While an election is not due until April 2021,following the finalisation of electoral boundaries senior politicians from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong down have in recent weeks hinted that an election is imminent. They have entered an unofficial campaign mode while delivering several major speeches and new policies.
The country's Elections Department announced on Thursday that rallies — typically something that helps opposition parties — would not be allowed if the poll is called during phase two of Singapore's re-opening,but each candidate would get three minutes of free air time on TV instead.
The report stated the current electoral system entrenched structural barriers that favoured the ruling PAP and limited the opposition from mounting a serious challenge.
"Many of these barriers,including the lack of independent electoral bodies,structural obstacles to filing candidates for the opposition,limited campaigning time,filing of lawsuits against opposition candidates,tight state control and censorship on the media,and discriminatory practices to punish supporters of the opposition,have ensured PAP’s dominance in politics since self-governance in 1959."
"Unless urgent and immediate steps are taken,it is unlikely that the current system can adequately safeguard Singaporeans’ right to a free and fair election. These difficulties risk being compounded by the fact that an election may be held during the COVID-19 pandemic."