Elections Department reports to PM ...PM Sets the rules

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GE2015: Face of political party's leader can be used in posters for candidates, says Elections Department

SINGAPORE - It is not illegal to use the face of a political party's leader in the posters of a constituency they are not contesting in, the Elections Department (ELD) said on Thursday (Sept 3).

Referring to an update on Gov.Sg's Factually page, ELD pointed out: "Under the law (as defined by PM), the face of the political party's leader can be used in the posters for the candidates standing for that political party, since voters would be able to identify the political party leader with that political party. This has been the practice in past elections."

When election posters were put up on Wednesday, posters of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong appeared across the island, not just in Ang Mo Kio GRC where he is a candidate.

Singapore People's Party (SPP) candidate Lina Chiam questioned the presence of these posters in Potong Pasir estate where she is contesting, and asked for them to be removed.

"I don't feel threatened, but I think it goes against the essence of the election," she said on Wednesday. "In Potong Pasir there are two of us contesting: Sitoh (Yih Pin) and me. It's only right that (posters of) the two candidates... should be shown because it will be rather confusing for the residents to think that the PM is above everything."

Mr Sitoh is the People's Action Party (PAP) candidate defending the single seat which he won in the previous polls in 2011.


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