Ruling party dictatorship leader, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, told local state media that he is unable to hold the General Election now because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The millionaire “4G minister” said he has to seek dictator Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s permission before he is allowed to call the elections:
“The Covid-19 situation and its impact on the economy are likely to worsen, and ensuring that Singapore can focus on overcoming the challenges is a major factor in deciding when to hold the general election. If you have big challenges ahead, then surely you want to be able to spend time on these challenges. Therefore the key question is, will the challenges be greater now or will the challenges be greater a year from now? So it depends on our assessment of the situation and I’m discussing with the PM. PM will set out his thinking.”
Singapore is currently in a recession after the government failed to contain the coronavirus outbreak. The PAP government did not stop China arrivals during early January, and arrivals from Italy and South Korea in late February. There is also a severe shortage of face masks, essential goods and even doctors. Local transmission is also widely reported, and the government is unable to find the source of the infection in Singapore streets.
Local transmission has hit more than 125 cases, surpassing imported ones. There are now 178 confirmed cases in Singapore.
The PAP government also failed to impose enough economic assistance to local businesses, especially retail and food shops. Many businesses are folding up because landlords refuse to offer substantial rental discounts.