A total of 39 Malay Minority Certificates and 32 Indian or Other Minority Certificates were received. These are required by members of minority ethnic communities who contest the General Election in a Group Representaion Constituency (GRC).

208 applications for Political Donation Certificates were received, which means there will be a minimum of 208 candidates for the upcoming General Election.

On the final day for submitting the applications, the National Solidarity Party's likely team for Marine Parade GRC was the first to arrive at the Elections Department. They include Mr Ivan Yeo, Mr Spencer Ng, Mr Abdul Salim Harun and Ms Nicole Seah.

Representatives from the Singapore People's Party, the Singapore Democratic Alliance and the Singapore Democratic Party turned up as well.

SDP candidate James Gomez said his party submitted more than 11 application forms for the political donation and minority candidate certificates, as it wanted flexibility in fielding the best candidates for the General Election.

The SDP has formally introduced 11 candidates so far.

Representatives of the People's Action Party's (PAP) likely Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC slate were also present to collect the updated Registers of Electors.

Meanwhile, Reform Party secretary-general Kenneth Jeyaretnam was present at the same time as his former party member Alec Tok, who was submitting his application for the political donation certificate. They did not speak to each other.

When asked, Mr Tok said he will announce today if he is contesting in the coming polls as an independent candidate or under another party's banner.

The artistic director of a theatre company had been hoping to stand in the Radin Mas ward but said yesterday that much has changed in the last 24 hours.

"This is the penultimate stage. I should have a definite answer by this evening. I believe I'll be in a position (to say) tomorrow what my plans are," said the 46-year-old.

Shortly after, PAP grassroots adviser in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Christopher De Souza turned up to collect the political donation certificates on behalf of all the party's potential candidates as they were ready, he said.

♥ 4:07 AM