09/09/2015

GE2015: Hungry Ghost & Optimus Prime

Police say election rallies, getai shows must be kept separate
AFP News - Employees from a nearby office building burn offerings to mark the Hungry Ghost Festival in Singapore on August 8, 2014. Superstition comes to the fore during the month-long Hungry Ghost Festival, which traditionally begins this time of year. Chinese superstition holds that the gates of hell are opened for spirits to wander across the mortal realm before they return to the underworld. (Photo: Roslan Rahman/AFP)

Campaigning for the general election and holding variety performances for the Hungry Ghost Festival must not coincide, say police, who also released new rules on general election rallies.

Getai performances are “strictly not allowed before, during or after election rallies,” as stipulated under the Public Order (Election Meetings) Regulations 2009, the Singapore Police Force said in a statement on Friday.

The police added that event organisers must also “ensure that no speeches intended to canvass support for election candidates and/or political parties are delivered (at) Seventh Month Festival events”.

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Police report lodged against PAP’s Lee Bee Wah
Lee Bee Wah at a getai

Despite the Singapore Police Force reminding political parties of the new rules governing political campaigns, it appears that candidates from the People’s Action Party (PAP) are blatantly ignoring them.

The police had on 14 August 2015 issued a statement listing out the “Dos and Don’ts” pertaining to campaigning and rallies during the general election (GE).
  • In its statement, the police said that campaigning for the GE and holding variety performances for the Hungry Ghost Festival must not coincide.
  • Getai performances are “strictly not allowed before, during or after election rallies,” as stipulated under the Public Order (Election Meetings) Regulations 2009, the police said.
  • The police added that event organisers must also “ensure that no speeches intended to canvass support for election candidates and/or political parties are delivered (at) Seventh Month Festival events”.
related: Police: Don’t mix Hungry Ghost Festival with politics

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Another case of PAP candidates campaigning at a getai event?

When the performances began, Pornsak and the female emcee joked that it was not a getai, so there was no need to leave the seats empty at the front for the “Hao Xiong Di” (referring to the spirits of the ghost festival).

But as the evening progressed, it seemed less like an SG50 celebratory community event and more of a getai. There were Chinese songs, Tamil songs, a Malay song, Hokkien songs, a Cantonese song, and an English song. Several of the performers were introduced to the audience as being popular on the getai circuit, including one man who was described as ‘evergreen’, and a 16-year-old boy  who did a Hokkien song duet with the female emcee.

Confused, I approached a gentleman wearing a black Keat Hong RC tee-shirt and asked him, “is this a getai?”

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5th PAP candidate spotted at getai, police need to explain inaction

Yet another People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate has been spotted and photographed attending a getai, the nightly entertainment event during the Chinese Seventh Month Festival.

A photo purportedly of PAP candidate for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Ang Hin Kee, has been posted online, apparently speaking at a getai over the weekend.

Mr Ang is part of the PAP team which is led by Lee Hsien Loong, the secretary general of the party.

He is the fourth PAP candidate to be photographed at various getais over the last few days.

related:
Keep getai and politics separate
PAP candidate at getai during election?
More PAP candidates spotted at Seventh Month Festival, despite police warning


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More PAP candidates spotted at 7th Month Festival getai, despite police warning
The PAP candidates’ faces projected on stage

The event had all the making of a 7th month Getai show with altars set up behind a a large crowd coming to watch a free show.

TOC has written in to the police to notify them of a possible breach of law and we are currently awaiting their response.

On 4th September, another PAP candidate, Lee Bee Wah, also made an appearance at a getai in Nee Soon, where she is contesting in the elections.

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Police: Keep getais and politics separate

Getai performances will not be allowed before, during or after election rallies, said the police in a statement on Friday, emphasising that festivities for the Hungry Ghost Festival should be kept separate from politics.

The police also added that event organisers during the Hungry Ghost Festival “should ensure that no speeches intended to canvass support for election candidates and/or political parties are delivered (at) Seventh Month Festival events”.

The Hungry Ghost Festival months begins on Friday, and ends on 12th September, the date widely predicted to be designated Polling Day.

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PAP candidate at getai during election?

A member of the public sent the photo below to The Online Citizen (TOC) apparently showing the candidate for Nee Soon GRC, Lee Bee Wah, on stage at what is said to be a getai, the nightly event to commemorate the Seventh Month Festival.

TOC understands that the incident took place on Friday evening.

The opposition Workers’ Party, which is contesting the constituency in the elections, had also been conducting its rally at the Yishun Stadium on Friday evening as well.

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PAP grassroots put up posters at altar

During campaigning on Friday (4 Sep), Dr Chee Soon Juan’s eagle-eyed SDP team spotted miniature posters featuring PAP’s Holland-Bukit Timah GRC team pasted on the wall behind an altar in Ghim Moh. Later, Dr Chee posted the above picture on his Facebook page and alerted the authorities.

“The SDP team is also campaigning for every vote but, please, let’s have some decency and not paste our photos where people worship,” Dr Chee commented. After investigating the incident, the Elections Department (ED) said yesterday (5 Sep) that the posters were put up by the area’s merchant association.

In its statement, ED said that the merchant association has since taken the posters down.
  • “ED would like to remind everyone, including candidates and members of the public, that the display of election posters and banners must abide by the rules set out in the Parliamentary Elections (Election Advertising) Regulations,” it said.
  • “During an election, the Returning Officer authorises candidates and their election agents to display election posters and banners for the purpose of campaigning. No person shall display or cause to be displayed in any public place during the campaign period any poster or banner without the authorization of the Returning Officer.”
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Workers’ Party-advert LED Truck driver under Police investigation

The driver of a 20 foot truck with a huge LED display on its side showing a Workers’ Party logo is now under police investigation from the Criminal Investigation Division (CID).

According to a media interview with the Straits Times, the 26 year old container truck driver said he was unaware of the bright LED featuring the Workers’ Party on the side of his truck. He said he was instructed by a hirer to pick up a container from Ubi to Yishun, and then when he reached Yishun, the hirer called him to bring it back to Ubi.
“When I picked up the container from Ubi, it was empty and I did not notice any WP advertisement printed on it. But midway, I noticed many people looking at my vehicle and taking photos of it. It was only when I returned to Ubi and alighted from the vehicle that I saw what was on it.”
The Singapore Police is apparently however not investigating the other PAP MPs who have appeared on stages of entertainment shows canvassing for votes.

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Company that owns 'Optimus Prime' truck with Workers' Party sign says it is not linked to party

A prime mover with a 20-foot container emblazoned with the Workers' Party hammer logo and slogan has been spotted near rally sites, but the company that owns the vehicle says it has nothing to do with the party or its election campaign.

Ms Jasmin Poh, operations head of Asiagroup Leasing which owns the prime mover, told The Straits Times that it received many calls from members of the public on Saturday (Sept 5), after the vehicle was first spotted on Friday night.

The sides of the container attached to the prime mover was brightly lit in blue and had the party logo and slogan Empower Your Future.

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The Workers’ Party has an Optimus Prime truck, courtesy of a volunteer supporter


Taking things up a notch this GE2015, a 14-wheeler emblazoned with the Workers’ Party hammer logo and slogan was spotted on the road on Sept. 4, 2015, the third night of campaigning.

Resembling some kind of Optimus Prime truck, the heavy duty vehicle was apparently done up by a Workers’ Party supporter out of his own volition, according to hearsay by sources in the know. Optimus Prime, for the uninitiated, is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise.

It is often depicted as having a strong sense of justice, a strong moral character, excellent leadership and sound decision-making skills, besides possessing brilliant military tactics, powerful martial arts, and advanced alien weaponry dedicated to building peaceful and mutually beneficial co-existence with humans, the protection of life and liberty of all sentient species.

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Optimus Prime truck told to remove mounted container billboard showing Workers’ Party logo & slogan
The Workers’ Party Optimus Prime truck is no more

Mothership.sg understands from a source that the police has told the driver to remove the container with an illuminated mounted billboard featuring the Workers’ Party logo and slogan. This occurred on Sept. 7, on the night where the Workers’ Party held its election rally at Ubi.

It was previously reported that the 14-wheeler was done up by a Workers’ Party supporter out of his own volition.

The truck first made its debut appearance on the road on Sept. 4, 2015, the third night of GE2015 campaigning. Its subsequent arrival at rally sites was greeted with much fanfare:

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PAP Vivian Balakrishnan broke cooling-off day law and canvass for votes

A photo of Vivian Balakrishnan posting on his Twitter account canvassing for votes on the cooling-off day is making its rounds on Facebook.

The post has since been deleted after commentators pointed out his mistake.

A police report can be made against the PAP candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC for flouting the election law.

related: PAP Vivian Balakrishnan defend himself breaking election law, blame Facebook

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VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN COOLING DAY COCKUP, SABO-ED BY TWITTER GLITCH?
Aiyoh! Last GE Kate Spade already kena jialat jialat for posting on cooling day then this time Vivian Balakrishnan go and post on his Twitter this morning at 1:52am. Haiz. He dunno that cooling off day sure got many people camp online to catch politicians who post political things online meh? then he still don't learn his lesson.

So I go to his twitter and see if he really got so stupid anot, but then too late liao coz he already delete the tweet. Luckily people already take screen shot of it but to double confirm, I also go and see his twitter cache.

See liao right, I notice something funny leh. Seems like that particular tweet keep repeating itself randomly on his twitter over the past 5 days!

related: PAP VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN FLOUTS COOLING DAY RULES WITH TWITTER VOTE CANVASSING?

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Khaw confident he would still be Minister after GE

A reader sent the following information to TR Emeritus. It’s a brochure advertising the Mid-Autumn celebration in Sembawang at Woodlands Crescent Park on 27 Sep, 16 days after the 11 Sep General Elections (GE).

The Guest-of-Honour is Mr Khaw Boon Wan, the National Development Minister before Parliament was dissolved.

Mr Khaw seems to be very confident of winning this GE and retaining his ministerial position in the National Development Ministry, as suggested on the brochure above.

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