S'pore mulls overseas voting, election rumors gather pace<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (AFP): Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien
\nLoong has fueled speculation of an early election, saying a
\ndecision will be made this year on extending the vote to overseas
\nnationals.<\/p>\n
Signaling a shift in the law that limits voting to citizens
\n"ordinarily resident" in Singapore, Lee said the government was
\nre-examining the eligibility criteria.<\/p>\n
Speculation is rife in the city-state that the next general
\nelection will be much earlier than the deadline of August 2002,
\nand there has been no attempt by the government to deny
\nsuggestions in the local media that the poll will be this year.<\/p>\n
In a speech on voting rights on Tuesday night, Lee said the
\noverseas voting issue would be resolved this year, but in the
\nStraits Times on Wednesday he fudged on whether this would affect
\nthe next election, saying "that depends on whether the elections
\nare this year or not."<\/p>\n
A review of overseas voting follows an active campaign by the
\nruling People's Action Party (PAP) to extend its support base
\nsince Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong told grassroots members last
\nmonth to make early preparations and not wait until an election
\nwas called.<\/p>\n
The PAP has thrown aside much criticized practices by widening
\nthe pool of people who can nominate party leaders to include its
\nwomen's and youth wings, and saying it was now prepared to field
\nqualified singles and divorcees as candidates.<\/p>\n
Lee, a son of Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew and
\nnamed by Goh as his preferred successor, said the question of
\noverseas voting had been repeatedly raised, but had been rejected
\nbecause of practical difficulties and deciding who should have
\nthe vote.<\/p>\n
"But as the number of Singaporeans abroad increases year by
\nyear, we will feel more keenly the lack of arrangements for them
\nto vote.<\/p>\n
"So the government is now re-examining the problem, to see how
\narrangements can be made for overseas voting, and what the
\neligibility criteria should be for deciding which overseas
\nSingaporeans may vote," he said.<\/p>\n
"We aim to have the study and -- if we proceed -- the new
\nlegislation done by this year."<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/spore-mulls-overseas-voting-election-rumors-gather-pace-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}