Politics
PM Wong ambiguous on Singapore GE timing, cites busy schedule ahead
Speculation swirls over Singapore’s upcoming General Election timing, with September this year anticipated as a potential timeframe. PM Lawrence Wong stressed on Wednesday that there is ‘still a lot of work to be done’ on ongoing domestic and international priorities. Despite uncertainty about the election timing, opposition parties are intensifying their outreach campaigns.
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Speculation abounds regarding the timing of Singapore’s next General Election, with some suggesting it could occur in the coming months.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong addressed this on Wednesday (12 June), highlighting that there is “still a lot of work to be done” on both domestic and foreign fronts.
Following his introductory visits to Brunei and Malaysia, Mr Wong faced questions from Singapore media about whether his upcoming international meetings would preclude an electoral contest this year.
He pointed out that the schedule of high-level international and regional gatherings in the months ahead is transparent and not confidential.
“You know when there is an ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) meeting, there’s an APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) meeting, when there’s a G20 meeting. You know when they are held in the schedule and in the calendar this year,” he said.
“So you can already mark out which are the dates when I will be busy, when I will be away and which are the dates when I will be in Singapore. So it’s really for people to speculate.”
The 44th ASEAN Summit is scheduled for October 6-11 in Vientiane, Laos, while Rio de Janeiro will host the G20 Summit on November 18-19.
Additionally, the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting is slated for November in Peru.
Mr Wong emphasized that the timing of the election will be clear in due course.
“Eventually, at the time when we decide it’s appropriate and the election has to be called, people will know. Same for the EBRC (Electoral Boundaries Review Committee). ”
“Eventually when it is convened and it has done its work, people will know and then I suppose everyone will get ready for the elections,” he said.
“But for now, there’s still a lot of work to be done, both for our own domestic agenda and also for me … to engage with our external partners and to take Singapore forward,” PM Wong added.
Convening the EBRC is a crucial step before calling a General Election.
According to an earlier report by Singapore state media The Straits Times, The committee had not been formed as of 3 June.
Since the transition to the country’s fourth-generation leadership led by Mr Wong, who was sworn in on 15 May, there has been much buzz about the timing of the next General Election.
Political analysts have suggested September this year as a potential date for the election, speculation has swirled regarding the timing of the next General Election.
A point to note is that in 2015, some opposition members preparing to participate in an overseas diplomatic trip in September were sceptical about the impending General Election in that same month when informed by The Online Citizen.
They were shocked when the election indeed took place as TOC’s sources had indicated and frustrated that they were misled to believe that the election couldn’t have happened due to the prearranged foreign mission.
Despite PM Wong’s ambiguous response to a direct question about the election date, Singapore’s alternative parties have intensified their ground outreach efforts, anticipating an early election call by the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) government.
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This is GOOD FOR YOU (pineapple lovers):
1) Increase GST
2) Increase PUB utilities
3) Increase COE, ERP
4) Increase Food Prices
5) Increase Housing prices
6) Increase Cost of Living
7) Increase Transport fares
8) Increase Hospital and Medical costs
9) Increase Foreigners intake, increase job losses
10) Increase Prices on Chicken, Eat Fish
11) Increase in Ageing population, collect carton boxes, a good form of
exercise.
12) Failed 2 Child Policy
13) $1000 salary can afford HDB
We need solutions not price increase!!!! What do you think?
Why should the entire country’s citizens cater for one single person’s schedule? Don’t forget you guys are Servants of the People and taking salary from us!! And you expect the we Masters wait for your scheduled to be free? Get this into your head, you guys are the Servants, you work according to our schedule! And what we want now is to know when is the election!
Oh, what could our new dear “Leeder” be busy with? Perhaps there is a war going on, like in Ukraine? Or are we dealing with economic and societal collapse like in Venezuela? Or does he not have the full backing of his ruling party and their cronies? Well, that would explain the need to continue “fixing” the opposition and independent media such as this website. When an authoritarian state is helmed by a weak leader. They can only “compensate” by weakening their opponents. Just look like Putin’s Russia. Putin felt so secure that he needed to murder his main political… Read more »
PM Wong should spend time rooting out Ridout culture in PAP to win votes which is more important now instead of visiting foreign nations without deals. Ridout culture affect people trust and confidence in PAP will affect voting decision. Time for big clean up.
It is unfair to have the GRCs as they limit the representation of the other races and ensures that Parliament is dominated by the majority race. This also removes the possibility of representation by a better talent group. It robs us of our rights to elect the best man for the job. We get stuck with many who are not minister material but party cronies. LW should act in the interest of the State and Citizens to ensure fair participation of all and remove race based politics.
LW is being quite evasive in his replies..
Its good to know that the alternative party members are already working the ground and not waiting till the last minute..
PAP would surely resist providing lots of prior notice …
Remember to make our one precious vote count when it finally happens……
Only need to concentrate on local priorities for now. No need to waste too much time on foreign priorities unless it is about sanctioning Israel 🙂 I mean, if you LOSE the election, most if not ALL your work on foreign “priorities” likely to be WASTED 🙂
Can anyone NOT CLAIM and EMPHAISZED steadfastly this PAP Administration is FAST WALKING to GRIP to MAINTAIN their STRANGLEHOLD onto SG as their PLAY KINGDOM, BUT BUT BUT SLOW WALKING SG into a GRADUAL DEMISE, constantly NOT DRAWING any sorts of CLEAR CUT, DEFINITIVE ROADMAPS to achieve so many things.
Any ROAD MAP for INCREASING Total Fertility Rates? NONE NONE NONE.
Another example, wny ROADMAP to REVERT to our State Money Reserves SUPPOSEDLY lost on Foreigners scholarshiped students REFUSING to serve bonds?
How about VIVIAN Bala promised on the return$ of $taging YOG. DID he submit reports to Parliament?
Constitution Manipulation, what else.
True to form and substance – PAP eFFkd Singaporeans hard, left right, centre, within and without – SGpns without spines, bones, good eyesights, STILL THANK the PAP excessively, thank them esp for the multitudes of For Trash to assist SG to survive globalisation and tech advances both of which so many other countries TOOK Good Advantage off to improve and RAISE standards of Living of their people, EXCEPT the PAP Administration BLAMED Both THOROUGHLY.
“A lot to be done”, meaning, … recalibrating boundaries to squeeze out opposition, more Pofma’s, orders for more chicken wings, planning for more vouchers and giveaways, preparing ST for critical articles against prominent oppos, orders for shit loads of flags, ginormous posters and banners, switching on the PA propaganda machinery and all of its water carriers, and on and on and on and on and ………………………..
That’s what “a lot to be done” means !!!