Singapore — In another show of support for the Progress Singapore Party and its leader, Dr Tan Cheng Bock, a video of Dr Tan’s response to the release of the electoral boundaries report was shared on Sunday (March 15) in a Facebook post by Mr Lee Hsien Yang, brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
The release of the report by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee is seen as an indication that a General Election, which must be held by April next year, might be held early.
In the video, released on Saturday, Dr Tan asked: “Is it wise to hold a General Election in the midst of this Covid-19 pandemic?” He warned that, by holding the GE soon, more than 2.6 million voters would be exposed to the virus on Polling Day because voting is compulsory, not to mention exposure during rallies and other large group election activities during the campaign period.
“Is this a risk we want to take?” Dr Tan asked. “There is this potential mass exposure to the virus.” So, he said, holding a GE at this time should not be considered.
Dr Tan proposed three alternative GE options: Call the GE only at such time when Covid-19 is no longer a crisis, or call the GE at the end of the term in April 2021, or, if the pandemic is still around by then, the President can exercise her soft power and form a caretaker government consisting of some of the current MPs, and subsequently call fresh elections when Covid-19 is no longer a crisis.
Mr Lee, the younger son of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, has not been shy about his support for Dr Tan and the PSP. He once said: “I wholeheartedly support the principles and values of the Progress Singapore Party.”
On his part, at the public launch of the PSP, Dr Tan announced that Mr Lee was always welcome to join the party.
Many netizens expressed support for Dr Tan’s views on the holding of the next GE, while there were those who urged Mr Lee to join Dr Tan in politics.
/TISG