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.
Referring to an update on Gov.Sg’s Factually page, ELD pointed out: “Under the law, 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.
Chiam had earlier put up photo of a poster featuring PM Lee on her Facebook page with the caption “Is the Prime Minister standing in Potong Pasir SMC?”
“When they see PM, somehow or rather they will vote in a (certain) way,” she said.
“Which I hope not – I hope residents can use their mind and wisdom to choose whoever they want. It’s right in front of my office ... If it’s Sitoh, it’s okay, but it’s not Sitoh.”
Sitoh is the People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate defending the single seat which he won in the previous polls in 2011. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network
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