PAP, WP to resume Meet-the-People Sessions on Monday as Covid-19 restrictions ease

SINGAPORE - The People's Action Party (PAP) and Workers' Party will resume physical Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS) from next Monday (Aug 23), more than three months since the parties switched to phone and virtual formats.

The PAP announced on Thursday that with the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, in-person sessions and branch activities would resume with safe management measures in place.

"We still encourage our residents to get in touch with us by phone or virtually as the primary mode. This will help us to avoid congregation of people," the PAP posted on Facebook.

The WP also noted on Friday that MPS in its Aljunied, Hougang and Sengkang constituencies would resume, as announced a week earlier on notice boards.

"Constituency teams will implement safe management measures on-site," the party wrote on Facebook. "Constituents are also encouraged to approach Workers' Party MPs via e-mail and phone wherever possible."

In May, the PAP advised its branches to pause physical MPS, in response to a spike in locally transmitted infections and tightened measures then.

The WP followed suit in mid-May, postponing its MPS its three constituencies until further notice.

Singapore has undergone multiple rounds and revisions of Covid-19 measures in the months since, due to infections and outbreaks primarily caused by the more transmissible Delta variant.

As more Singaporeans received their vaccinations, measures were relaxed, including the resumption of dining out for fully vaccinated groups of up to five.

On Thursday, PAP party Whip Janil Puthucheary and Central Executive Committee member Tan Chuan-Jin both took to Facebook to announce the restarting of physical MPS next week.

Mr Tan, who is Speaker of Parliament, said: "We will continue to pay close attention to safety measures but if some of you prefer to, you can continue to e-mail and WhatsApp us as before, rather than come down in person."