Political observers say that the Workers Party’s (WP) win in Punggol East has dealt a huge blow to the People’s Action Party (PAP) and indicates rapidly growing resentment on the ground. SMU Assistant Professor of Law Eugene Tan said that the "stunning" margin of victory would have surprised the WP itself. "A 13% increase in votes for the WP in a mere 20 months does suggest that all is not well for the PAP," he said. He added that the PAP had much to do to stem the "political bleeding" and that the ruling party had to find a way to "excite" the voters vis-a-vis their vision and policies for the country. "How to stop the PAP's political vulnerability from being seen as normal is a key matter that it needs to deal with. Once electoral defeats of the PAP become normalised and are seen as no big deal, then the PAP's political longevity will be severely challenged," he cautioned. WP, on the other hand, will need to step up to make sure that it gives the voters what it promises – a louder and alternative voice in Parliament.