There will be no getai performances and other forms of stage performances and entertainment allowed before, during or after election rallies, said the police on Friday (Aug 14).
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, it added in a press release, saying this is stipulated under the Public Order (Election Meetings) Regulations 2009.
Additionally, outdoor rallies for the upcoming General Election should be held only at designated rally sites, and the police will make available sufficient rally sites to contesting parties or independent candidates for this purpose, it said.
“The ballot method used to allocate rally sites in the 2012 and 2013 by-elections will also be used for the upcoming General Election to allocate rally sites,” said police.
“To ensure contesting parties and independent candidates have more opportunities to use their preferred rally sites on their preferred dates, a ‘give-way’ rule will be implemented. Parties that have been allocated a site will have to ‘give way’ to other applicants that apply for the same site at the same timeslot on the following day,” it added.
To ensure every GE contestant can hold at least one outdoor rally within the last two to three nights of campaigning, a “block ballot” method will be implemented in constituencies where the number of contesting parties and/or independent candidates is more than the number of rally sites, said the police.
Under the block ballot method, the last two to three nights for rally sites will be grouped together for application as a block. Contesting parties and independent candidates can only apply for one site on one night within the block, it explained.
The allocation of outdoor assembly centre sites on Counting Night will also be done via a ballot method, according to the press release.
Details on the application and allocation process for rally sites and assembly centre sites will be released after the Writ of Election is issued, police said.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
