The Elections Department (ELD) cannot announce General Elections rules and regulations "prematurely" as they may become "invalid" due to the "evolving situation", Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said on Saturday, May 30.

Chan made these comments at a media briefing with local reporters.

"I've asked ELD to walk through the various scenarios and to see when possible we can share the rules and regulations with the parties and the candidates, to give them sufficient time," he said

"Yet at the same time not have rules that may become invalid by the evolving situation," Chan said.

Measures and health situation in sync

The circuit breaker measures and the Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 measures, have differences, Chan said.

As the pandemic is in flux, Chan said "the ELD must make sure that whatever measures that they announce are cognisant and in sync with the prevailing health situation".

"ELD is fully aware of the competing needs," Chan also said.

"On one hand, ELD would like to make available the information to the parties and the candidates as early as possible for them to make the preparations."

"On the other hand, ELD has to work under the challenging constraint that there are many scenarios."

Background

The Workers' Party on May 28 called on the government for more clarity and to make public the election campaign rules about how the Covid-19 pandemic would affect campaigning.

The urgency with each passing day is greater as Singapore's next General Election must be held by April 14, 2021.

Chan's response to opposition questions now is a follow-up to his parliamentary remarks on a new Bill.

On May 4, Parliament passed a Bill to facilitate voting for Singaporeans who are on stay-home notices for acute respiratory infections.

Chan had spoken on behalf of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for the Bill.