Two people under investigation over damage to PSP and PAP posters
Two people are under police investigation for allegedly damaging election posters in two separate cases in Bukit Batok East Avenue 5 and Hougang Avenue 10.
In a statement last night, the police said their officers came across a damaged election poster belonging to the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) at the bottom of a lamp post at Bukit Batok East Avenue 5 at about 1.50am on Wednesday, and initiated investigations.
Later that day, the PSP lodged a police report about another damaged party election poster on the same road.
The second investigation was prompted by a report at about 8.30pm on Wednesday that the People's Action Party's (PAP's) election posters had been damaged in the vicinity of Hougang Avenue 10.
In the first case, the police have arrested a 51-year-old man who is believed to have damaged both PSP posters.
In the second case, officers have established the identity of a 13-year-old who is believed to have committed the act. The teenager is assisting in the investigation.
The incidents sparked calls from the two affected parties for Singaporeans to remain calm and respectful, even as the election campaign heats up.
In a Facebook post yesterday, PSP chief Tan Cheng Bock shared photos of the posters - featuring the party's slate for Chua Chu Kang GRC - lying on the grass verge.
He wrote: "In the heat of campaigning, our emotions can get carried away... Let's remember to keep cool heads."
The PAP team in Aljunied GRC had also posted on its Facebook page a picture of a torn PAP poster featuring its slate for the group representation constituency, and urged voters to "channel our energies constructively" and not deface election posters.
Under the Parliamentary Elections Act, it is an offence for any person to alter, remove, destroy, obliterate or deface any election posters or banners.
Offenders face a fine not exceeding $1,000 or a jail term not exceeding 12 months.
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