Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (李顯龍) yesterday called for early general elections, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the outbreak has stabilized and there is no assurance it would be over by April next year, when the current government’s term ends.
Parliament was dissolved to pave the way for the polls, which the Elections Department said would be held on July 10.
The announcement came just four days after the city-state lifted most COVID-19 restrictions, and appeared to be an attempt to take advantage of a quiet window before a possible worsening of the pandemic’s impact.
Photo: EPA/EFE / Ministry of Communication and Information
Lee said the state must prepare for ups and downs, adding that there has been a resurgence in cases in some countries that have reopened.
He added that Singapore has not felt the full brunt of the economic fallout yet, so there would be more business closures and higher unemployment.
“A long struggle lies ahead,” he said in a televised speech. “An election now when things are relatively stable will clear the decks and give the new government a fresh full five-year mandate. It can then focus on this national agenda and the difficult decisions it will have to make and to carry.”
Singapore was initially hailed as a model for containing the virus, but cases in the country of only 5.8 million people then soared to more than 42,000, one of the highest infection rates in Asia, with most linked to dormitories used to house foreign migrant workers.
Lee said infections in the dorms have declined, while cases outside the dorms have stabilized.
Opposition groups have attacked the timing of the poll, with the Singapore Democratic Party saying that calling an election next month would “needlessly jeopardize the safety and health of Singaporeans.”
Lee said that despite a ban on rallies, political parties could still campaign effectively and voters could cast ballots safely, citing examples in recent elections in South Korea, Taiwan and several European countries.
He added that more polling stations would be set up, voters would be allocated time slots to cast their ballots to prevent crowds, senior citizens would be given priority and safe distancing rules would be observed.
Lee’s People’s Action Party, in power since 1959, is widely expected to keep its overwhelming majority in parliament, where it currently holds 83 out of the 89 seats.
Additional reporting by AFP
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