Opposition parties ramp up election preparations, as some criticise date of polls

Here is what various opposition parties said after the Writ of Election was issued.

- Deepanraj Ganesan and Aqil Hamzah

SINGAPORE DEMOCRATIC PARTY (SDP)

The SDP criticised the "impossibly short" timeline between the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) report for the 2025 General Election and the dissolution of Parliament.

The report on the new electoral boundaries was released on March 11, 35 days before Parliament was dissolved.

In 2020, the EBRC report was published on March 13 that year with the Writ issued three months later on June 23.

In 2015, there was a month's gap between the release of the report and the issuance of the Writ.

SDP, which plans to contest Sembawang GRC, Sembawang West SMC, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC and Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, said Singaporeans need the time to thoroughly examine issues like the cost of living before casting their votes.

"Elections are solemn exercises where the people are given ample time to become thoroughly familiar with the parties, their platforms and candidates so that they can make informed decisions at the polls," the statement said.

However, with the short amount of time left, Singaporeans have been denied "this crucial opportunity", the party said.

RED DOT UNITED (RDU)

Mr Ravi Philemon, secretary-general of the RDU, said opposition parties now have just over two weeks to organise themselves for "a defining election".

He also questioned why Nomination Day was taking place on April 23. Having it on April 22 instead would allow Cooling-off Day to be on May 1 – Labour Day – and Polling Day on May 2.

"Instead, this election has been timed so that Labour Day will be followed immediately by Cooling-off Day – a day when all political parties are legally barred from speaking," he said.

The opposition parties will not be able to respond to statements put out by the ruling party during the May Day Rally, Mr Philemon said.