Police report made over vandalised Progress Singapore Party posters in Chua Chu Kang

• PSP was informed that its campaign posters were torn and strewn on the road
• Police statement made said that poster was likely not blown off by strong winds as PAP’s was intact
• Dr Tan Cheng Bock, Mr Gan Kim Yong remind supporters not to resort to such acts

SINGAPORE — Before the first night of campaigning for the General Election (GE) was over on Tuesday (June 30), a number of posters put up for the Progress Singapore Party’s (PSP) were already vandalised.

Addressing it in a Facebook post on Wednesday, party chief Tan Cheng Bock said that a police report has been made and he warned people against getting carried away by emotions in the heat of campaigning, which will take place for the next seven days until July 8.

The posters by PSP were put up at Chua Chu Kang Group Representation Constituency (GRC).

Dr Tan said that PSP’s candidates at the GRC are not deterred by the act. The candidates are Mr Francis Yuen, 70, former chief executive officer of Hong Leong Asia; academic Tan Meng Wah, 57; consulting engineer Abdul Rahman, 67; and law undergraduate Choo Shaun Ming, 23.

Dr Tan said: “This is only Day One and we still have a long way to go. Let’s remember to keep cool heads… Let’s also remember to always be calm, polite and respectful, despite a difference of opinion.”

On the posters along Bukit Batok East Avenue 5 that were allegedly damaged, PSP told TODAY that it was informed by members of the public that some of its posters were vandalised, cut into pieces and strewn on the road.

PSP members had to work through the night to replace them and a police report was made on Wednesday.

“PSP believes that campaigning should be conducted in a clean and fair manner. Supporters of all parties should not resort to vandalism to express their anger against opposing parties,” it added.

A copy of the police report made by one of PSP’s election agents was seen by TODAY.

It stated that professional installers had mounted the posters before 6pm on Tuesday, but it received news that one of them was seen lying on the ground by 11.30pm. 

From photos that their installers had taken, it appeared that the poster was “likely forcefully torn down rather than being blown down by strong winds”.

A PAP poster was still intact and would have fallen as well if it were strong winds.

When contacted, the police said that investigations are ongoing, adding that it is an offence under Section 78(4) of the Parliamentary Elections Act for any person to alter, remove, destroy, obliterate or deface any election poster or banner. 

If convicted, the offender can be jailed up to 12 months or fined up S$1,000.

Photos of the torn-down posters started circulating on social media since 11pm on Tuesday.

A post by a Facebook user named JF Walk that carried the photos claimed that it was perpetuated by some “hooligan supporters” from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) and the post went viral.

Mr Gan Kim Yong, who leads the Chua Chu Kang GRC team for PAP, commented about the act on Wednesday, after Dr Tan posted about it.

In a post on his party’s Chua Chu Kang GRC Facebook page, he reminded supporters of various political parties to adhere to “the decorum of a dignified campaign and respect all campaign materials”, including posters of opposing parties.

Mr Gan added that this is in keeping with the “high standard of conduct, courtesy and mutual respect” that a good GE2020 campaign must have. 

“We look forward to an honourable and respectful campaign,” he said.

On Wednesday night, PAP also put up a post on its Aljunied GRC Facebook page calling for the public not to deface political party posters and to "channel our energies constructively". Accompanying the post were two pictures of its posters being torn up. 

"We would like to humbly request that posters not be defaced as volunteers have given their time and effort to put them up. Some of you may not agree with what a political party stands for, or want to show support for others. The beauty of the democratic process is that we as Singaporeans will be able to exercise our right to vote, and to choose the government we want to represent us," it wrote.