Singapore’s ruling party was reeling from a shock by-election defeat this weekend, as voter frustration over immigration, income inequality and insufficient affordable housing propelled the opposition party to its best performance since 1984. The margin of victory took political analysts by surprise, since the PAP had been engaged in a four-way fight with the Workers’ party and two smaller opposition parties which had been expected to split the opposition vote. They said the result showed voters wanting a counterweight to the PAP in parliament and coalescing around the Workers’ party. “The result is a rude wake-up call for the PAP and underlines the shifting political landscape in Singapore,” said SMU Assistant Professor of Law Eugene Tan. “While we should not extrapolate the results to the national level, the outcome indicates that the government has to look deep within itself and rebuild confidence and trust if the next general election is not to be a political earthquake.”