SINGAPORE — For many residents of Punggol East, yesterday might as well have been a regular Saturday.

Few appeared excited by the impending announcement of the by-election results as 10pm rolled around. At Rivervale Mall’s food court, for example, residents seemed more focused on buying their dinner or finishing up their meals before closing time.

Though there were three televisions in the food court, none were tuned to news channels. At the NTUC FairPrice outlet at the mall, last-minute grocery shopping occupied more minds than the by-election.

One resident, Mr Kelvin Pang, 30, summed up the mood of most when he said: “(It’s) not a very big thing ... it’s just a little constituency. I will just wait to read it in the papers tomorrow.”

Others pointed to the lack of coffee shops in the ward — an issue raised by many residents during the campaign period — as a reason for the seeming lack of interest.

Said sales manager Sean Low, 45: “There’s no coffee shop for us to gather and watch the results together, so I’ll just be watching at home with my wife.”

Earlier in the day, voting proceeded at a steady clip, with the majority of residents casting their ballots early. The four candidates also made appearances at various polling stations throughout the day, greeting residents.

By 5pm, 81 per cent of the 31,650 eligible voters had cast their ballots.

The few who trickled in after that cited work commitments as one reason they did not vote earlier. Mr Peter Koh, 52, turned up 20 minutes before the polls closed at 8pm. Said the chef: “I’ve been at work since 5am, and rushed back after my shift ended.”

One resident, who only wanted to be known as Madam Koh, was not so lucky. Already late because she had spent part of the day shopping in Chinatown, she ended up going to the wrong voting station.

The subdued mood in Punggol East contrasted sharply with the raucous atmosphere in neighbouring Hougang, the Workers’ Party’s (WP’s) traditional stronghold.

A festive mood began building at 5pm, with WP supporters trickling into the unofficial party clubhouse at Block 332, Hougang Avenue 5. Beers were ordered, peanuts peeled and spirits rose as more people in blue started arriving and spilling out onto the grass patch outside.

By 10pm, posters, flags and banners were aplenty, and supporters began chanting to the beat of drums and piercing whistles. Many others made their way to the counting station at North Vista Secondary School to lend their support.

The carnival atmosphere at the school drew many residents from condominiums around the area, despite the fact that they were not part of Punggol East and did not vote.

When results were announced close to 11pm by Returning Officer Yam Ah Mee, there was a smattering of cheers. The reaction in Hougang, however, was much more intense. There, the cheers drowned out Mr Yam’s announcement, the pump of triumphant fists and the raising of banners signalling which way the election had gone.

WP supporters, who until then had wavered between confidence and anxiety about the result, now took on an added swagger, and offered a plethora of reasons for the win.

Housewife Molly Tan, 55, put it simply: “We need to have more Opposition voices in the Parliament.”