S'pore opposition may contest 57 seats at poll

SINGAPORE, Mar 11 (Reuters) Singapore's opposition groups have agreed a pact to challenge Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's government in 57 of the city-state's 84 parliamentary seats at a coming general election, the Straits Times today said.

If the plan succeeds, it would be the first time the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) has not been automatically returned to power on nomination day since 1991, the pro-government newspaper said.

The PAP has dominated parliament since Singapore's independence from Britain in 1965 and has never lost more than four seats in any election. Only two opposition candidates made it to parliament in the last general election in November 2001.

While voting is mandatory in Singapore, two thirds of the 84 elected seats were not even contested in 2001, giving PAP candidates a walkover.

With so few opposition candidates standing five years ago, only a third of eligible voters had a chance to cast a ballot.

Social activists say such low participation is unhealthy in a country criticised by the U S State Department and Amnesty International for curbing political expression.

Prime Minister Lee, son of the founder of modern Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, need not face the voters until June 2007 but he is widely expected to call an early poll within months.

He has recently been preparing the ground. Last month, he announced a 2.6 billion Singapore dollar (1.6 billion dollar) budget package with generous handouts. A week ago, a government-appointed panel set new electoral boundaries.

The PAP, which for four decades has overseen economic growth and security in a region beset by political and social unrest, is in no danger of losing power.

Sound policies are one reason, but critics say people are also discouraged from joining the opposition because of the readiness of PAP ministers to file defamation lawsuits that can lead to bankruptcy and loss of the right to stand for election.

REUTERS DKS DS1045