Opposition parties, which hold just two of Parliament's 83 seats, also complained about a new electoral map with more five and six-seat wards that will tax their limited cash and candidates.

In Singapore's version of the first-past-the-post system, the party winning the vote in a super-ward takes all the seats.

The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) manifesto, unveiled a week after a S$11.3 billion stimulus package to help the recession-hit economy, stressed the government's ability to deliver stability.

"I ask you to vote for me, my PAP team and our programme for you," Mr Goh said in a letter to the city-state's two million voters.

"Place your trust in us again to take Singapore safely into the future."

Mr Goh, speaking to Singapore media at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in Shanghai, said the PAP could easily take the two opposition single-seat wards but would rather use them as training grounds for new candidates.

"I can tell you that in some constituencies, we are not trying very hard," Mr Goh said, dismissing opposition complaints about the enlarged wards.

The PAP, which has dominated politics since independence in 1965, had been expected to go to the polls before the deadline of August next year after unveiling the stimulus package.

Despite the economic malaise, the PAP is unlikely to lose many seats. "This is going to be one of the tamest, most boring election campaigns," said Najeeb Jarhom, director at Fraser-AMMB Research. "Because everybody is worried about jobs and bread-and-butter issues, I don't think rallies will be well attended."

The 17-day gap between the election being called and polling day on November 3 is the shortest on record, leaving opposition parties fuming as they scramble to target any PAP weakness in the new wards and avoid taking votes from each other.

"They [the PAP] are afraid of losing and cannot afford to lose," said Steve Chia, whose National Solidarity Party is a member of the Singapore Democratic Alliance pooling resources against the PAP.

"That's why they are using such underhanded tactics by not giving the opposition any preparation time."

Mr Goh said he brought forward plans for an election early next year after the September 11 terror attacks on the United States because he wanted to get it over with to focus on jobs and security.