Mini PAP posters removed after SDP cries foul

SINGAPORE — Miniature posters plastered around Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre promoting the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) candidates running in the constituency have been taken down, one day after the move drew criticism from their Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) competitors.

In response to TODAY’s queries, the Elections Department (ELD) said it understands these posters had been put up by the merchant association in the area.

“The association has since taken the posters down,” said a spokesperson today (Sept 5). “ELD would like to remind everyone, including candidates and members of the public, that the display of election posters and banners must abide by the rules set out in the Parliamentary Elections (Election Advertising) Regulations.”

During an election, the Returning Officer authorises candidates and their election agents to display election posters and banners for campaigning.

“No person shall display or cause to be displayed in any public place during the campaign period any poster or banner without the authorisation of the Returning Officer,” added the spokesperson.

Dr Chee Soon Juan, who leads the SDP team in the four-member Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency, had alerted the ELD about the posters on Friday after he spotted the materials being tacked up “even at a Taoist altar”, he wrote on social media site Facebook.

“The SDP team is also campaigning for every vote but, please, let’s have some decency and not paste our photos where people worship,” he added.

The PAP is fielding its incumbents in the constituency, led by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan. The SDP also contested the district in the last General Election, but this time, Dr Chee is leading the charge in his first electoral battle since 2001.

Over the past week, other opposition politicians have also kicked up a fuss over whether electioneering rules allow the pictures of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the PAP’s secretary-general, to be used in all constituencies that the ruling party is fielding candidates in.

In response, the ELD had said that political parties are free to put up posters with their leaders’ photos in whichever constituencies they are contesting, but these count towards the quota allowed for the area.