5 observations and 5 GIFs that sum up PAP’s unveiling of their manifesto

It was a slick and well-organised launch.

Ng Yi Shu| August 30, 10:55 AM

All photos by Catherine Sim unless otherwise stated

The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) held its unveiling of their manifesto on a grand scale yesterday (Aug 29) morning in what was perhaps the National Day Rally part 2.

The only difference? Most participants were dressed in party whites (except the media and security).

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Busloads of nearly 1,000 PAP activists filled the main soundstage at Infinite Studios, where the PAP unveiled their slogan for the coming General Election, 'With You, For You, For Singapore’.

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Here are 5 observations we had of PAP’s unveiling:

1. We saw the new candidates, again - this time introduced by PM Lee himself.

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The PAP has been releasing names of party candidates and the constituencies they will contest in after National Day, flying in the face of tradition, where candidates are only confirmed on Nomination Day.

Thus the PAP’s slate of 89 candidates were introduced, with candidates of WP-held Aljunied and Punggol East being introduced only the day before (Aug 27).

The PAP’s slate of 24 new candidates were introduced one by one to the party members by PAP secretary-general Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong himself - which elicited an ‘aww’ from the audience.

But the focus was on the suicide squad - the candidates sent to the WP-held wards. Two of them - Punggol East candidate Charles Chong and Aljunied GRC candidate Muralidharan Pillai - had spoken at the start of the manifesto unveiling.

Chong, the current Joo Chiat MP, blasted WP’s campaign slogan - ‘Empowering Your Future’, and said that Singaporeans should also ‘express their views’ on the performance of the opposition.

“We have been told that the vote for the opposition will be a vote to empower future Singaporeans. But if we empower the wrong people, there will be no future for Singaporeans,” he said.

The PAP’s ‘suicide squad’ also received special mention by PM, especially veteran MPs Yeo Guat Kwang and Charles Chong.

“(Yeo and Chong) said, where the party needs me, I will serve… I’m delighted you asked me,” the PM said. “I assured them that where the party sends them, we will back them up fully.”

He added that he will be making an appearance at their rallies during the campaigning period.

There was also a focus on the potential ministers in the slate of new candidates. PM Lee hinted that the next Prime Minister is in the current group of new candidates - something he also mentioned in the last General Election.

2. A slick and emotional video which PM Lee narrated excellently

In a two minute and 34 second video, the party slickly summarised the main point of their manifesto -that they have achieved peace and prosperity throughout the past 50 years.

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The video had idealistic appeals and sought to evoke a sense of SG50 nostalgia - it felt like a Social Studies lesson, narrated by the PM himself.

“As we look inwards, to take care of our poor and aged, can we also look outwards, to tackle climate change? Can we be the city of tomorrow?” PM Lee said. Whatever the world throws at us, we will overcome."

“Citizens rightly expect a lot from their leaders. The People’s Action Party measures its success by results.”

The star of the video? The familiar voice of PM Lee.

3. The PAP is seen as redoubling their efforts in retaking WP-held wards

A disproportionate focus was on the candidates for WP-held wards, who were announced two days ago. Town council management was mentioned over and over during the manifesto’s unveiling by both the ‘suicide squad’ and PM Lee himself.

PM_Lee_manifesto Photo by Ng Yi Shu

“If you are gulled by what they say, and they win a constituency, they will run your town council - and if they run it like AHPETC, who knows where your S&CC (Service and Conservancy Charges) money will go,” said PM Lee. “And if the Opposition combined, wins enough seats to run the Government like they run their town councils, Singapore is sunk!”

On the candidates standing in WP-held wards, PM Lee said: “We know you (the candidates) can do a good job to win over voters and to run the town council honestly and efficiently, to solve residents’ problems, to voice voters’ concerns and problems in Parliament."

4. The PAP is really banking on the past fifty years to win the election

SG50 was mentioned a total of seven times throughout PM Lee’s speech.

The PM opened his speech with a mention of the Jubilee year - recounting Singapore history intertwined with the PAP’s, like the party’s launch, independence struggles, and various other crises. Singapore is at a turning point, with the older generation who have experienced the ‘turbulent years’ now the minority, he said.

He added that he sought a ‘fresh and strong’ mandate from the people ‘to take Singapore forward’, reminding Singaporeans that the coming General Election will have all seats hotly contested. “We are dealing with the issues and overcoming our challenges, but we are far from done,” he said. “That is why I need a fresh and strong mandate from you.”

New leaders that are voted in will work with Singaporeans for the next 15-20 years, he said. “We have arrived at SG50 because of good leadership,” he continued, recounting his two bouts of cancer - the latest one which occurred earlier this year. “Time is ticking… I have to have a team that is ready to take over from us.”

5. With You, For You, For Singapore? 

Yup, that's the role of smartphones for PAP politicians these days.

PM Lee taking a photo of the speakers.

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PM Lee takes a photo, the rest of the MPs follow.

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Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, MP Baey Yam Keng, and Speaker Halimah Yacob live-tweeting the conference perhaps.

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Related articles:

Everything you need to know about the People’s Action Party Manifesto 2015 in 60 seconds

Everything you need to know about PM Lee’s speech at the PAP manifesto launch in 60 seconds