How the hustings are shaping up with a week to Polling Day

Where will the battle lines be drawn in the May 3 general election?

- Linette Lai

With more than half of the nine-day campaign to go, it is perhaps too early to say which issues will catch fire, and which will fall flat.

What has surfaced three days into the hustings is robust debate over rising costs, Singapore's economic trajectory and the value of having more opposition voices in Parliament. Evergreen bread-and-butter concerns—inflation, housing and job security—have been aired in several opposition rallies so far.

There is also the threat of foreign interference made real. On April 25, the authorities took action to block social media posts by three foreigners—among them Malaysian politicians—who sought to sway the decisions of Singaporean voters.

All this is taking place against a backdrop of global economic and political instability, precipitated by the capricious behaviour of US President Donald Trump.

SINGAPORE IN AN UNPREDICTABLE WORLD

One theme that has emerged in the last few months is that Singapore is a small, trade-reliant nation at the mercy of an unpredictable world.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has sought to draw voters' attention to these circumstances and what is at stake.

"Global demand is weakening. Market confidence has fallen. Our exports will be hit," he said in a televised party political broadcast on April 25.

"Our bigger fear is this: this is not just a short-term downturn. The world is shifting beneath our feet. Tensions are rising between the major powers. The rules of international trade and cooperation are breaking down."

The PAP's message to voters is that it is the best party to see Singapore through these uncertain times, and will need a strong mandate to do so effectively.