SINGAPORE: Amid speculation regarding the timing of the next General Election, there appear to be some in Singapore who want the polls to be held in September but for a very specific reason—so that everyone can have a holiday.
A number of Singaporeans online expressed a desire for a public holiday in September while discussing a recent article in the national broadsheet about when the polls will be called.
The article underlines that while the next GE, which must be held before November 13, 2025, could be called by September, the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) has not yet been convened, which would be the first step toward the elections.
Many commenters weighed in on the topic, with some appearing to look forward to the election because of the holiday it brings. Polling Day for General or Presidential Elections are public holidays in Singapore, although this is not the case for by-elections.
Those seeking a public holiday in September pointed to the “public holiday drought” this year between National Day (Aug 9) and Deepavali (Oct 31).
Some, however, added that the GE could also be held at the end of October for an “extended looooong weekend.”
A Reddit user joked that not only should there be a holiday for Polling Day itself, but the public should be given another day off “to prepare for the election.”
“We need time off to think and analyze which party to vote for,” they added.
The other commenters, however, took the topic more seriously and debated about the possible timing of the next GE.
One wrote that this month would be too soon, and August would be too close to the National Day Rally, making it “highly unlikely,” while October is “exam season” and November and December are holiday months already, which would affect voter turnout.
“This leaves July and September as the most feasible windows for the election,” they concluded.
Some said they tend to believe that the GE won’t be held until 2025, with one guessing it would be sometime after Chinese New Year, when inflation levels would be, hopefully, close to normal.
Others, however, felt that this would be too close to the preparation of the national budget before the fiscal year begins on April 1.
TISG/
Featured image by Depositphotos