By Asia Samachar Team | SINGAPORE |
After a short interlude, Harminder Pal Singh is all set to return to the campaigning circuit as Singapore prepares for a general elections on July 10.
The Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) chief media officer was hospitalised last night (22 June) after feeling giddy during a walkabout in Pasir Ris. He was discharged this morning.
In a statement, SDA chairman Desmond Lim Bak Chuan said the doctors have confirmed that he was good to go after putting him through various tests, and he is now recovering well at home.
“Mr Singh has been working hard to help the SDA put up a good fight during the coming General Election, often burning the midnight oil, and skipping meals to conduct more walkabouts and house visits.
“Fatigue caught up with him this time. Even as he was put in the ambulance, he was apologising and asking to continue with the night’s walkabout. He’s a fighter, and after a day’s rest he’ll be back with us pounding the ground tomorrow,” he said in the statement.
In a short response to Asia Samachar, Harminder Pal said: “I’m getting much better.”
This will be the third consecutive general election that will be contested by the 48 year-old Harminder Pal.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today advised President Halimah Yacob to dissolve the parliament to set the stage for the nation’s 14th national polls. Nomination Day has been set for June 30 to be followed by a nine-day campaigning period.
In a televised address, Lee said he has decided to call the general election now, while the Covid-19 situation is relatively stable, to “clear the decks” and give the new government a fresh, full five-year mandate.
The move has been criticised by some quarters as the incumbent taking advantage of the uncertain ground due to the novel coronavirus battle at hand globally. The Singapore Democratic Party, one of the opposition parties, have said earlier that calling an election at this point of time would “needlessly jeopardise the safety and health of Singaporeans”.
In a report yesterday, SDA’s Lim was quoted by the Straits Times as saying that the party would focus its campaigning efforts on Pasir Ris-Punggol.
“We would rather concentrate our resources to focus on one constituency that we can actually serve better,” he said. “If we are going to dilute our resources, then, honestly, we will not be able to serve (residents) that well.”
RELATED STORY:
Sikhs can’t expect ticket in every Singapore polls (Asia Samachar, 4 Sept 2020)
Harminder Pal may run again as Singapore MP (Asia Samachar, 26 Aug 2015)
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