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The political situation in Singapore has become dramatic after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s brother, Lee Hsien Yang, said on June 24 that he had joined the opposition Progress Singapore Party (PSP) competing against his sibling in the upcoming general election.
The 63-year-old business executive announced the decision one day after Singaporean President Halimah Yacob dissolved the parliament on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to pave the way for the July 10 general election.
However, Lee Hsien Yang said he was yet to decide whether he would run as a candidate or not.
Lee Hsien Yang is the second son of Lee Kuan Yew, founder of modern-day Singapore. After leaving the Singapore Armed Forces, he became the CEO of SingTel and he left in 2007. In the same year, he became the Non-Executive Director and Chairman of Fraser and Neave and left in 2013. In 2009, he was the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and left in 2018.
Lee Hsien Yang and his sister Lee Wei Ling fell out with their prime minister brother following the death of their father in 2015.
He criticized the People’s Action Party (PAP) of his older brother, saying it has lost its way and the current government is “distinctly different” from when his father was prime minister.
The PAP, which was founded by his father and has governed the city-state since its independence in 1965. It currently holds 82 out of 88 seats in parliament and is expected to win the next general election.
Meanwhile, the PSP is led by Tan Cheng Bock, a former PAP lawmaker who shot to prominence by nearly defeating a candidate backed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in the 2011 presidential race.
Lee Hsien Yang said he supports the principles and values of the PSP.
"I joined the party because I think that Tan is committed to doing the right thing for Singapore and Singaporeans, and he loves the country and has brought together a group of people who share his vision," he told reporters.
Observers believe that the PSP, launched last year, will not threaten the PAP's decades-long hold on power but the combination of a Lee family member and Tan could draw some voters away from the ruling party.
Earlier, in a televised address on June 23, PM Lee Hsien Loong said he has decided to call the general election now as the COVID-19 situation is relatively stable.
He also affirmed that measures will be carried out to ensure safety for voters.
The current term of the Singaporean parliament is scheduled to end in April 2021.
An estimated 2.65 million eligible voters will elect 93 parliamentarians, up four from the current tenure, in the election.
After the Nomination Day, slated for June 30, there will be at least nine days of campaigning before the Cooling-off Day and the Polling Day.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
