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RDU calls on Elections Department to properly account for failures

Red Dot United (RDU) raises urgent concerns about Election Department (ELD) revelations, demanding transparency and accountability.

ELD’s errors could jeopardize the integrity of electoral process, prompting RDU’s call for a thorough investigation to restore trust in Singapore’s democratic system.

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SINGAPORE: The alternative political party, Red Dot United (RDU), has expressed deep concerns in light of recent disclosures from the Election Department (ELD) concerning inconsistencies within the electoral process.

In response to the issuance of additional poll cards and the admission of potential errors in the National Registration Identification Card (NRIC) scanning during the 2020 General Election, RDU has called for a comprehensive investigation to ensure the integrity of Singapore’s democratic voting system.

On Thursday (24 Aug), the ELD publicly apologized for an incident 9,822 voters in Tanjong Pagar GRC received 2 poll cards due to printing error.

Additionally, the ELD admitted a lapse within the electronic system during the 2020 General Election, resulting in the exclusion of certain Singaporeans from the upcoming Presidential vote.

In a statement issued on Saturday, RDU underscored the significance of these process failures, asserting their potential to undermine the credibility of Singapore’s electoral procedures.

The party denounced the insufficiency of causal explanations, emphasizing that the ELD’s responsibility extends beyond the mere execution of a steadfast and rigorous democratic voting process; it also carries a clear obligation to provide transparent explanations for any identified shortcomings.

“ELD has to give a proper account as to why 200 voters, through no fault of theirs, cannot be added to the register immediately rather than being required to sit out the Presidential Election,” said Ravi Philemon, secretary-general of RDU.

RDU’s demand for immediate action by the ELD involves an exhaustive investigation, aimed at unveiling the factors and circumstances that contributed to these process failures.

The progress, processes and outcome of such an investigation should be made public, so that the voters can be assured that these were isolated incidents.

However, should the investigation uncover systemic lapses, RDU advocates for a robust public examination of the ELD’s procedures.

Pertinent questions raised by the party include:

  1. Why does the default practice not include checking the electronic system against the manual system, since both records were captured at every election?
  2.  How the process flow could be so vulnerable as to have significant failures only being discovered by citizens themselves?
  3. How ELD justifies infringing upon the sovereign right of 200 citizens to choose their head of state due to a process failure under its watch?

In the event that the ELD’s investigation does not restore public trust, RDU supports the initiation of an independent inquiry. Such an inquiry would scrutinize the ELD’s entire functioning to identify the root causes of any systemic deficiencies.

“Singaporeans need to be able to understand how these failures occurred and whether it is a case of human error, technological error, or a combination of both. An investigation or inquiry facilitates such understanding and enables the system and accompanying processes to be strengthened. ”

Acknowledging that failures are inherent in any system, RDU recognizes the paramount importance of the electoral process in a democracy. The party asserts that the election of political officeholders is a foundational pillar, too significant to be addressed superficially.

“As it stands, the statements from the ELD unearth more questions than answers and have created unnecessary anxiety among voters. ”

“On the basis of this reality, RDU – on behalf of the People of Singapore – demands that these failures be handled with the seriousness that this situation deserves and hopes that the ELD will demonstrate its commitment to upholding the sanctity of the democratic election process through a robust investigation conducted with transparency.”

Singaporeans to cast their vote on 1 September

The Elections Department of Singapore (ELD) is a department under the Prime Minister’s Office.

It has the responsibility of preparing for and managing the conduct of Presidential and Parliamentary elections and any national referendum in Singapore.

The Singapore Presidential Election 2023’s Polling Day is set for 1 September, designated a public holiday by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

There are a total of 2,709,455 eligible voters in the updated voter rolls – an increase of over 55,000 people from the 2,653,942 electors in GE2020.

Singaporeans will be voting to elect their ninth president from three candidates: the former GIC investment chief, Mr Ng Kok Song (75); former People’s Action Party senior minister, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (66); and the former NTUC Income chief, Mr Tan Kin Lian (75).

 

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DPM Tharman will surely win and become our President. I challenge you fools. If he loses, I cut off my cock. If he wins, you go jump down from MBS. Who got balls here to take up this challenge from me? Otherwise, just shut your bloody mouth and stop badmouthing our DPM!

Who you support…RDU….who do you support? C’mon Alec Tik Tok. Say it, Say It Loud & Clear.

This already cast doubt on the whole process

Well did you all heard pappies say opposition parties cannot run town councils? What do you think? tsk tsk tsk….

I suspect a light punishment just like bald shiny

Prof Mah channel has someone commented on civil servants and can they be party members and those sort of thing. Basically, what I gathered is civil servants “Should” be non partisan when doing their job. But i not sure can they still be party member. Long story short, I am concerned about this situation. Can civil servants serve their political masters at the expense of the non ruling party voters? Are they not public servants? So they Must Be and not should be impartial. To enforce this, a law must exist to punish them if break the rule. If unable… Read more »

Is it so difficult to reinstate the 200 voters since it is the ELD’s fault?

It will be good, if George Goh come and support TKL ? just like TCB.

On the morning of Sunday 27th August 2023 TCB has finally come forward to formally endorse Presidential hopeful TKL.It would be interesting to see how the establishment react in support of their own kind.For those who intend to vote for TKL, don’t forget to use your own 🖊️🖊️ to X the appropriate box on the ballot paper, just to be “safe and sure”😎😎😎

Hmm.. bunch of public servants is getting incompetent and slipshort in performing their duties.

Who is the minister in charge? Fire them

One party system. Anything is possible .

Make sure there is no electricity blackout during elections.

Whaa, looks like ELD also going Kelong, hor. Once the top-level has shown no shame to kelong this and that, the lower levels will also be encouraged to follow suit.

Given that wiki says sg president should be non partisan, is the job a civil service or public service since its not political service?

If civil service, according to ST, civil servants Must Serve the elected government. But is Opposition MP not part of the elected Opposition in parliament which is part of the governance?

Furthermore, can there be absolutely no slight difference in interpretation of the Constitution?
2 judges can never have different Interpretations?

Is ELD Civil Service or Political Service or Public Service ? Who perceive that due to 58 long years, they are all 100% non-impartial to PAP? What mechanism enforces Public servants from being biased or partisan to treat pap more favorably or simply be its weapon against opposition? I do not know. If you know let me know. The following is what ST many years ago wrote about civil service : Can public servants be helping political masters? I dunno. But heres what ST article have to say abt Civil Servants : Quote : Under Singapore’s system, the civil service… Read more »

Dear RDU, while some info online is available about the election process, I am not able to see info regarding : 1. Overseas voting. From the time votes are casted till ballot box transported, if any, and then counted, is there not a moment when Voting Agents eyes are not able to look at the box? If transported by Police or escorted by police, do election agents get to follow and keep an eye on the box? I hope my message you have received loud and clear. Oh, I am not wondering could two sets of votes. Not referring to… Read more »

This ELD like HY was not elected by the people. It is probably the PAP cronies who are in it. Every citizen should have the right to vote. So the ELD instead of excluding citizens as they wish should be facilitating all voters including the two hundred voters and Singaporeans who are abroad. The criteria that those who live abroad must have returned to Singapore for 30days is unnecessary. It must be a citizen’s right to vote. As, I have written in another post, just use the Identity Cards. We have already been notified of our polling stations so the… Read more »

Don’t be silly, asking them to account for it. You make me laugh at your naivety sometimes, red dot united, you are really a newbie to this political world.

This is the result of our Smart Nation initiatives led by Pappy person who aren’t smart enough. What a failure.

VTO. VTO.

“RDU’s demand for immediate action by the ELD involves an exhaustive investigation, aimed at unveiling the factors and circumstances that contributed to these process failures.”

Just blame it on the contractor, so simple. Don’t waste resources to investigate some more.

RDU = Agree.

Pertaining to the issues that relate to “Blank Votes” can anyone out there give your opinion as to whether there exists a brand of “ink” which would turn colourless within a short period of time after it is applied as a print on special paper.As we now know a new device has been introduced to assist voters mark the little “box” in the ballot paper.What do you think???😎

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