SINGAPORE, Sept 10 — Making their final pitch to voters as nine days of hustings drew to a close last night, Opposition parties across eight locations island-wide urged Singaporeans to build on the momentum of the 2011 General Election (GE) and send more members to Parliament and decisively end the People’s Action Party (PAP) dominance.

Several Opposition parties — including the Workers’ Party (WP), the Singaporeans First party and the People’s Power Party (PPP) — accorded the ruling party a backhanded compliment: It has done well to bring the country to where it is today, but the PAP of today pales in comparison to its predecessor and has run out of ideas to take Singapore forward, they charged.

Playing on the PAP’s call for Singaporeans to head to the ballot box with an eye on the country’s long-term future and stability, they argued for more diverse representation in Parliament and a greater contest of ideas as the key to ensuring Singapore remains a success for decades to come.

Yesterday, tens of thousands of Singaporeans made their way to open fields and stadiums across the island.

A good number of them were in East Coast Group Representation Constituency, where the PAP and WP held simultaneous rallies a few kilometres away from each other.

The contests for East Coast GRC and the neighbouring Fengshan Single-Member Constituency — which was carved out from the GRC for this election — are expected to be close.

Speaking at the WP rally in Bedok stadium, the party’s East Coast GRC team leader Gerald Giam described the polls as “one of the most important elections in Singapore’s history”, with East Coast GRC and Fengshan SMC at the “frontlines of the battle”.

Addressing voters of the two constituencies, Giam said: “We are at the tipping point of political progress in Singapore.

“Your vote will determine whether the Opposition can make inroads beyond Hougang, Aljunied and Punggol East.

“The election results are expected to be very close … share with them (family and friends) why this is the best chance to end the one-party-state dominance of the PAP.”

WP chief Low Thia Khiang introduced all the party’s candidates individually, apart from the incumbent WP Members of Parliament for Aljunied GRC, Hougang and Punggol East, who are seeking re-election. But he spent additional time on the East Coast GRC and Fengshan SMC candidates, listing their credentials and achievements.

Tracing his own political journey and his efforts to build up the WP, Low described the results of the 2011 GE, where the WP achieved a breakthrough win in Aljunied GRC, as a “first big step” towards a First World Parliament — harking back to the WP’s slogan for the 2011 GE.

Reiterating that the bigger Opposition presence that resulted from that election has resulted in policy shifts by the PAP Government, Low added: “This is only a start … we still have to press the Government to strengthen some of the policies and review Singapore’s direction over the next 50 years.”

At Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) sought to assure voters of a smooth transition should its candidates win seats in Parliament.

SDP vice-chairman John Tan said the party has made plans for the handover of town council matters, and that its candidates will run town councils themselves instead of hiring a managing agent.

SDP chief Chee Soon Juan, who returned to the political fray after a 14-year hiatus, rounded off the SDP’s final rally by thanking his family, volunteers and candidates.

Dr Chee was barred from standing in elections after he was declared bankrupt after the 2001 GE, and was discharged in 2012.

Speaking at the SDP rally held at a field in Clementi Avenue 6, Dr Chee said: “This last week has been absolutely exhilarating, for me at least. I’ve had this wonderful opportunity to connect with you again after all these years.”

This election will be the most intensely fought in Singapore’s history, with a record 181 candidates vying for 89 seats in Parliament.

Eight Opposition parties, including the fledgling PPP, which was registered only two months ago, will be on the ballot, which also sees the return of independent candidates for the first time since the 2001 GE. All constituencies will be contested — another first for Singapore since independence.

Some 2.46 million voters will head to the polls on Friday.

As the clock struck midnight yesterday, Cooling-Off Day restrictions kicked in, but not before a flurry of statements were exchanged between the PAP and the WP over the accounts of Punggol East Town Council.

After a hectic campaign, candidates said they looked forward to the opportunity to put up their feet today.

The SDP is holding a picnic, for example. Dr Paul Tambyah, an SDP candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, said he was pleased with how the hustings had gone for his party.

“It’s been a very clean and fair campaign,” he said. — TODAY