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SINGAPORE – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday (June 23) said he has decided to call the general election now, while the Covid-19 situation is relatively stable, to “clear the decks” and give the new government a fresh five-year mandate.
In a televised address to the nation, Mr Lee set out why he has advised President Halimah Yacob to dissolve Parliament and issue the Writ of Election. A Writ of Election, which specifies the date of the polls, is expected to be issued shortly.
After the election, the new government can focus on the national agenda – which include handling the coronavirus pandemic, the economy and jobs – and the difficult decisions it will have to make and to carry, he said.
The alternative is to wait out the pandemic, he said, noting however that there is no assurance that the outbreak will be over before the Government’s term ends next April. Experts say a vaccine will not be available for at least a year.
This general election will be like no other that Singapore has experienced, he said, not just because of the special arrangements to deal with Covid-19, but also the gravity of the situation and the issues at stake.
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