Forum: On Facebook

The Facebook logo seen on a smartphone. PHOTO: REUTERS

Should the general election be held while the Covid-19 outbreak is still on?

The GE should be held as soon as possible, instead of dragging it. I hope our Government goes ahead and holds the GE within the next two months.

Sim Sunny

Why hold it at such a time, when WHO (World Health Organisation) is urging everyone to take this pandemic really seriously? Isn't this adding more risk of infection, endangering our lives? What is the urgency?

Joanna Yong

Can the Government guarantee voters' safety and no risk of exposure to the virus? If it cannot, can the citizens boycott the GE?

David Chua

Is there any reason why we can't just do online voting, instead of physically going to a polling station? We are already in the digital era. Everyone has a SingPass to log in. If verification of address is needed, we can just mail a password to people's mailboxes.

Olivia Xiaoni Lai

This is not the time to play politics. We are facing a very serious situation. Health aside, job losses and credit crunch will lead to disastrous consequences.

I think in voters' minds, we are more or less firm on who we want in our Government to see through this crisis. Election earlier or later doesn't make a difference.

Lin Daniel

No GE please, especially when the virus is still spreading rapidly. Most Singaporeans will agree that the Government has handled the Covid-19 situation well. Having an election now will be an advantage to the ruling party, but it will be putting Singaporeans at risk.

Andrew Lim

The Government is between a rock and a hard place. If it doesn't hold the GE, the opposition will accuse it of using fear to hold on to power. If it holds the GE during this period, the opposition will accuse it of being power-hungry, taking advantage of this difficult period.

Wei Min Liu


Should the HDB ban on cats be lifted?

Yes, but a reasonable cap on the number of cats allowed would be good. Some people like to hoard cats.

Jiemin Xie

No. The HDB should not lift the ban, or else there will be even more abandoned cats, especially if the strays are not sterilised.

Iris Phay

Yes, of course! Cats are perfect house pets. They love to be clean; neutered/spayed cats are quiet too. They're lovely pets and great companions for the ageing population. I think it's really fine if the cats are desexed, micro-chipped and registered with the HDB.

Sandra J. Wong

I used to have a cat and he could not be house-bound. Some cats can, some cannot.

Maureen Chua

Keeping a dog or a cat or even birds can be very therapeutic for some people. The important thing is that owners must be responsible for their pets and not let them be a nuisance to neighbours.

Sl Foong

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 24, 2020, with the headline Forum: On Facebook. Subscribe