GK RESEARCH. SINGAPORE BANS ELECTION SURVEYS AND EXIT POLLS, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO GAUGE OPINION. LEE HSIEN LOONG AND HIS FATHER -- WHO RULED FOR 31 CONSECUTIVE YEARS IN THE PERIODS BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER SINGAPORE'S UNION WITH MALAYA, AND WHO IS NOW THE "MINISTER MENTOR" IN HIS SON'S CABINET -- FILED DEFAMATION SUITS AGAINST THE LEADERS OF THE SINGAPORE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AT THE START OF CAMPAIGNING. THIS IS A TIMEWORN PAP TACTIC THAT HAS BANKRUPTED SOME OPPOSITION LEADERS, THUS DISQUALIFYING THEM FOR PARLIAMENT. "I BELIEVED IN THE PAP BEFORE, BUT I THINK THE PARTY NO LONGER REPRESENTS ME OR THE WAY I SEE THINGS," SAID W.M. NG, A 36-YEAR-OLD ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE. "THEY TELL YOU WHAT TO DO, AND YOU DO IT. THEY DON'T LISTEN. I DON'T AGREE WITH THEIR HEAVY-HANDED STYLE OF GOVERNMENT." THE BEDROCK OF PAP SUPPORT HAS ALWAYS BEEN OLDER VOTERS, WHO LIVED THROUGH SINGAPORE'S ROCKY POST-INDEPENDENCE YEARS AND WITNESSED ITS TRANSFORMATION INTO AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE. WHEN LEE HSIEN LOONG BECAME PRIME MINISTER, HE PROMISED MORE POLITICAL OPENNESS, BUT THERE HAS BEEN SCANT EVIDENCE OF THAT. THE GOVERNMENT STRICTLY ENFORCES LIMITS ON PUBLIC SPEAKING AND DEMONSTRATIONS AND LAST MONTH SAID IT WOULD REQUIRE POLITICAL PARTIES AND INDIVIDUALS TO REGISTER IF THEY WISH TO POST POLITICAL CONTENT ON WEB SITES.
