Rallies are not encouraged for the Presidential Election and there will be no designated rally sites, said the Elections Department (ELD) on Saturday (Aug 12).
This is because election meetings “by their nature and format” may be divisive and are not congruent with the unifying role of the elected President, it said in a press release.
Singaporeans will head to the polls for Singapore’s Presidential Election on Sep 1, if more than one candidate qualifies to run for the post. Nomination Day is set for Aug 22, and a cooling-off period where all campaigning must stop will be observed between the eve of Polling Day and when polls close.
In the Presidential Elections (Amendment) Bill that was passed in 2017 – before President Halimah Yacob was elected to the seat – changes were implemented such that the government will no longer designate any rally sites during Presidential Elections, after the Constitutional Commission took the position to not encourage rallies.
Candidates who still want to hold election meetings like rallies can do so, but will need to get approval from the owner of the site or premises before applying for a police permit, the ELD said on Saturday.
“Due to safety and security considerations, it is preferable that election meetings, if any, be held at sports stadiums or indoor venues,” it added.
Candidates can only apply for a police permit after the close of nomination proceedings, and this must be submitted at least two days before the intended date of the election meeting.
From Nomination Day on Aug 22 until Polling Day on Sep 1, the exemptions for public assemblies and public processions within Speakers’ Corner at Hong Lim Park will be temporarily revoked.
This is the ensure that the permit regime for election meetings during the presidential election also applies to the Speaker’s Corner, said the police in a separate media release.
During this period, public assemblies or public processions cannot be held at the Speaker’s Corner without a police permit.
The police added that all outdoor election meetings such as rallies will be within designated no-fly zones.
Aerial activities like flying kites and drones will be prohibited within and into no-fly zones unless authorised by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.
