A two and the half minute political campaign video showed multiple scenes where children of preschool and primary school age were engaged in the introductory video of the People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate Sun Xueling.
She will be contesting in the Punggol West single-member constituency against the Workers’ Party Tan Chen Chen.
Uploaded on PAP’s Youtube channel on Tuesday (30 June), a young boy of preschool age, donning the PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Sparkletots t-shirt, was seen walking alongside a woman pushing a stroller under a sheltered walkway in a Housing Development Board estate, and in front of a Sparkletots branch.
PCF Sparkletots is one of Singapore’s largest preschool operators and employers.
At one point, the toddler in the pram makes a cameo.
Ms Sun speaks in the background throughout these scenes where she shares how she “wants to help create these beautiful memories” for families and their children.
In other follow-up scenes, Ms Sun is interacting with adults and children of primary school age who are familially related or playing the role of a family.
Near the end of the video, a group of Sparkletots preschoolers run forwards into the outstretched arms of Ms Sun as she embraces them in a hug.
Under the Parliamentary Elections Act, “persons attending a primary or secondary school as a student are prohibited from conducting election activity”.
On Thursday (2 June), PAP’s Ong Ke Yung released a statement that he has taken down a campaign video, which showed him speaking with a young boy attending primary school, because “he was informed by authorities that this is not in line with electoral rules”. Mr Ong is contesting the Sembawang Group Representation Constituency, where they will face the National Solidarity Party.
The ground sentiments are whether Ms Sun’s PAP campaign video violated the rules too.
TOC has reached out to the Elections Department for a comment.