Why You Should Vote SDA and not Void
I spent some days thinking about this. Even wrote a little something in Chinese.
TL;DR: Vote SDA now to give more votes for opposition causes in Parliament and prevent PAP from having the 6 votes instead. This is more urgent in this election to help fight unpopular policies, and SDA cannot do any real harm in Parliament. Vote out SDA when WP/SDP is more mature, if SDA has not already collapsed.
The assumption is that WP and/or SDP will be able to take a majority of seats they contested, forming the bulk of any opposition in Parliament.
Many who lean toward stronger opposition like SDP/WP are hesitant to give the vote to SDA because they think it is not credible enough. True - they seem sincere and may do a good job as town councilors, but it looks like they cannot make good parliamentarians because their policies are whack. This argument is to tell you not to void your vote.
Not voting SDA is to allow 6 PAP seats in Parliament, 6 speakers and votes that will block anything SDP/WP will suggest. SDA may be "irrational", but they are likely to vote consistent with WP/SDP because of similar thinking on many topics e.g. White Paper, CPF. At least they can lend their votes. On policies, because we are assuming a rational opposition, SDA can make wild suggestions, but it will be quickly rejected by all sides of the House. A valid strategy for SDA is to be the complaint king in Parliament, but avoid offering solutions they are not confident in, so they avoid being the "initiators" but they are "followers" to the leader of the opposition. That keeps them in power while helping the people keep check and balances.
People worry SDA will stay on in PRP, and remain the same unconstructive party. In a way this is likely - there is little evidence of leadership renewal, you see middle-aged men as candidates without the youth of other parties. However, the strategy says to vote them in this election, and actually SDA will dissolve itself over time keeping pace with the growth of WP/SDP to end PAP dominance. This is because the SDA has 2 constituent parties - one being the Justice Party and the other being the Malay-interest PKMS, and it has been failing to retain and attract other parties. PKMS as a party idea is outdated in today's Singapore, with the fresher opposition going on very clear non-racial lines. The concept of SDA hence will not sustain itself, not helped by leadership renewal challenges. It will naturally break away by itself in an election or two, especially when WP/SDP grows and decide to contest in PRP.
This strategy is not recommended for other parties e.g. RP. The other parties, while looking like the same standard as SDA, do not have the same "timebomb" feature. You see their candidates are in fact young, and somehow they are attracting people from everywhere. It will not be to the interest of SDP/WP to vote them in, and to let RP claim territory and manage to hold it over time.
When SDP/WP takes over the government (maybe coalition, or only one of them), and they consolidate power, if SDA is still around in PRP, then SDP/WP can be convinced to come over to contest. They will easily displace the less-credible SDA. Voting SDA hence helps SDP/WP in Parliament and is useful as a stepping stone for democracy.
李刘徐君，为新政台三霸
雄闹三国，分埔北东西部
忠民权者，全都望孝刘徐
惜力不足，暂时许不实切
顺李两张，受令捍白榜镇
张似轻敌，对联盟军无防
小林睦荃，借星运成都护
虽无实政，却会深体民心
朝内交锋，林免成说可也
傻辩政法，必被李刘徐谴
应纵刘徐，随潮投权冲李
免李六席，终助刘徐成业
他日联军，必将不攻自破
盟质本差，受族团治所约
今不如古，势无从所治者
军也无少，只余老将排阵
相比别军，为革新者举例
素质欠佳，而也少将不缺
愚无喘息，现封侯后必患
阻碍刘徐，费了建民主业
待李势去，刘徐协作夺皇
诺林不屈，随明者攻白榜
新潮新代，君者得有五常
持之以恒，充仁义礼智信
