SMU Assistant Professor of Law Jack Tsen-Ta Lee said that there is nothing in the Constitution or the PEA that prohibits a political party from putting up more than one candidate for election in a particular constituency . However, since the WP has already announced that their selected candidate is Mr Png Eng Huat, it seems unlikely that Dr Poh's candidacy (if confirmed) is being endorsed by the party. By seeking to run in the by-election, he may be infringing party rules or instructions from the Central Executive Committee, and may find himself facing disciplinary proceedings and possible expulsion from the party. This would be an unnecessary distraction to the WP, especially since the campaigning period is only nine days long and starts tomorrow. SMU Assistant Professor of Law Eugene Tan also commented that Dr Poh Lee Guan's actions indicate his intent to distance himself from WP. He opined that even if Dr Poh were to turn up on Nomination Day, it is unlikely that he will swing the votes significantly. It would be important to address the concerns of voters by achieving a good balance in the debate of ?local' as well as ?national' issues.
Lianhe Zaobao