Singapore's ruling party stung by election results

Singapore's ruling party, stung by its worst ever election results, on Saturday signaled a possible delay to its meticulous succession plans, and analysts foresaw other policy changes that could affect the international business hub.

Olivia Chan reports.

Singapore's ruling party is stung by its worst ever election results on Saturday (July 11).

The People's Action Party - PAP- signaled a possible delay to its meticulous succession plans.

Here's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

"On the outcome of the election, the popular vote is 61.2 percent, we won 83 seats out of 93, we have a clear mandate.

But the percentage of the popular vote is not as high as I had hoped for." He added the results showed "a clear desire for a diversity of voices." Singapore's politics have been defined by stability and predictability.

Dominated by PAP since its independence in 1965, it has been crucial in developing the city-state into a global financial hub.

Lee is the son of Singapore's founding leader Lee Kuan Yew, who had said he was preparing to hand over the reins to the new generation of leaders in coming years.

However, his designated successor, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, scraped through with 53% of the vote in his constituency in the first real test of his popularity.

With an overwhelming parliamentary majority, the PAP rarely has to court public opinion on policy or government plans.

Heng had been selected by his peers as a future leader in a secretive process compared to how cardinals pick a pope.