Dr. Chiang Hai Ding, former senior diplomat and MP, and NMP Prof. Tan Tai Yong drew the broad historical, legal, cultural palette of Singapore’s society on the eve of election.

Ambassador of Ukraine to Singapore Pavlo Sultansky during Q&A session raised the issue of undermining fundamentals of international law by the Russian Federation which annexed the Crimea and together with the terrorists organizations occupied part of Ukrainian East. Thus he asked the speakers whether national foreign policy influences the voters’ sympathies. Both speakers underscored that the relevant position of Singapore (unacceptability of the Russian aggression) is steadfast and well-known. Nonetheless, the political parties’ platforms do not contain the external agenda, as far as the foreign policy is the government’s prerogative. However, there was a remark by one of the discussants doubting that the absence of foreign policy component in political programs will remain unchanged; he half-jokingly reminded of 2011 GE failure of then Minister for Foreign Affairs.