The gloves are off between SDP and PAP on Bukit Batok by-election’s Nomination Day

Things heated up this afternoon at Keming Primary School as the battle for the position of power in Bukit Batok SMC is confirmed to be fought between the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Murali Pillai and the Singapore Democratic Party’s (SDP) Dr Chee Soon Juan. 

Nominations closed at noon today and party flags were unfurled as both candidates took stage and addressed their supporters after over a month walking the grounds and meeting with constituents.

The day was not without controversy. Yesterday, SDP took issue with the fact that Murali had unveiled a $1.9 million worth of infrastructure upgrading plans for a neighbourhood — but only “if we are returned at the by-election”, the PAP candidate said. 

SDP cried foul over the carrot-and-stick tactic, calling the move “unethical” and a possible “contravention of the Parliamentary Elections Act” which prohibits parties of persons from bringing undue influence on voters.

PAP however fended off the barbs, calling SDP’s statement “misconceived” and “absurd”. 

The party even brought out the big guns with Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam present at a media conference yesterday. Tharman expressed his bemusement over SDP’s response to Murali’s plans, suggesting that SDP was unprepared for the election. He noted that the opposition party had enough time to come up with their own plans, considering that it’s been nine months since the General Election. 

“If you need more time, then say so. Be quite plain about it. I don’t think there is anything wrong. But there is no need for all this bluster. There’s no need to begrudge the PAP for having done its consultations already, having developed plans, and having now announced them for further consultations,” the deputy prime minister said. 

The whole by-election ruckus however was due to a sex scandal that originated from the PAP side of things. Former Bukit Batok member of parliament David Ong resigned abruptly last month in the aftermath of an exposed affair with a married woman, said to be a grassroots activist in his constituency.