RP and PAP win...in ballot to hold rallies on last night of campaign

THE four-cornered fight in the Punggol East by-election has yielded two winners - People's Action Party and Reform Party - for the right to hold the coveted last-night election rallies on Thursday.

The RP managed to secure the field in front of Blk 183C Rivervale Crescent, which is where all the rallies of the hustings have been held so far.

The PAP and the Workers' Party then had to ballot for the next available site, the field in front of Blk 128C Punggol Field Walk. The PAP got the site.

It is understood that the WP is likely to hold its third rally on Wednesday, instead of Thursday as originally planned. It is due to hold its second rally on Tuesday evening.

The three parties sent representatives to ballot for the sites at the Police Cantonment Complex on Tuesday afternoon. All were gunning for the Thursday slot as that is the last day of campaigning and the ideal way of ending the campaign with a bang.

Confirming the news, PAP's representative Alex Yam told The Straits Times: "We were prepared for the possibility that we won't get the site. It's a ballot system. It's very fair."

He added: "The last day before Cooling-Off Day is always important for us to make a final appeal to voters and thank them for their support during the campaign. Of course there are many other ways to do it, but nothing beats a rally."

Said RP chairman Andy Zhu: "We are very happy as this is the most wanted site and it is the last night for rallies."

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