishnan, Christopher de Souza and Edward Chia – Ms Sim spent the highest amount, while the others each spent below S$80,000. Overall, her team had spent S$318,258, compared to the SDP’s S$117,560. But the team won by 66.36 per cent of the votes.
