21 Indian-origin candidates in fray for polls in Singapore

Singapore, September 2

Twenty-one Indian-origin Singaporeans are among 181 candidates who have filed their nominations to contest the snap general elections next week in which Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s ruling party’s 50 years of political dominance will be tested by voters.

Prominent Indian-origin candidates who filed their nominations yesterday for September 11 elections include Law and Foreign Minister K Shanmugam, Minister in the Prime Minister Office S Iswaran and Environment and Water Resources Minster Vivian Balakrishnan, all political heavyweights from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).

Two Sri Lankan-origin candidates—Deputy PM and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who is PAP’s top leader, and economist-turned-politician Kenneth Jeyaretnam—also filed their nominations .

President Tony Tan Keng Yam, on the advice of the PM, dissolved the 12th Parliament on August 25, clearing way for the snap polls. — PTI