This article was published in The Straits Times on March 18, 2020.
By Viswa Sadasivan
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's remarks sparked speculation that the next general election could be held as soon as in end-April (PM: GE date hinges on how best to see through crisis, March 15).
Like many other Singaporeans, I am troubled by this prospect. I cannot understand why we should even consider having the GE in the next couple of months, when our hearts and minds are occupied with Covid-19. The situation is predicted to get worse in the months ahead before it starts tapering off. The Government has highlighted this as the key reason for stepping up restrictive measures now.
If the GE is between April and July, it would be during a period of peaked anxieties. The GE would be viewed as a distraction from the existential concerns about Covid-19. How could something as fundamental as the exercise of a citizen's right and duty be relegated in importance? Can we blame voters, especially those who are young, if this prompts cynicism about the electoral process?
Then, there are the practical issues. The Government has limited the size of gatherings to 250 people, and organisers should put in place measures to reduce close contact, such as seating people at least 1m apart from one another.
How will door-to-door campaigning and rallies be conducted? No matter how many precautions we take, won't these activities heighten the risk of Covid-19 spreading? Contact tracing would be near impossible. There will be a general fear of participating in election activities. This will also give the ruling party an unfair advantage. Voters are already well acquainted with the People's Action Party and its principal candidates.
The Government has earned the respect of the world for its management of the Covid-19 epidemic. Public confidence and trust in the Government have moved up many notches in the past few months. Given the heavy economic and social fallout from Covid-19, voters are likely to be conservative at the polls. These are significant and well-earned advantages, and warrant a more level battleground in the GE.
Even if giving the new Government a "fresh mandate" is the aim, isn't how this is achieved important?
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