The 2011 General Election threw up a few surprises, but on results night, it was one man who stood out for those who stayed up to catch the action on television.

Returning Officer Yam Ah Mee's laconic delivery of the now classic " Pursuant to Section 49, Sub Section 70, Paragraph A of the Parliamentary Act" has become etched in the minds of Singaporeans.

This is in addition to how he pronounced some of the candidates' names. As a commenter online said, " Singapore sure has many metals around. How else do you explain Nickel (Nicole) Seah" .

For those who are still wondering about Mr Yam's day job, he is the Chief Executive Director of the People's Association and is the President of the Harvard Club in Singapore.

Some have even set up Facebook pages in tribute of him, with one calling on him to be the next President of Singapore. A spoof one, titled Yah Ah Mee, Returning Officer Extraordinaire, has earned 35, 616 likes as of today. .

For Singaporeans who still want to hear him, you can - in the form of innovative re-mixes.

One of them is a club mix consisting of his sound bites laid onto a house-style track.

Besides having garnered nearly 97,000 views, there was even a commenter saying that the track had " commercial potential" .

Yam Ah Mee Club Mix

Another one making the rounds is an electronic mix. Although shorter, this contains more sound bites, including that now famous phrase in a more distorted form.

Yam Ah Mee (Electro mix)

SINGAPORE: In past General Elections, the coffeeshop at Block 136 in Potong Pasir was often the scene of celebration late into the night, as it was not far from where the single—seat ward’s long—standing Member of Parliament, Mr Chiam See Tong, would make his victory speeches.

But on Sunday morning, the mood at the coffeeshop was one of anger and disbelief at news that the long—time Opposition ward, which was being defended by Mr Chiam’s wife, Lina, had fallen to the People’s Action Party by a razor—thin margin of 114 votes.

Talk that Mr Chiam’s Singapore People’s Party (SPP) had lost the seat began around 1am, causing much anxiety among his supporters who had gathered at the coffeeshop since the evening.

When the results were officially announced on television at around 3am — Mrs Chiam said the SPP had asked for a recount because " the gap was too narrow" — groans and moans could be heard among the crowd, some of whom were openly crying. Many left in a huff.

But there were also those who refused to concede defeat — they began cheering and chanting the names of Mr and Mrs Chiam.

Minutes later, as Mrs Chiam and the SPP team for Bishan Toa—Payoh Group Representation Constituency, which was led by Mr Chiam, came round on a lorry, louder cheers erupted as the crowd rushed towards them.

As cameras started flashing and supporters garlanded her with flowers, Mrs Chiam said: " I have kept up a good fight and we’ve done what we could. But we will be back."

As to whether she would take a Non—Constituency Member of Parliament seat — since she garnered the highest number of votes among the losing candidates — Mrs Chiam said she would discuss the matter with her party members before making a decision.

As Mrs Chiam, 62, made her way through the boisterous crowd, some gave her a hug. She started to tear but held a smile throughout as she apologised to supporters for not doing well enough.

Some of the Chiams’ supporters in Potong Pasir did not take her defeat too well.

Mrs Chua S K, 40, who has lived in the constituency for 18 years, said: " I will miss them terribly, their presence of being around in the coffeeshops, sipping coffee just at the next table."

Another resident, Mr Gene Lim, attributed the loss partly to new residents who do not have a sense of connection with Mr Chiam.

" For many of us here, we are brought up with the understanding of having alternative voices and democracy. This is really so unbelievable," Mr Lim added.

Speaking to reporters later, Mrs Chiam said of her maiden election experience: " I fought the fight alone. I worked very hard and I like to thank my supporters very much for their bravery." —

TODAY

SINGAPORE: Police have arrested a 23—year—old Chinese man for his suspected involvement in loansharking activities.

They had been tipped off by a resident who spotted the man behaving suspiciously along a corridor of an HDB block at Yishun Street 71 on Sunday afternoon.

Police found loanshark—related paraphernalia such as cans of paint, a mobile phone with suspected debtors’ records, black marker and a paper believed to contain debtors’ addresses were discovered in the suspect’s possession.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect had carried out islandwide loanshark harassments by splashing paint at debtors’ units and scrawling loanshark—related graffiti on walls.

The suspect will be charged in court on Tuesday.

First—time offenders found guilty of committing or attempting to commit loanshark harassment could be fined between S$5,000 and $50,000, jailed up to five years and caned up to six strokes.

—CNA/ac

SINGAPORE: She has lived in Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) for over 20 years and considered herself a staunch People’s Action Party (PAP) supporter.

But watching her son struggle with the rising cost of living and finding affordable housing for his family, a 52—year—old retiree felt she needed a voice that would speak up for lower—income families like her own in Parliament. " Us sandwiched classes, who speaks up for us? The PAP is good but they have not done well with costs ... things are expensive but wages are not keeping up," she said.

Hence, she made the " difficult" decision to vote for the Workers’ Party (WP) on Polling Day on Saturday, she told Today. " They have a good team and I believe in the things they want to accomplish, like having more alternative voices in Parliament," said the woman, who had voted for the PAP in previous parliamentary elections.

In interviews with Aljunied constituents the day after Polling Day, reasons like the woman’s cropped up as residents — some of whom have lived in the constituency for nearly 30 years — shared why they thought the WP emerged victorious.

Some had wrestled with their decision, one saying he was in two minds even as he approached the polling booth with his ballot.

LACKING A LISTENING EAR?

A common source of unhappiness that surfaced unprompted among those interviewed was Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew’s comment that if Aljunied residents voted for the WP, they had five years to " live and repent" .

" People were already feeling like PAP was arrogant and wasn’t listening, and the comment seemed to confirm our feelings," said Ms Fiona Goh, 42, who works in manufacturing.

Some were also dissatisfied with their personal brushes with their respective Members of Parliament (MPs).

Ms Goh, said her encounter with Mrs Lim Hwee Hua during a dialogue session about the controversial foreign workers’ dormitory being built at Serangoon Gardens had left her feeling that her views had not been heard.

" She repeated the actions they would take and explained why they needed a dorm ... They had already made up their mind to just do it," she said.

According to media reports, Mrs Lim pulled in the lowest share of votes from her Serangoon division, followed by Madam Cynthia Phua from her Paya Lebar division.

However, other residents said they had no problems with their MPs, with several expressing admiration for Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo. " He seems very genuine," said one resident. " It was really a dilemma."

On the flip side, auditor Dennis Sim, 27, said he was impressed that WP candidate Sylvia Lim, who was also part of the WP team that contested Aljunied in 2006, " didn’t just disappear" after the elections. " She maintained her presence in the estate and visited my house ... she came across as sincere."

And financial advisor Eugene Ng, 31, who lived near Opposition—held Hougang, felt that the single—seat ward was not the " slum" PAP had made out the place to be. " Low Thia Khiang has done a good job ... I think that kind of fear—mongering just didn’t sit well with people," he said.

NATIONAL ISSUES MORE IMPORTANT

Indeed, for voters like Ms Koh Sock Ling, 29, who has lived in Aljunied all her life, it was the broader national issues that decided her vote. " The fear—mongering tactics, the need to have more alternative representation in Parliament, these were all things WP spoke about that are personally important to me," said Ms Koh, a customer service representative. " The estate issues are not such a big deal."

Added Mr Ng: " It was not easy to choose ... many people think George Yeo is capable but it’s good to have a check on the Government."

Ms Fauzlin, a stay—at—home mother of two, said that, while she had considered the PAP team’s Zainul Abidin Rasheed’s " good relationship" with the Malay—Muslim community, she was more interested in whether the team could address her concerns about the rising cost of living and a Singapore growing more crowded from the influx of foreigners.

Online resources such as election rally videos were cited as a useful tool by several residents in helping them evaluate the candidates and parties.

" You could form your own opinion of a candidate based on how they spoke," said Desmond, 23, a national serviceman. " It wasn’t based on what people tell you to believe." —

TODAY

Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo's loss in the General Election has surprised and saddened leaders attending the ASEAN summit in Jakarta.

Senior Minister S Jayakumar, who is representing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the summit, said: " Nearly everyone I spoke to -- ministers and the leaders -- were saddened and disappointed, and surprised to know that Foreign Minister George Yeo has lost.

" Why were they saddened? Because to them, George Yeo has been a very articulate, able spokesman for Singapore.

" But not only that. They consider him as one of the most ardent advocates for the cause of ASEAN. Highly articulate a champion of ASEAN in representing ASEAN to the rest of the world" .

Mr Yeo is also regarded as one of the prime movers of the ASEAN Charter.

Although Mr Yeo will not be representing Singapore as Foreign Minister, Professor Jayakumar described him as having immense talent and did not discount the possibility of Mr Yeo being given another role.

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may be due to ASEAN, 

he  NEGLECTED  SINGAPORE  & ADJUNIED  ? ? ? ?

Readers' reactions to the results of the Singapore General Election 2011 were positive, with most congratulating the People's Action Party for being able to hold on to power, and others crediting the Opposition for putting up a better fight.

As " serlof" put it, most countries are facing rising living costs, results in some governments barely hanging on to power, so he gave some credit to the current government for " keep(ing) the rising costs (in check), whereby most citizen(s) still have some extra money for spending."

However, another poster " Singahopeful" felt that the PAP's work was not done after the election, saying that the fact that large numbers voting for the Opposition is a sign of discontentment in some circles, and that the government should now try " to rectify it, address their concerns and problems and try to win them over."

On the WP's Aljunied win and its implications, " GRC backlash" said the WP Aljunied team " should not be held responsible for George Yeo's exit from Parliament" and that if it was a " one man one vote" system, politicians would stand and fall on their own merits.

#上 得 山 多 终 遇 虎 #

Commenter " win win situation" complimented the Opposition, saying in " believing in what (they) think" they " became the voice" for the nearly 40% who voted for them and hoped that they would " continue the good works and speak (for) the people of Singapore"

Still, he felt that whatever the results were, the results served " as a start of a new beginning for all of us" .

Echoing his sentiments, poster " yangtung" said, since the election has ended, " all parties concerned should be united (as) one Singaporean" and work for the benefit of the country.

Read also:

HAVE YOUR SAY: Singapore General Election 2011 Results