SINGAPORE - The two independent candidates who contested the May 3 election intend to use their new-found platforms to engage with Singaporeans on local and national issues, even though neither was elected.

Mountbatten candidate Jeremy Tan, 34, told The Straits Times on May 5 that he has not ruled out contesting the next general election.

Mr Darryl Lo, 28, who contested in Radin Mas, was coy about his plans, saying he was unsure if he would continue being involved in politics.

Political observers said the pair - part of an "evolving profile" of political independents - had polled better than expected, and were able to put their views across coherently during their campaigns.

They also noted that Mr Tan and Mr Lo performed better at the ballot box than some candidates from small opposition parties fielded in single seats.

Mr Tan, a retired business owner, ran against maritime lawyer Gho Sze Kee from the ruling PAP in Mountbatten. Both are political newcomers.

Mr Tan polled 36.16 per cent - the highest vote share for an independent candidate since the 1972 General Election, when independent Ng Teng Kian garnered 41.87 per cent of the vote in Punggol.

Mr Tan said he spent about $17,000 on his campaign, including $10,000 on the stage and set-up for his rally.

Mr Lo, a law graduate who worked in the technology sector, was in a three-cornered race for Radin Mas. He was up against the PAP's Mr Melvin Yong - who has held the seat since 2020 - and Mr Kumar Appavoo of the People's Alliance for Reform, who had contested Radin Mas twice before, in 2015 and 2020.

Mr Yong retained his seat in 2025, while Mr Lo garnered 23.47 per cent of the vote, surpassing Mr Kumar, who polled 7.36 per cent.

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Mr Tan and Mr Lo fared better than candidates from small opposition parties, including Ms Kala Manickam from Red Dot United, who won 19.49 per cent of the vote in Jurong Central.

Mr Tan said he plans to use his social media platforms to discuss issues that interest him.

These may include the rise of autism and pets on public transport, as he feels strongly about these issues and has received public feedback on them.

He also intends to speak up about issues such as the impact of the US tariffs on Singapore.

Mr Tan has around 19,400 followers on Instagram.

Encouraged by the positive response from voters who were willing to give him a chance, Mr Tan said he saw this as a "positive sign" to work on municipal issues.

He plans to prioritise raising funds for and calling attention to the plight of low-income households in Mountbatten and Marine Parade.

He is also talking to some opposition parties that are regrouping to determine their future.

Mr Lo, meanwhile, said his goal was to deny Mr Yong an increased vote share in Radin Mas, and he is happy he did so.

Mr Yong garnered 74.01 per cent of the vote in 2020 against Mr Kumar, who received 25.99 per cent. In 2025, Mr Yong received 69.17 per cent of the vote.

On outperforming Mr Kumar in 2025 by about 16 percentage points, Mr Lo said: "It shows that the residents are looking for someone who is more credible. Just because you have been in politics for the past 10 years and participated in the same SMC doesn't mean that your vote share (is guaranteed)."

Mr Lo said he spent around $12,000 on his campaign, of which almost $8,000 went to the printing of fliers and posters.

He has about 6,000 followers on Instagram.

Mr Lo said he plans to use his platform to talk about politics and issues being debated in Parliament.

He will also write about municipal issues in Radin Mas, such as the cleanliness of the Bukit Purmei area, where he lives, and having a dog run in the constituency.

Institute of Policy Studies Social Lab research fellow Teo Kay Key said Mr Tan's and Mr Lo's results show that they were perceived to be sufficiently credible, and their policies resonated with some voters.

Mr Tan advocated the termination of Housing Board flats being used as retirement assets and for digital currency Bitcoin to be incorporated into Singapore's financial system.

Mr Lo campaigned for harsher penalties for drink drivers and for singles above 21 years old to be allowed to buy HDB flats, among other things.

Dr Teo added that both candidates positioned themselves as independent of party whips, which may have led voters to think that they could champion issues they believed in. She noted that Mr Tan and Mr Lo were "different types of independent candidates" from those who contested previous elections. They offered "rational perspectives" and concrete suggestions, instead of merely criticising and opposing the Government.

Both men performed significantly better than other independents in the last two elections.

In GE2020, independent candidate Cheang Peng Wah received 2.78 per cent of the vote in Pioneer.

Mr Samir Salim Neji obtained 0.6 per cent of the vote in Bukit Batok in GE2015, while in that election, Ms Han Hui Hui won 10.03 per cent of the vote in Radin Mas.

Independent political observer Felix Tan said Mr Tan and Mr Lo were well-spoken, more sensible, rational and able to articulate their thoughts more coherently.

Dr Tan noted that their relative success signals that voters may not see how partisan politics - supporting various political parties - was necessarily beneficial.

He also attributed the independents' positive results to their strong political conviction to help Singaporeans and their neutrality, given that they were not entering politics to ensure the survival of any political party.

"There are voters who are very tired of the same gimmicks that political parties use to articulate their stance," said Dr Tan.

He added that the independents were "far more knowledgeable" than some members from smaller political parties, which was why voters, especially younger ones, were more willing to support them.

Associate Professor Eugene Tan, a political analyst and SMU law don, said the Singaporean electorate "does not automatically write off independent candidates, contrary to popular belief".

"The evolving profile of such independents is a welcome development," he added.

He believes more individuals will seriously consider running as independents in the next election, going by the relative success of the two men this time.

On why voters may have chosen to cast their ballots for independents, Prof Tan said it boils down to "choice".

If the PAP and Singapore's main opposition party, the WP, were in a straight fight in a constituency, the independent's appeal may be significantly reduced.

"But where you just have the PAP, and the independent candidate is perceived to be credible, then voters see themselves as having a real choice."

On what the independent candidates' results spell for smaller opposition parties, Prof Tan said smaller parties are "facing the existential issue of political relevance".

This election has shown that independents can be competitive even against party candidates, and where there are strong independents, those from smaller parties will struggle even more to be competitive and electable.

"The smaller parties' struggle for relevance... is made more stark by independent candidates performing better," he said.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.