SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be holding a lunchtime rally at noon on Monday (July 6), which will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube.

He will be speaking about the stakes in this election and how the ruling People's Action Party can meet the challenges ahead.

In a Facebook post on Sunday (July 5), Mr Lee noted that he spoke at the PAP's lunchtime rally at Fullerton Square back in his first election in 1984.

"Every election, rain or shine, the PAP holds a lunchtime rally at Fullerton. It is the highlight of the campaign. Pandemic or no, we will again hold a Fullerton rally this time, but it will be online," he wrote.

Singapore faces a new, entirely different set of challenges today, 36 years since his first election, Mr Lee said.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated this. Its fallout will leave a lasting impact on Singapore and the world."

The "Fullerton Rally" is a tradition of the ruling party, and was started by founding secretary-general Lee Kuan Yew in 1959 to reach out to English-educated white-collar workers.

The original site where the rally was held, in Fullerton Square near the old General Post Office, has seen some of the biggest election rallies over the decades by both the PAP and opposition parties.

In recent elections since 1996, the "Fullerton Rally" has been held at the UOB Plaza promenade in Boat Quay, a stone's throw away from the original location.

"This election is arguably our most critical one since independence," Mr Lee said.

"The next Government needs the people's strong support, to make difficult decisions, to lead Singapore safely through this crisis and beyond."