WP denies Lee Bee Wah’s claim it is misleading elderly on how to vote
Dr Lee greeting commuters during on a walkabout in Yishun Bus Interchange yesterday. Photo: Ooi Boon Keong
SINGAPORE — People’s Action Party Member of Parliament Dr Lee Bee Wah has alleged that Workers’ Party (WP) supporters mislead elderly residents about how to vote. This was, however, denied by the opposition party.
Speaking to reporters during a walkabout at Yishun Bus Interchange yesterday, Dr Lee said that a resident had told her that WP activists were telling the elderly in Nee Soon that they should mark a cross next to the WP team logo if they do not support the WP.
She then took the issue up on Facebook and uploaded a picture of a ballot paper with her Nee Soon GRC team on it. “Look at this drawing: You should draw a cross next to the party you want to vote for,” she wrote.
She said she hopes to educate people about how to vote. “I just don’t want elderly residents to (not know about voting procedure).”
Mr Christopher Lim, a campaigning agent for the WP’s team contesting Nee Soon, refuted Mdm Lee’s allegations. He said: “There is no truth in what (Dr Lee) said, we have never told people how to vote or where they should put the cross … we’ve just (gone) about our usual campaigning to tell residents to vote for the WP.”
In a separate incident reported by The Online Citizen, Dr Lee drew flak for appearing to canvass for votes during a getai event near Khatib MRT Station on Friday evening.
Dr Lee defended her actions, saying she attends such community events yearly. While she was wearing white, she said that she did not don the PAP badge, and was thus not representing the party. “What’s wrong with wearing white? In fact, sometimes I go out wearing a white top and white pants,” she retorted.
On Aug 14, the Singapore Police issued a statement to remind political parties to keep events for the Seventh Month Festival and the elections separate. Seventh Month event organisers should also ensure that no speeches intended to canvass support for election candidates or political parties are delivered during these events, as stipulated under the Public Order (Election Meetings) Regulations 2009, the police said in a press release.
Dr Lee stated that she is familiar with political campaigning rules. “Of course I know what the rules are, what I can or cannot do … I’m just supporting the community group in my constituency, as I’ve always done — does this mean that during General Election time I can’t support them?” Toh Ee Ming
