At any electoral race, you can’t discount the benefits of putting your best faces forward. While it doesn’t guarantee a victory, a photogenic politician’s confidence and presence can sometimes change the tides in his or her party’s favour.
Even if voters don’t get to meet these politicians in person, their video interviews can strike a chord with the electorate.
Of course, anything can happen between now until polling day. Current Marine Parade MP Tin Pei Ling for instance, found that out the hard way at the last elections in 2011.
Then 27, Tin was fielded by People’s Action Party (PAP) in hopes that a younger political voice might win the votes of the younger electorate. But the plan backfired, when netizens and voters criticised the young candidate for her inexperience and conduct at interviews.
Will the coming elections become a battle of personalities? From the new faces to current members of parliament, we play our hand at predicting the likely ‘aunty killers’ and charismatic politicians that might just steal the show at the coming elections.
Darryl David
Image: Yahoo Singapore
He’salready a recognisable face to many Singaporeans. His claim to fame: he hosted The Pyramid Game, a popular television show in the 90s.
The 44-year-oldwill be contesting the Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency (GRC), as part of the People’s Action Party (PAP) team led by incumbent prime minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Although apolitical newbie, the photogenic PAP candidate’s media savvy (he has 22 yearsof experience in media and communications) could come in handy in tricky interviews.
His abilityto speak in Mandarin and Hokkien might just endear him to the older Chinese voters as well. The politician, who is of Indian and Chinese descent, told The Straits Times that he learnt the dialect from his maternal grandmother.
Currently the deputy director of Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Design, the educator has served as District Councillor for the North-East Community Development Council since 2009. He has also volunteered his time at Red Cross and other charitable non-profit groups.
Desmond Choo
Image: Yahoo Singapore file photo
In 2012, the Financial Times called this boyish-looking former policeman an ‘auntie killer’, who might just win the Hougang seat at the by-elections that year.
He didn’t; the PAP candidate lost to current MP Png Eng Huat from WP. He was also defeated at the 2011 elections when he contested for Hougang.
Choo’s persistence however, might finally pay off outside of the opposition stronghold in Hougang. For the coming elections, the 37-year-old will be fielded for Tampines GRC. As they say, the third time might prove to be the charm.
Choo has also been working the ground in Tampines,since his appointment as second adviser for the Tampines East grassroots in 2014. Outside of his political involvement, Choo also works as director of youth development for NationalTrades Union Congress (NTUC).
Chen Show Mao
With his credentials, the opposition politician was seen as the Workers’ Party (WP) trump card at the 2011 elections, when he won with 54.7 per cent of votes as partof the WP team for Aljunied GRC.
The corporate lawyer also came across as down-to-earth and sincere at walkabouts. At rallies, the 54-year-old is known to speak in English and Mandarin, withbits of Malay and Hokkien in his speeches.
Fluent in Mandarin as well as English, Chen’s language abilities have also helped the WP win over the older Chinese heartlanders; Chen was born in Taiwan and has been a Singapore citizen since 1986.
One of the most immediate challenges for Chen and the WP team includes the ongoing Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) financial saga. As one of the key WP figures, how Chen handles the situation in this upcoming electoral race may just sway or turn the voters in his favour.
He will defend his Aljunied seat at the coming elections.
Dr Lily Neo
Image: Lily Neo/ Facebook
Polished and articulate, this PAP politician has been vocal in her support for financial schemes for low-income families and the elderly. The 62-year-old currently serves as MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC.
Her outspoken stance for such bread and butter issues could continue to win her support for the next general election. One parliamentary session in 2007 even saw the usually calm Dr Neo flare up against minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan’s comments that increased funds for public assistance scheme might erode the incentive to work.
At the coming elections, Dr Neo will contest the Jalan Besar GRC with Communications and Information minister Yaacob Ibrahim.
Baey Yam Keng
Image: Baey Yam Keng/ Facebook
He’s got young fans on Facebook and Instagram, plus a reputation as an ‘auntie killer’.Could that work to his benefit at the coming elections too?
The 44-year-old has served as MP for two terms thus far; his first term in Tanjong Pagar and his second as one of the current MPs for Tampines GRC.
He is also one of the most active Singapore politicians on Instagram. His selfies even made the news in 2013, when local culture and entertainment website Popspoken crowned him its current ‘selfie crush’. To date, the politician has over 10,500 followers on Instagram and over 13,800 fans on Facebook.
At the last election, the 40-year-old was elected into the Tampines constituency, as part of the PAP team which won 57.22 per cent of total votes cast, beating the team sent by National Solidarity Party (NSP).
He will be defending his seat in Tampines GRC.
Teo Ser Luck
Image: Teo Ser Luck/ Facebook
This 47-year-old PAP politician is also a big fan of ‘group-fies’ (self-timed group photos), winning him support among the younger electorate.
On Facebook, the Pasir Ris-Punggol MP is oft pictured in the midst of taking a self-timed group shot with students and residents. He’s also known for his humorous hashtags, peppered with Singlish phrases and self-deprecating remarks.
And like Baey, Teo is also a fitness enthusiast. Teo however gained brief notoriety in March this yearfor the workout he dedicated to Singapore’s first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew. Some netizens saw the gesture as inappropriate in light of Lee’s passing.
Teo, who is also the Minister of State for Trade and Industry, has served as a MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol for two terms. He will contest in PAP’s team for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
Joan Pereira
PAP candidate Joan Pereira (left) with a resident from Bukit Merah. Image: Joan Pereira/ Facebook
Here’s another photogenic PAP candidate: Joan Pereira is one of two new faces to be fielded for the Tanjong Pagar GRC at the coming elections.
The 48-year-old has worked as a director at People’s Association for 25 years, before stepping down earlier this year. She is currently an assistant general manager at Temasek Cares, a non-profit charitable organisation founded by Temasek Holdings.
Pereira will be contesting for the Tanjong Pagar GRC, alongside incumbent MPs Indranee Rajah, Chan Chun Sing and Dr Chia Shi-Lu.
He Ting Ru
He Ting Ru (right) with a shopowner at Geylang Serai. Image: He Ting Ru/ Facebook
She’s young, photogenic and a corporate lawyer who comes across as thoughtful and articulate through her posts on Facebook.
He Ting Ru is one of the newest members from WP and has been active on the party walkabouts at Geylang Serai and Katong on Facebook, as of early August. These areas fall under the Marine Parade constituency, which the opposition party has said that it will contest for.
She currently serves as the secretary of the WP’s Youth Wing.
The 32-year-old has been unveiled as a WP candidate but has not been officially named as candidate for any specific constituency.
Kevryn Lim
NSP members Eugene Yeo and Kevryn Lim. Image: National Solidarity Party/ Facebook
As the youngest new member of National Solidarity Party (NSP), the 26-year-old been heralded as the possible new ‘Nicole Seah’, the ex-NSP member that made waves at the last 2011 elections.
To date, the former part-time model has also drawn online buzz for the sexy photos from her modelling portfolio. She currently runs EM.DM, an events management anddigital marketing company.
Although she has been seen on earlier walkabouts in the Marine Parade and Tampines constituencies, NSP has declined to comment on whether she will be fielded for the coming elections. Lim was notably absent at walkabouts recently due to a business trip.
Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com
