The Gloves Come On: Virus-hit Singapore Votes

Singapore, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Jul, 2020 ) :Wearing masks and gloves and being careful to observe social distancing, Singaporeans voted in a general election Friday as the city-state struggles to recover from a coronavirus outbreak.

After a nine-day campaign that took place mostly online as rallies were banned to cut the risk of infection, voters cast their ballots with a raft of strict safety measures in place.

Polls opened at 8:00 am (0000 GMT) and will close at 8:00 pm (1200 GMT), with final results expected early Saturday.

Voters have been given recommended time slots in which to cast ballots, with senior citizens the first to head to the polls in the morning.

The People's Action Party (PAP), which has governed Singapore for six decades, is assured of victory but faces an opposition with some popular candidates backed by the estranged brother of the country's premier.

The affluent financial hub had seen large virus outbreaks in dormitories housing low-paid foreign workers, but with new infections slowing and authorities easing a partial lockdown, the government decided to call the poll.

The opposition has accused the PAP of being "irresponsible", but officials insist they have done enough to ensure the 2.65 million eligible voters can cast their ballots safely.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has called COVID-19 "the crisis of a generation" and sought to project his party as a force for stability that can guide the country through tough times.

"Do not undermine a system that has served you well," he said on the campaign trail.

Trading hub Singapore has been hit hard by the pandemic, and the government has rolled out nearly Sg$100 billion ($72 billion) in stimulus packages.

Analysts say holding a vote now is a gamble and, with opinion polls banned during election campaigns in the tightly regulated country, it is not clear if the health crisis will boost or dent the government's support.