SINGAPORE: The committee which determines the electoral boundaries ahead of each general election has not been formed, the Elections Department (ELD) said on Thursday (Jan 2).
“The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) has not been convened,” it said in response to queries from CNA.
The committee is convened ahead of every contest to review and make changes to Singapore’s electoral map, taking into account population shifts and housing developments to adjust the number of voters across electoral divisions.
The next general election must be held by Nov 23 this year.
It will be Singapore’s 14th since independence, and the first under the country’s fourth-generation leadership led by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
National University of Singapore associate professor of political science Chong Ja Ian said that even though the EBRC has not been formed, it does not mean the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) is "cutting things close".
"When exactly to hold a GE is at the discretion of the ruling party so long as it is within the timeframe for elections," he said, adding that there are "still several months to work with".
"In the past, the committee could complete its work in a few weeks. They could probably do so again. A GE can be held shortly after that," he said.
"Working backwards, the latest time the EBRC needs to be convened is probably September or October."
Independent observer Felix Tan, who has written about Singapore’s political landscape, said that Mr Wong "might want to ensure that the Budget is effectively done and dusted in February before he calls for the EBRC to be formed".
"If it’s formed in February, one can give them one to three months to churn out a report. This might then put the GE to be held in May or early June," he said.
Dr Tan said that political parties should not wait until the general election is called before introducing possible candidates.
"After all, a GE will definitely be held this year, so why should there be any hesitation to release their manifesto and candidates earlier?"
Early announcements by parties will also allow Singaporeans to familiarise themselves with the candidates, "before they become fodder for gossip and derision on social media outlets, which can be unforgiving and toxic to say the least", added Dr Tan.
Assoc Prof Chong added that even if the EBRC is convened earlier in the year, it may not have a direct bearing on the exact date of the election. For example, in 2015, the electoral contest took place several months after the release of the EBRC report, he said.
In the four contests called by Mr Wong’s predecessor — in 2006, 2011, 2015 and 2020 — the gap from the EBRC’s formation to the election being called ranged between two and almost 11 months.
The committee was last convened in August 2019, ahead of a general election in July the following year, held amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2015, it was convened in May, with a September election held in what was Singapore’s Golden Jubilee year.
Chaired by the secretary to the prime minister, the EBRC comprises senior civil servants from the Housing and Development Board, Singapore Land Authority, Department of Statistics and ELD.
The formation of the committee will be a next step in the lead-up to Singapore’s next electoral contest.
In March last year, the ELD said about 50,000 public officers would be appointed and trained to manage nomination, polling and counting activities ahead of the next general election.
Then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s May Day Rally last year — his final major speech before handing over the reins — was seen by political analysts as an election campaign speech, as he summed up the PAP government’s achievements during his 20-year tenure.
Shortly after taking office, newly minted leader Mr Wong directed the ELD on May 20 to revise Singapore's registers of electors by the end of July.
In June, the boundaries of polling districts in 12 constituencies were changed and gazetted.
The nation’s voter rolls were then updated and open for public inspection in late July, revealing that over 2.7 million Singaporeans will be eligible to vote in the next general election.
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“The Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) has not been convened,” it said in response to queries from CNA.
The committee is convened ahead of every contest to review and make changes to Singapore’s electoral map, taking into account population shifts and housing developments to adjust the number of voters across electoral divisions.
The next general election must be held by Nov 23 this year.
It will be Singapore’s 14th since independence, and the first under the country’s fourth-generation leadership led by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
"STILL SEVERAL MONTHS TO WORK WITH"
National University of Singapore associate professor of political science Chong Ja Ian said that even though the EBRC has not been formed, it does not mean the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) is "cutting things close".
"When exactly to hold a GE is at the discretion of the ruling party so long as it is within the timeframe for elections," he said, adding that there are "still several months to work with".
"In the past, the committee could complete its work in a few weeks. They could probably do so again. A GE can be held shortly after that," he said.
"Working backwards, the latest time the EBRC needs to be convened is probably September or October."
Independent observer Felix Tan, who has written about Singapore’s political landscape, said that Mr Wong "might want to ensure that the Budget is effectively done and dusted in February before he calls for the EBRC to be formed".
"If it’s formed in February, one can give them one to three months to churn out a report. This might then put the GE to be held in May or early June," he said.
Dr Tan said that political parties should not wait until the general election is called before introducing possible candidates.
"After all, a GE will definitely be held this year, so why should there be any hesitation to release their manifesto and candidates earlier?"
Early announcements by parties will also allow Singaporeans to familiarise themselves with the candidates, "before they become fodder for gossip and derision on social media outlets, which can be unforgiving and toxic to say the least", added Dr Tan.
Related:
DURATION OF THE EBRC’S WORK
Assoc Prof Chong added that even if the EBRC is convened earlier in the year, it may not have a direct bearing on the exact date of the election. For example, in 2015, the electoral contest took place several months after the release of the EBRC report, he said.
In the four contests called by Mr Wong’s predecessor — in 2006, 2011, 2015 and 2020 — the gap from the EBRC’s formation to the election being called ranged between two and almost 11 months.
The committee was last convened in August 2019, ahead of a general election in July the following year, held amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2015, it was convened in May, with a September election held in what was Singapore’s Golden Jubilee year.
Chaired by the secretary to the prime minister, the EBRC comprises senior civil servants from the Housing and Development Board, Singapore Land Authority, Department of Statistics and ELD.
The formation of the committee will be a next step in the lead-up to Singapore’s next electoral contest.
In March last year, the ELD said about 50,000 public officers would be appointed and trained to manage nomination, polling and counting activities ahead of the next general election.
Then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s May Day Rally last year — his final major speech before handing over the reins — was seen by political analysts as an election campaign speech, as he summed up the PAP government’s achievements during his 20-year tenure.
Shortly after taking office, newly minted leader Mr Wong directed the ELD on May 20 to revise Singapore's registers of electors by the end of July.
In June, the boundaries of polling districts in 12 constituencies were changed and gazetted.
The nation’s voter rolls were then updated and open for public inspection in late July, revealing that over 2.7 million Singaporeans will be eligible to vote in the next general election.
Related:
Continue reading...