SINGAPORE'S OPPOSITION, SEEKING TO WEAKEN THE GOVERNING PARTY'S FOUR-DECADE HOLD ON POWER, HELD ONTO TWO CRUCIAL SEATS IN SATURDAY'S PARLIAMENTARY POLLS BUT IT WAS UNCLEAR WHETHER ITS OVERALL SUPPORT WOULD INCREASE, REUTERS REPORTED. THE GOVERNING PEOPLE'S ACTION PARTY (PAP) SECURED ITS OVERWHELMING MAJORITY AS EXPECTED WITH 82 SEATS IN THE 84-SEAT PARLIAMENT, ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL RESULTS. HOWEVER, THE REAL INDICATION OF OPPOSITION PERFORMANCE WILL COME WITH THE RELEASE OF PERCENTAGE FIGURES FOR PARTY VOTING. THE POLL WAS THE FIRST REAL POPULARITY TEST FOR PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG, 54, SINCE HE WAS APPOINTED IN AUGUST 2004 WITHOUT AN ELECTION IN A PLANNED LEADERSHIP TRANSITION. THE OPPOSITION KEPT ITS TWO SEATS, WHICH THE PAP HAD TRIED ESPECIALLY HARD TO WIN BACK THIS TIME. LOW THIA KHIANG, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE WORKERS' PARTY, AND CHIAM SEE TONG, LEADER OF THE SINGAPORE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE, BOTH HELD ON TO THEIR SEATS AND SAW THEIR WINNING MARGINS IMPROVE. SINGAPORE'S TINY OPPOSITION PARTIES HAD MOUNTED THEIR BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO THE PAP IN 18 YEARS BY FIELDING CANDIDATES FOR MORE THAN HALF THE 84 SEATS IN PARLIAMENT. THE CITY-STATE OF 4.4 MILLION, WHICH BORDERS MALAYSIA, HAS GROWN INTO ONE OF THE STRONGEST TRADING ECONOMIES IN THE REGION SINCE INDEPENDENCE FROM MALAYSIA IN 1965. IT RELIES HEAVILY ON FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND ITS IMAGE AS A SECURE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT. VOTING IS COMPULSORY IN SINGAPORE, BUT ONLY ABOUT 1.2 MILLION PEOPLE OUT OF 2.2 MILLION ON THE ELECTORAL REGISTER HAD A CHANCE TO VOTE DUE TO WALKOVERS IN 37 OF THE 84 SEATS. MANY WERE VOTING FOR THE FIRST TIME. "THIS IS MY FIRST TIME VOTING AND I VOTED FOR THE OPPOSITION AS I FELT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TRY TO DO MORE FOR THE NEEDY. I WANTED TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE," SAID JACINTA HUANG, A 24-YEAR-OLD SOCIAL WORKER. --MORE 2222 Local Time 1922 GMT
