The General Election is too important to rush into

My thoughts on Singapore possibly holding a national election while battling the spread of Covid-19. This letter was sent to The Straits Times Forum.

PM Lee’s statement on Saturday 14 March sparked speculation that the GE could be held as soon as end-April.

Like many other Singaporeans, I am troubled by this prospect. I can’t understand why we should even consider having the GE in the next couple of months when our hearts and minds are consumed by Covid-19. The situation is predicted to get worse in the months ahead before it starts tapering off. The government has highlighted this as the key reason for stepping up restrictive measures now. This phase is expected to last 3 to 4 months.

If the GE is between April and July, it would be during a period of peaked anxieties. The GE would be viewed as a distraction from the existential concerns about Covid-19. This would be a travesty of democracy. How could something as fundamental as the exercise of a citizen’s right and duty be relegated in importance? Can we blame voters, especially those who are young, if this prompts cynicism in the electoral process? Besides, shouldn’t the government be fully focused on tackling Covid-19 instead of being distracted by a GE? Didn’t PM Lee say that tackling Covid-19 is the government’s priority?

Then, there are the practical issues. The government has just announced a cap of 250 persons in gatherings and a one metre separation between individuals as a guide. How will door-to-door campaigning and rallies be conducted? No matter how many precautions we take, won’t these activities heighten the risk of Covid-19 spreading? Contact tracing would be near impossible. There will be a general fear of participating in election activities. Not only will these strike at the legitimacy of the GE, they will also give the ruling party an unfair advantage. Voters are already well acquainted with the PAP and its principal candidates. 

The government has earned the respect of the world for its management of the Covid-19 epidemic. Public confidence and trust in the government have moved up many notches in the past few months. Given the heavy economic and social fallout from Covid-19, voters are likely to be conservative at the polls. These are significant and well-earned advantages that should pave the way for a more level battleground in the GE. 

The government already has a strong mandate, so why the need for a “fresh mandate”? Even if that’s the aim, isn’t how you achieve it important?

By Viswa Sadasivan