PM Lee proposes that websites should also stop postings on elections during this period. Exception for “news reports”, he says.
(See WP’s Low Thia Khiang’s reaction below.)
Channelnewsia’s report on PM Lee proposal on a “cooling-off” period for the next elections.
From Channelnewsasia:
PORT OF SPAIN: The Singapore government is proposing an extra day of non-campaigning as a cooling-off period just before Polling Day, ahead of the General Election due in 2012.
The extra day of non-campaigning will also apply to a presidential election.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made the announcement to the Singapore media after wrapping up his attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Trinidad and Tobago.
Under current election rules, political parties are not allowed to campaign on Polling Day itself.
Except for party political broadcasts and news reports, there are to be no more mass rallies, door-to-door visits and even display of party symbols.
Mr Lee said the cabinet had been considering an additional cooling-off day over the past several elections.
He said this would give voters time to reflect rationally on issues, after the emotional high of election campaigning.
Mr Lee said: “I think 24 hours after the last excitement of the election campaign period, the rallies, the door-to-door campaigning, the adrenaline flowing, the clash in the mass media as well as in person, perambulating vans blaring away loud speakers, it’s good to have 24 hours to just calm down, think about it – tomorrow we vote.”
He added that having a cooling-off period will also lessen the risk of public disorder.
“Previously, once in a while, we have had pushing and shoving at election rallies as the crowd gets worked up and doesn’t disperse, but the main thing is to have time for people to think over the issues and to vote in a calm state of mind,” he said.
Mr Lee was asked how this additional 24-hour cooling-off period would apply to the online world of networking and video-sharing sites.
“On the Internet, it’s grey and also the policing is not so straight-forward but even then, in principle we should say today is a quiet day. I cannot control several million videos on youtube but your website, what you’re putting up in your own name, I think that should end the day before the cooling-off day,” he said.
Countries that have imposed a similar period of campaign silence include Australia and Indonesia.
Australia has a three-day black-out of election advertising and Indonesia has a three-day cooling-off before Legislative Elections and a two-day cooling-off before the Presidential election.
In Singapore, this means that the minimum period between Nomination and Polling Day will be extended from 9 to 10 days to keep the same number of minimum campaigning days.
This comes on the back of new election rules proposed earlier this year to bring more diverse views to Parliament.
These include having more single-seat wards and smaller Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs), as well as allowing for more non-elected seats.
Mr Lee had said then that the proposed changes are aimed at a more balanced system and to bring diverse views in Parliament to better reflect the aspirations of Singaporeans.
On whether the changes mean the General Election is near?
Mr Lee remained tight-lipped. “Maybe … no I don’t have a date for you – it could be, it could not be,” he said.
The Prime Minister did not give a date but he did say it is getting closer. One thing’s for sure, the General Election is unlikely to be in the first quarter of next year. That’s because the new election rule will have to be read in Parliament before the Budget in February or March next year, and the Constitution changed after the Budget. – CNA/de
——
Workers’ Party secretary-general, Low Thia Khiang’s reaction. (Today).
Workers’ Party secretary-general Low Thia Khiang raised similar concerns. The ruling party could “disguise” its campaign as news items in the mass media, but the Opposition would be unable to do so, he told MediaCorp.
For instance, he noted, if the Opposition were to campaign on, say, healthcare, the relevant government department could counter on policy issues on the cooling-off day.
Such stories can be run in the mass media without highlighting any PAP candidate, he said. “This will effectively give the ruling party an extra day of campaigning to the disadvantage of the Opposition.”
—-
Read Cherian George’s write up here: Pre-election “cooling-off” period should not freeze citizen journalism.
“But the biggest loser would be the Government itself. It would be handing a fresh round of ammunition to those who say that the PAP can only win by denying Singaporeans a plurality of media. Better to live with the loophole, which is practically impossible to close, than to engage in overkill.”
—–
Straits Times’ report here: 24 hours to cool off before Polling Day.
—–
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Here we are engaging in a debate about Pinky’s proposal
which could end up moot as many of us would never get
to vote because of walkovers.
I have live here all my life and I have never casted a single vote
I am 50
I rather vote for a change and have a chance then to vote for the MIW and face certain demise.
Keep talking down on us and see if you will garner more votes when the GE comes.
Just the thought of having kids under the current regime seriously defuses my spontaneity in the bedroom.
I think we can all see what the past years had brought singaporeans.. Did PAP give singaporeans’ a better live? What policies did PAP implement that are good for singaporeans? Fact is, I can’t think of any…
We need checks and balances, not absolute power to one party..
Use your votes to kick them out, for your childrens, nieces, nephews futures, if not for yourself..
“The extra day of non-campaigning will also apply to a presidential election.”
Provided if there is going to be a presidential election.
So far, 2 out of 3 rounds went uncontested which has not really done justice to the definition of the word called “election”. Why do we have “intelligent” people insulting such sacred matter.
This is bloody disgusting and absolutely shameless. It’s plain to see this benefits solely the ruling party. The only people they are fooling with their purported reasons are really our seniors and our elderly citizens who are not so internet savy or are not atuned to the lack of information freedom in Singapore. This is almost akin to bullying those who do not have the ability or resource to defend their right to information.
The question let’s ask ourselves here is how can this have happened and why do we feel so helpless now to defend ourselves and defend our elders/seniors? Should this not signal a much needed change?
To me, this thingie only causes more restlessness / jittery on the ground.
how to cool off like this?
singaporeans are the most tamed in the whole world. There is no need for this thingie.
If a person is apathetic, there is nothing gonna change them. They dun bother about political news or discussions. They more likely will not even be bothered to watch whatever Mediacorp has prepared to send the images, words and sounds to the viewers. They simply switch channel.
Those non-apathetic had already made up their minds long ago. There were too much time for them to make a firm decision since the last election.
Now, due to lack of opposition in parliament, we see them able to pass new rules. Imagine, what else is possible in future.
The people are responsible for giving mandate.
pap are telling Singaporean that they are good enough, whenever election coming, they will come out stupid idea, such as GRC etc…….We must look at Japan, England, USA.etc…. They use to change rulling party quite often,their country still alive, they are still very advance, don’t worry, don’t vote pap anymore, change them
Lets see when the cooloff day is set.
Meanwhile the economy in uncertainty.
The longer time passes by, the more uncertainty whether the next financial crisis will come. 2012 is not far away.
Do they still want to wait for better times?
Well dear LHL, just go ahead and create more of this…..”great” ideas….if LHL didn’t propose this type of suggestion, the people won’t make so much noise….but now they are wacking themselves by showing off yet again their intention….shifting the goal post
Seems to me another 50 years for the PAP and even no more opposition in parliament soon.
What new rules can they not pass given the People never allowed more than 2 or 3 opposition leaders into parliament where it houses more than 80 what is-called people’s representatives?
So who is gonna check on the votes counting?
Nominated by who?
Opposition need to have more members to help them .
I hope more people come support the opposition parties.
What are the Rules for Vote Counting?
Can these be Changed as well?
If so, who is there to oppose?
this joker has been running for two terms and yet he and lackeys screwed up so many issues and what the hell on earth that he thinks he can ‘cool down’ in 24 hrs to get thing done properly.
maybe he meant how to get thing ‘fix’ up for oppts.
On Cooling Off Day, all political parties and the people on the Net are to muzzle themselves. But our dear friends in the national media under the guise of “news reporting” get free rein to push whatever line they can and will.
It’s also disturbing to note that the head honcho of MediaCorp is the in-law of a PAP Member of Parliament and that SPH is chaired by a former PAP minister. Surely there is a potential conflict of interest issue, not only on Kool Aid day but during the entire campaign period, that is not being addressed .
Spare a thought for the poor sods in MediaCorp and SPH who won’t be allowed even a day’s break. How appropriate the saying: “THERE CAN BE NO REST FOR THE WICKED.”
i think the PM looks terrible (physically) for the past months! I got a strange feeling his health is not that good as before! And he has aged tremendously!
whether 1 day or 1 week or even 1 more month cooling off period, singaporeans now will just have to stand firmed and boot all these useless MIW out coming election. We have all been snooped far to too long, 44 years is really a long time being treated like morons.
“I just hope Singaporeans can vote rationally. If more oppositions win in the next election, I sincerely hope that they can deliver what they promised, for the good of the people and Singapore globally, and not entering into the arena because of emotionally driven votes. Whatever it is, vote sensibly.” – Neutral
Dear Neutral, I vote based on my own vested interest and what the alternative party offers and whether i agree and sympathise with their goals and convictions. It is not my job as a private citizen to delve into the problems of Singapore’s global image abroad and whatnot. I believe ministers are paid handsomely to do just that.
My biggest worry during this 24h period is that there could be a “conincidental” failure in internet bandwidth i.e the government can effectively silence alternative media online by simply requesting our local ISPs to block certain websites on that day. Besides, have any of you experienced problems connecting to TOC recently?
Cooling-Off Day? Wonderful Idea! Make it a public holiday! This would be a great day to organise a flash mob in some prominent place downtown to spell out the words, “F#@% the PAP” with their bodies a la NDP mass displays and then disperse quickly, before the mata-mata come along …
If opps won 2 GRCs, pap might declares that we have not cool down enough and therefore have to re-draw the boundaries and call go election again.
Imagine the recent boxing match between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto having a cooling-off period, with the judges retiring for one day to cool-off before deciding who the winner should be? Now you understand why this new suggestion is such a joke.
Why not go the distance? Throw in a fund-raising charity show with Mediacorpes actors at the Marina Barge complete with fireworks for the entire cooling-off day. Have the Roti-Prata VIP grace the occassion; and oh yes, make white the colour theme.
Have a military march past, with SAF fighter planes zipping over the skies and Naval vessels carrying out naval drills at Marina Bay.
To round off the evening, have a foam party that last from sundown to sunrise. This will surely help voters decide who to vote for – with very cool heads.
hey gem,
better stop giving all sorts of ideas less those MIW might just go ahead with some of them, after all when they are really running out of ideas and panicked, they might just do alot of funny things just to keep them in power, and in the end the citizens are going to suffer for any actions by the ruling party all these years.
Don’t worry be Happy, On the eve of the Polling Day. The PAP will give every household 1-2 thousand Dollar to Cool U Down. Because Temasek & GIC lost multi-Trillion of $. Afraid all sekeleton will be dig out from the closet.
You singaporeans are despicably ungrateful lots. Decide your votes based on which benefits you most, not your temporary emotion. BE GRATEFUL!!
@ jangbao, Yes U’re right . I myself has experience this, when I was a Polling Agent for one opposition incumbent at kIm Keat again Ong Teng Cheong. B 4 the Polling started I inspect the Ballot Boxes in every Class Room. There was one Class Room , which the officer prevent me from inspection. I suspected it Fishy.
Another fantastic move by the Govt. Opposition fear what? Don’t be ball less lah. If you are good, you are good.
PAP all the way!
Lesson 101 on “why I will vote PAP”
1) No one is left behind
2) Staying together to move ahead
3) MSK escape, what to do it has happened
4) Buy forzen meat its cheaper
5) GST to help the poor
6) CPF for retirement
7) Very fast in forming a comittee made up of same people for investions
8) Made us rich by letting the lease of our homes go up and up
9) Help solve the low birth rate problem by importing foreigners
10) kept us lean and fit with national service and reservist
11) Keep motivating us to work harder , faster and cheaper
12) Gave us good returns on our CPF invesments via the GIC / Temasek
13) Good laws, Jail for foreigners or elites too, they dont just get away with a fine
14)ERP solved our road conjestions
15) Old folks dont have to work so hard, they can work simple jobs like janitor, etc
16) Won International medals like table tennis
17) No corrupted officals as they are paid decent salaries
These are the reasons why I will vote for the PAP
How about you? What are your reasons ?
The more I think about it, the more I feel scared of a frightening revelation.
Initially, I thought the cooling off period was meant for PAP to get more votes by assuming people will suddenly switch from wanting to vote for opposition to wanting to vote for PAP. Such scenario is highly unlikely except for the chronic fickle-minded voters.
The real deal, I think, is that this cooling period is really a trap. A mine field. By having this rule, any candidate or specifically, any party who violated this new rule, may find itself disqualified or worse, charged in court.
And this is not a minefield easily avoided. For example, a party may have to disable it’s entire website or remove ALL its posting on the internet (including personal blogs) to be considered not violating a rule. As you can see, it is very easy to have small misstep and once you step on the minefield…KABOOM!
Worse, if a supporter who does not belong to the party continue to make posting about that party, that party may also be liable even though they are not involved.
THAT, I think is the real reason of the cooling off period rule. To create a trap that, should an opposition party win a GRC, they can pick bones on that party and disqualify them of the results, via the judiciary, just because they happened to find evidence of an article posted by a candidate at 12:01am during the cooling off day, for example.
So one small mistake, the opposition party that won big may turn into losing big. The beauty of this trick is that it is so simple to execute. The rules is subjective and open to interpretation by the Singapore Court (just like the loitering in polling station incident). Hence the Court can easily decide which party has violated the rule and thus face disqualification and which party has not.
As such, such an evil trick, if true, by PAP really goes beyond normal human decency just to win votes to continue to oppress the people.
Goh CT was remembered for his effort to slightly open more space for personal and individual liberty though he turned backward after he was “promoted” to SM, warmed the PM seat for 13 years…. lol
LHL will be remembered for his cabinet’s failure to foresaw the coming of economical downturn, his wife ‘s brillian’s strategy of bought high sell deep low ( just before the stocks return to high ), his hyprocrasy of “manipulating” the number of oppositio seats , his son’s arrogant of writing letter directly to Minister for a duty swap and absentee matter, and well, now his cool off proposal for a tightly staged singapore’s style of democracy
I was one that was brain-washed by the press about the radicalism of JBJ in the 80s and now realized that, being mild and moderate oppositions, we are going to regret.
Come next election, the trapped true blue Singaporean,s PLEASE STAND UP TO VOTE !
“if he does well people would say he is trying to be as good as his father, and when he does not perform well, people would say he is not as good as his father. Either way he is no winner.”
What do you expect ? After all, they (all in a family) are so prominent and holding important positions ? Put it this way, can you choose not to notice it even if you want to ? He is no winner ? Are you kidding ? He no winner, so you think you winner meh ?
A vote should always be a rational and collected decision. Irrationality and emotions are as big a threat to democracy as is corruption and rigging.
If the opposition parties claim to have sound arguments, good alternatives to current policies, then the cooling off period should not be a problem. If they are able to persuade the rational voter to choose them by fronting strong candidates and sound arguments, then they have little to fear from this change.
I believe no party should exploit emotions and irrationality to win the vote. By being so vehemently opposed to the change, the opposition is indicating that they do so.
This act will only make people luv them more. ;)
178) Baccarat on December 2nd, 2009 6.23 pm
“Goh CT was remembered for his effort to slightly open more space for personal and individual liberty though he turned backward after he was “promoted” to SM, warmed the PM seat for 13 years…. lol”
the so-called ‘Opening up’ actually does more good to their reputation than not. International bodies have been giving them poor rankings in certain aspects.
So oppos cannot play dirty but he can. I want my leader to be a gentleman and a talent, not this low grade mafia operator.
Lets not be distracted by this thingie.
Just do this :
1. Reach out to all your Apathetic friends and wake them up. Time is running out.
Those who woken up will automatically know what decision to make.
2. time is running out. All those who support Alternative should make all effort possible to help. Do everything we can before the cool off.
3. Keep our fingers crossed and Wait for nature to take its course.
I pray Lou Tee Wu Mak.
Else my i not sure what to do about my future.
The Game keeps changing.
Opposition must either come up something innovative to counter or prepare to be extinct.
The citizen population size has changed very significantly.
@ 183 -Not only to wake up your Apathetic friends. The AH PEK. AH SOH—- AH PoH. PAP is very good in how to get this old Citizen vote. Cheat The Old. Also don’t be imtimmidated by second service in your ward, no BUS feeder in your consitutuency ! Understand ! !!!Crash The PAP!!!!
Sent Them to Abyss (Eighteen Chamber Of Hell)
Keep mentioning these names when you meet up with friends & family:
Marbok Tan, Lee Bee Hwa, Lim Swee Say, Lui Tuck Lew, Calvin Cheng, Ho Ching……
Any of them any good?
151) TantheSingaporean
As one Tan to another, pls don’t give up. You are 50 and I am not far behind.
Surely, we’ll outlive LKY. When he is finally out of the way, we can perhaps see a better future for SG.
Our future generations will read in history books about the ousting of PAP just like the ousting of the British and the Japanese.
Actually, I feel the PAP is worst, they actually expect to be paid millions of dollars to torment us.
Guys dont needa be so angry la! relax… Good opposition leaders will be prepared no matter what happens. If oppo good enough to challenge PAP then we fight along side them la… but also got those during GE very loud after GE disappear 1.. those guys win liao also we wont have a good life…. so still have to choose WISELY even if we r fighting for a cause..
187) thinking soldier
I am not angry. I have given up ALL hope for PAP.
I don’t see how another administration could be worse.
The PAP are just a bunch of uncaring elites. Any other party could be better. We just need one which actually LISTENS.
Yet another proof that the PAP Govt is “CUNNINGLY-clever” and not “COMPETENTLY-clever”:
> “CUNNINGLY-clever”
= pork-barrel politics eg use of public-funded HDB Upgrading to threaten/arm-twist voters
= election gerrymandering ie fiddling with electoral boundaries; not setting up independent Elections Commission
> “COMPETENTLY-clever” (as expected by Singapore Taxpayer-Voters of an Obscenely-Paid Million-Dollar Govt)
= able to solve our many national problems eg
high cost of living
high cost of homes (both private and HDB)
rich — poor income gap
jobs creation
rising divorce rate (within 5 years of marriage)
WHY took 30 years to admit to Chinese Language policy screw-up?
WHAT about the Stop-At-Two screw-up policy that resulted in huge influx of foreigners?
WHY took so long to tackle loan-shark problem?
PAP Manifesto for next General Election — BUY VOTES, FIX OPPOSITION ???
@176) BlindMan on December 2nd, 2009 5.48 pm
18) They are so considerate; every 4-5 years, I’m exempted from voting least I trip and fall going to the ballot box.
19) Our leaders are picked based on meritocracy; just look at our chief unionist.
20) Dare to face problems head-on; see $250m spent on Baby bonus in 2008 even tthough the scheme was without basis and ended a total failure,
21) Strongly encourage us to keep fit by raising retirement age to 62 (or 65 soon?)
23) We are ahead of HK and Macau in terms of birth rate. Out of 224 countries, they are ranked 223 and 224. We are a cool 222. (Projections for 2009)
24) This is the land of dreams; where else would a president just sits pretty and collect millions bucks salary.
25) The SAF is always evolving; it used to be 2.5 + 13 years defending a country, now it is 2.5 + 13 years defending a city.
26) Brought us from a small fishing village in 1965 to First World now. Wondered why the Japs would schemed to capture a small fishing village in their initial strategic war plans in 1941.
27) We have a world class educational system. Now all we have to do is downgrade to one that can produce entrepreneurs and local talents.
28) We are very systematic in our approach to doing things. First, pay high wages to politicians so they wouldn’t be corrupt; next pay them more to be competent.
etc….
Cooling off day got public holiday or not?
Singapore must move towards a two-party system.
The people are matured now.We can do it together!
I think LHL is the worst PM ever…. His father and Goh CK were the best PM during their time. They should just step down when they had done their best for Singapore.
I am not bothered by the cooling off day, even if it becomes 10 days or 10 months.
I am not bothered about GRCs or changing rules.
Just give me the chance to vote.
Nothing will change my mind.
I want to Vote!
The cooling off will be no effect.
Why?
Because the whole island citizens already read their MSM news Everyday.
It was reported that other countries done this before.
But did the report mention are the MSM in these countries managed the same way ?
None of you readers mentioned this.
Very very skeptical view: Can you imagine what would happen if opposition shows too strong this time bu PAP still in power.. which u can be sure they will .. looking at the number of walk overs GRCs… which means they still hold power n our $$ and start stashing them somewhere for themselves or give to the new immigrants????? what will happen to us???? sorry ah just thinking more n more…..not scared meh… then hor… the PAP wards become super cities and the oppo wards become 1960s….zzzzz
177) btan on December 2nd, 2009 6.20 pm
So one small mistake, the opposition party that won big may turn into losing big. The beauty of this trick is that it is so simple to execute. The rules is subjective and open to interpretation by the Singapore Court (just like the loitering in polling station incident). Hence the Court can easily decide which party has violated the rule and thus face disqualification and which party has not.
I agree this is definately a very very dirty trick by the papees, by doing so, they can pick up just about anything to disqualified the opp candidates. Well, all you true blue singaporeans out there, be prepared to fight hard alongside with your opp party candidates or face your doomsday soon.
Funny how PM now wants to follow Australia and Indonesia’s political procedures? didnt he always say that democracy in these two countries led to instability and we shouldnt be like them?
i thought his political role-model should be North Korea because i realised, from reading and speakng more, that even Vietnam and China are not as communist as PAP. After all, this idiot did say after the last elections that the presence of opposition parties would cause instability which would drive away big investors like exxon-mobil. when he said that, i thought that was something that comppetely fits the thinking of the Democratic republic of KOrea which has utter stability through a govt that believes that governance is a family and friend business because good genes dont seem to come through any other bloodline. i almost wanted to believe that North Korea is the most prosperous, ranked most investor friendly country based on what LHL said.
also, i can explain why their were arguments, pushing and pressing during the elections. i saw one incident:
the police were stationed outside Serangoon stadium on the last day of the elections. the stadium was ot full yet, still alot of space on the field but police locked the gates and forbade singaporeans from going in to WP rally to hear d slyvia’s speech. busloads were arriving. people started to demand and shout at the police to open the gate, claiming that is it not full yet. but the policeman, i remember an ASsuperintendant, pleading with the people that he cant because of ‘safety’ reasons. he even said that as a singaporean, he also wants to allow as many to enter and hear sylvia lim’s speech but he cant. he had to follow orders to ‘lock the gate’ and stop singaporeans from entering the WP rally. poor man, in full uniform n rank, in front of all his men, kenna shouted and cursed at, pleading for understanding and forgivenss of SIngaporeans.
wonder who gave the police the orders to lock the gates of a stadium taht is not even full yet?
even my mum now, who used to be the most ardent PAP supporter, always telling me to be grateful to the govt, now condemns the PAP after the million dollar pay increase, GST increase, MSK affair, Ho Ching’s undeserved appointment as S’pore’s professional gambler representing the people’s retirement funds, housing prices etc.
Vote for change. Vote for good governance. Vote to be respected by your leaders. Vote for leaders who know what they are doing and who care about you more than about money. Dont vote for PAP.