In Parliament, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean dismissed a suggestion first made by Dr Tan Cheng Bock for the General Election (GE) to be held beyond the deadline of April 2021, and for a caretaker government to be appointed by the President in the interim, following the end of the deadline.
Teo explained that the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) has advised that such a delay is unconstitutional and will only be possible if a state of emergency is declared.
Unsurprisingly, while not outrightly closing of the possibility of a delayed election (to be held later in the year), Teo outlined several measures that can be taken so that the GE can be held "safely".
Among the measures mooted for the hustings is the live streaming of speeches and televised rallies.
On polling day itself, Teo elaborated, measures like an express lane for senior voters, social distancing during queuing, and hand sanitisers for voters, can also be implemented.
By taking on this topic in Parliament, Teo and his party are trying to socialise Singaporeans and get them acclimatised to the idea of having an early election.
The PAP may argue otherwise. However, they can't continue to pull the wool over an increasingly knowledgable and discerning citizenry.
An early election will only benefit the PAP and no one else.
Why put our lives at risk now? They can't say with certainty that the situation won't get worse. On the other hand, they also can't say that the situation will not improve 6 months later.
Why take the risk?
