On 15 April 2025, shortly after the official dissolution of Parliament by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Red Dot United (RDU), an alternative political party in Singapore, issued a statement expressing deep concerns about the upcoming election’s timeline.
The party critiqued the short campaigning period, which it believed presented significant challenges for opposition parties. RDU argued that the compressed timeline was not only unfair but strategically designed to provide an advantage to the ruling party.
With just over two weeks until the polls on 3 May, the election schedule left opposition parties with limited time to mobilise resources, build momentum, and engage voters across the nation.
The timing of Nomination Day on 23 April was a particular point of contention.
According to Ravi Philemon, RDU’s Secretary-General, shifting Nomination Day to 22 April could have allowed Cooling-off Day to coincide with 1 May, a public holiday, thus offering a more balanced media environment.
Cooling-off Day, which fell on 2 May, is a legally mandated day when political parties were prohibited from making statements or campaigning.
RDU Accuses Ruling Party of Exploiting May Day Rally Timing to Control Media Narrative on Cooling-off Day
Philemon argued that this scheduling was intentionally set to coincide with the Labour Day celebrations and the ruling party’s National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) May Day Rally.
Given the ruling party’s close ties with NTUC, this event was expected to dominate the media on Cooling-off Day, shaping public opinion without any opportunity for opposition parties to offer alternative views or fact-check the claims made.
Philemon criticised how the strategic use of this timing gave the ruling party a clear advantage, allowing it to use the NTUC May Day Rally to present promises or policy announcements that would capture headlines on Cooling-off Day.
This, according to Philemon, could sway public opinion in favour of the ruling party at a time when opposition parties were legally barred from responding.
“There was no operational reason why Nomination Day had to fall on 23 April,” he said.
“If the Government intended to keep the campaign period this short, it could have easily held Nomination Day on 22 April — placing Cooling-off Day on 1 May, which is a public holiday, and Polling Day on 2 May. Such a timeline would have prevented the strategic use of Labour Day’s post-event coverage to shape public opinion during Cooling-off Day,” Philemon argued.
The ruling party’s actions, RDU claimed, were reflective of a government that was insecure, unable to trust the strength of its message, and so resorted to every possible advantage in order to maintain power.
Philemon accused the ruling party of “tilting every last advantage in its favour” to ensure an outcome favourable to its continued dominance.
RDU Vows to Overcome Election Challenges
Despite these odds, RDU remained committed to contesting the election.
Philemon highlighted that the party had been preparing for this moment since 2020, ensuring that all its candidates were assigned to the constituencies they intended to contest.
Details about the candidates would be unveiled ahead of Nomination Day, and the party planned to hold media events to provide further information.
In addition, RDU would officially launch its manifesto in the coming days, outlining its core policies and vision for Singapore’s future.
RDU remained focused on engaging directly with the electorate, according to Philemon.
The party’s key issues included the rising cost of living, job security, and improving the quality of life for ordinary Singaporeans.
While the party acknowledged the challenges of campaigning within the restricted timeline, it was determined to rise to the occasion.
“We owe it to our fellow Singaporeans to show up — and to stand up,” Philemon said.
Despite the apparent disadvantage of the election schedule, RDU intended to reach out to as many Singaporeans as possible, ensuring that they understood the core issues facing the country.
The party called for voters to reflect on what was truly at stake in this election.
The stakes, Philemon asserted, were not just about the next five years, but about the kind of country Singaporeans wanted to build together. The party envisioned a fairer Singapore, one where no voice was too small and where citizens were treated as first-class citizens.
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