Tan, who was backed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and several trade unions even though he ran as an independent, was declared the victor early yesterday following a recount. He beat Tan Cheng Bock, a former Singapore lawmaker who was also with the ruling People’s Action Party, by 7,269 votes, according to the Elections Department.
The margin suggests Lee has more to do to appease voters after the PAP retained power in general elections held in May with the lowest support since independence. Four candidates -- all bearing the Tan surname -- vied for the largely ceremonial post, signaling the increased challenge to the grip on power held by the party since Lee’s father, Lee Kuan Yew, led the state to independence in 1965. Full story
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