The Singapore government is proposing an extra day of non-campaigning as a cooling-off period just before Polling Day, ahead of the General Election to be held in 2012, local media reported on Tuesday.
According to local broadcaster Channel NewsAsia, the extra day of non-campaigning will also apply to a presidential election.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to the Singapore media after wrapping up his attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago.
Current Singapore election rules stipulate that political parties are not allowed to campaign on Polling Day itself. Except for party political
broadcasts and news reports, there are to be no more mass rallies, door-to-door visits and even display of party symbols.
Lee said a cooling-off period would give voters time to reflect rationally on issues, after the emotional high of election campaigning, adding that it will also lessen the risk of public disorder.
Countries that have imposed a similar period of campaign silence include Australia and Indonesia.
In Singapore, this means that the minimum period between Nomination and Polling Day will be extended from 9 to 10 days to keep the same number of minimum campaigning days.