SINGAPORE, Jan 16 — As Singaporeans approaches the upcoming general election, the cost of living has emerged as a primary concern.
A recent survey revealed that more than a quarter are still undecided on who to support in the election.
The survey, conducted by Blackbox Research’s sentiment tracker SensingSG revealed, found that concerns about jobs and unemployment ranked second, followed by worries about the state of the economy.
The study involved 1,310 eligible voters across Singapore, representing various demographics including ethnicity, age, gender, and housing type, reported ChannelNewsAsia.
The general election must take place by Nov 23, 2025, will be Singapore's 14th election since independence and the first under Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's fourth-generation leadership.
Blackbox Research CEO and founder David Black noted that despite political headlines in 2024, Singaporeans are prioritising everyday issues like the cost of living and government services.
"As we move closer to GE2025, voters are more focused on their own financial situations than on broader political themes.”.
The survey found that 26.8% of respondents remain undecided about which party or candidate to support.
Among younger voters aged 21 to 29, about one-third are uncertain.
Older voters aged 50 and above are more decisive, with nearly 75% of them certain about their vote.
Voters from higher-income households are also more sure of their choices, with 74% of middle- and high-income voters confident in their decisions, compared to 65% of those from low-income backgrounds.
Economic concerns are shaping voters’ decisions, with cost of living (34.8%), jobs and unemployment (15.6%), and the state of the economy (15%) being the top three issues.
Political factors such as political stability (14%), trust in political parties (13.5%), and the leadership of the current government (11.6%) followed closely behind.
Housing costs (11.5%) ranked seventh, with younger voters under 49 listing it as one of their top three issues.
Other concerns included the need for fresh thinking (8.2%), defence and national security (8.1%), and support for the lower income (7.9%).
Other factors like political scandals, the costs of motor vehicles, and support for people with disabilities ranked lower in terms of voter importance.
The survey also revealed that many voters care more about the quality of governance at the constituency level than at the national level.
About 88% of respondents said the quality of candidates in their constituency was important, while 87.8% emphasised the importance of service delivery and infrastructure in their areas.
In contrast, national-level issues such as the choice of prime minister and the performance of the government since the last election were less significant to voters.
Most MPs received positive ratings, with 87.1% of constituents saying their MPs' performance since the last election was good or better.
There were regional differences. In the west, 17.8% of voters were dissatisfied with their MPs’ performance, while in the central region, over 90% were satisfied.
Older Singaporeans, particularly those aged 60 and above, were the most critical of their MPs, with almost a quarter expressing dissatisfaction.
Younger voters in their 20s and 30s were much more likely to rate their MPs’ performance positively, with 91% giving favourable feedback.
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