The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has urged the ruling People's Action Party government to rule out a general election in the midst of a Covid-19 global pandemic.
In a statement published to their website on Mar. 12, the party acknowledged there are "signs" that the PAP might be calling for an election soon, and said that doing so would amount to an "irresponsible act".
The most telling of the signs was the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee's report the same day the SDP statement came out.
Elections have historically been called shortly after the publishing of the report.
Other signs referenced by the SDP was Heng Swee Keat's recent failure to rule out holding the elections during the outbreak and Josephine Teo's announcement that the PAP would be introducing its new female candidates in due course.
PAP's interest or people's interests?
"All state resources should be focused on dealing with the spread of the virus which the World Health Organization has called a pandemic," read the SDP's statement.
"The situation in Singapore has flared up again and could worsen considerably in the coming weeks and months."
The SDP added that they had been calling on Singaporeans to "unite and cooperate with authorities" as part of the party's efforts to help the situation here and that calling an election would divert the country's resources away from fighting the spread of the virus.
Citing the lack of urgency for an election — given the current parliamentary term ends in April 2021 — the SDP called on the government to "categorically rule out the GE", until it is clear we are seeing the "tail-end of the virus spread".
Not postponing the elections, the party said, would show that "the PAP is putting its own interests over the people's safety".
Top image by Andrew Koay