| SINGAPORE - Workers' Party's Png Eng Huat has won the Hougang by-election with 13447 votes against PAP's Desmond Choo's 8210 votes. Mr Png won the single-seat constituency with 62.09 per cent of the vote, against Mr Choo's 37.91 per cent. The result was announced by Returning Officer, Yam Ah Mee, some two-and-a-half hours after polling closed at 8pm. Separately, the Elections Department said that at the close of the poll, the total number of votes cast locally is 21951 (inclusive of 294 rejected votes). This is 93.94% of the 23368 registered electors in Hougang constituency. The by-election was held to fill the seat vacated by former Member of Parliament Yaw Shin Leong, who was expelled from the Workers' Party following reports of his personal indiscretions. Mr Yaw had won the seat in the May 2011 General Election with 64.8 per cent of the vote, against Mr Choo's 35.20 per cent. At a press conference following the results announcement, Mr Png said the result was "fantastic". Said the WP candidate: "I want to thank voters of Hougang for giving me the mandate. This has been a very exciting, colourful campaign, but very tiring, running up and down all of Hougang's 97 blocks of flats. "At the outset, a simple majority would've been a mandate for me, so I think this result is fantastic. I feel happy. Now I have to work hard so people's faith in me isn't wasted. "Going forward, I hope Desmond Choo will support our Home Improvement Programme, Neighbourhood Renewal Programme, and ... |
