DPM Heng Says Election Must Come Soon So People Can Face the Challenges Ahead

Election day is coming.

That was the message that DPM Heng Swee Keat gave when he was interviewed by CNA.

In the same interview, he had outlined how Singapore’s fiscal position in the coming years are weaker due to Covid-19, and the “huge task” Singapore has ahead of it not just to survive the next one or two years, but ten and twenty years ahead.

He said that we will draw S$52 billion from past reserves and we have to make sure we make the best possible use out of every single dollar.

After that, we’ll have to build our fiscal position up again.

The Sooner We Get The Elections Done, The Sooner We Can Rally

That is the current logic that the Singapore ruling party is operating on.

There are so many problems out there so let’s get whatever we can out of the way to focus on solving the real problems.

When asked whether Singaporeans will have to wait until Phase 3, which is expected to be next year, before elections, DPM Heng said that “yes, elections are coming nearer by the day, and you have to be prepared for it”.

He pointed to South Korea, which held its elections in Apr this year successfully amidst the Covid-19 outbreak.

He assures that if elections day was held amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, “the public health considerations and public safety will be a foremost consideration”.

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Temporary Election Bill Passed

On Tuesday, the Parliamentary Elections (Covid-19 Special Arrangements) Act came into operation.

It allows candidates to appoint nominees to file their papers on their behalf if they are unable to do so due to Covid-19.

Individuals under Stay-Home-Notices will also be allowed to vote “under special arrangements”.

On 13 Mar, the Election Department (ELD) released the electoral boundaries for the upcoming elections.

On 15 Apr, ELD released the number of electors for the upcoming General Elections.

Political observers in Singapore has speculated that the elections could be held in June 2020.

One reason is that the ruling party has garnered plenty of goodwill with their supplementary budgets and handling of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Another reason given is that parliament has to be dissolved by 14 Apr 2021 and typically, the government do not hold their General Elections in the same year that their term will end.

There was only one thing that could stop the government from holding the GE, according to the political analysts:

It depends on whether the circuit breaker measures work.

If the measures did not manage to slow down transmission and the number of infections remains high, it could backfire if they were to force the GE upon Singaporeans.

Well, seems like that’s (probably) been taken care of.

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