The election must be held by June 2007 and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has given no indication when the vote will be called.

"But if you ask me, I think he will go earlier than later... to seek a mandate from the people for what he wants to do," the Straits Times quoted Goh as saying at a constituency event.

"It means some time in 2006."

But Lee is still thinking about when to hold the election, Goh added.

Lee, the son of Singapore's founding father and first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, became prime minister in August 2004 after Goh stepped down. Goh now holds the title of senior minister.

After a visit to his ward last Sunday, Goh was quoted as saying the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) is expecting a tougher contest from opposition parties in the next election.

"This time they are wiser, they are gearing up early for elections," the Straits Times quoted him as saying. "Now I think the competition will be tougher for the PAP candidates."

The PAP, which has dominated Singapore politics for decades, won 82 of the 84 seats in parliament at the last elections in 2001, with 75 percent of the vote.

Singapore's opposition plays a marginal role in politics. Its leaders are hounded by lawsuits and their activities curbed by strict laws against protest rallies and lack of access to the mainstream media.

Lee, the prime minister, last month was quoted as saying general elections were coming and urged the PAP to help him get a strong first mandate.

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