It's happening, folks: President Tony Tan has issued the writ for the Bukit Batok by-election, triggered by disgraced former ruling party member of parliament David Ong's departure, which will be held on May 7.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong shared a link to the Elections Department press release here.

Nomination Day will be on Wednesday, April 27, at Keming Primary School.

Which means Wanbao's prediction of April 26 was close but wrong:

At the moment, pending the entry of any last-minute independent candidates, it's looking to be a straight fight between the Singapore Democratic Party's Chee Soon Juan and the People's Action Party's Murali Pillai.

They've so far been pounding the ground in recent weeks since their announcement:

This looks to be an interesting round of hustings, the third in the past five years — 2012's by-election saw the election of Png Eng Huat to replace the Workers' Party's Yaw Shin Leong, and in 2013, Lee Li Lian was elected to replace the PAP's Michael Palmer.

Both Yaw and Palmer left their parties and vacated their positions over extramarital affairs, as with Ong.

Here's the announcement from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, all the way from Jerusalem:

Related articles:

Are the odds in the Bukit Batok by-election stacked for or against Chee Soon Juan?

Confirmed: PAP fields ex-Aljunied candidate Murali Pillai for Bukit Batok by-election

Ex-PAP MP David Ong sent a ‘personal letter’ apologising to Bukit Batok residents

5 observations of how the PAP will tackle the “Chee by-election” in Bukit Batok

Jurong GRC team leader and DPM Tharman apologises to Bukit Batok residents on behalf of PAP

PAP MP David Ong Kim Huat from Bukit Batok SMC resigns suddenly, by-election to be called

Top photo: File

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