The National Day Rally 2016 on Aug. 21 was Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's 13th shot at addressing the nation with multi-language speeches and colourful slides and videos.

This year, however, PM Lee was feeling a tad unwell on stage and that made everyone's heart drop but he came back after a break and pulled off what he had to do and all is well.

This much and more I learnt from Twitter, which reduced a four-and-half hour Sunday night extravaganza into a smattering of 140-character tweets that still made sense of things.

Here is everything I know about National Day Rally 2016 that I learnt from Twitter:

 

1. PM Lee was doing something uncharacteristic this year:

I had to adjust my TV, I thought I saw wrong, PM Lee is wearing blue tonight. #NDRSG

— hao yang (@goodgoat) August 21, 2016

Also, looks a tad too big on him

— Mr Mo (@zimmmmo) August 21, 2016

 

2. PM Lee knows how to ride on cultural phenomenons:

@leehsienloong outstanding PokemonGo joke in the speech Sir. ? #NDRSG

— Nick (@ihawkNick) August 21, 2016

LOL! PM just did a Pokemon Go reference!!! #NDRSG

— MissHope (@Hopeily) August 21, 2016

 

3. PM Lee was slaying with his command of Bahasa Melayu:

PM's Malay really high standard sia gerek siol #ndrsg

— Audi Khalid (@AudiKhalid) August 21, 2016

When PM's command in Malay Language is better than mine. #ndrsg

— Siti Rafidah (@fifidada) August 21, 2016

Fuh. That peribahasa I also don't understand ?? #NDRSG

— s_hadi14 (@1ionsx) August 21, 2016

Damn sad to be on the train, missing the Malay portion of #NDRSG. It's my yearly dose of grammatical, high level Malay.

— Lynn Chan (@lynnylchan) August 21, 2016

4. PM Lee was talking about Malaysia but was clearly holding back:

Come on come on take a dig at 1MDB DO IT #NDRsg

— Slash! (@psy_lsh) August 21, 2016

 

5. PM Lee was clearly a cunning linguist:

#NDRSG: In non-elex years, Lee likes to use 'we', suggesting solidarity with people. Govt is referred as 'the govt' and not 'my govt'.

— Bhavan Jaipragas (@jbhavan) August 21, 2016

#NDRSG: In elex years, we saw heavier use of "I" -- denoting authority, leadership. Govt referred to w inclusive "we" eg."we in govt"...

— Bhavan Jaipragas (@jbhavan) August 21, 2016

#NDRSG: Over the yrs, Lee has reduced use of 'deontic modalities': exhortations like "we have to" "must". Now more usage of "should", can".

— Bhavan Jaipragas (@jbhavan) August 21, 2016

love how PM Lee uses solely masculine pronouns when discussing a hypothetical president #ndrsg

— harshini (@sunfIowerfranta) August 21, 2016

 

6. PM Lee spoke clearly enough for citizens to offer clear-headed solutions:

The best way to help Taxi drivers is to reduce their taxi rental rates #NDRSG

— Darryl Kang (@dk) August 21, 2016

 

7. However, speeches can be tiring (especially if you have to get up early in the mornings):

Oi the lady beside Schooling's mom is sleeping. #ndrsg

— Audi Khalid (@AudiKhalid) August 21, 2016

8. Someone else besides PM Lee was slaying in Mandarin though:

Dear #NDRSG Chinese translator, please go easy on the slang. Kthxbye

— Melvin (@melvinlhm) August 21, 2016

 

9. Maybe that's why PM Lee was slaying in Behasa Melayu:

#NDRSG: I'd say it's very fair to say Lee's speech so far heavily hints at preference for next EP to be a Malay. Who might it be?

— Bhavan Jaipragas (@jbhavan) August 21, 2016

 

10. Technical difficulties were experiencing PM Lee:

So...the live streams of #NDRSG on both FB and youtube has either been deleted, or gone private...

— Alfie! (@_Alfieee) August 21, 2016

 

11.Then PM Lee returned to slaying after his short break:

Crowd laughing and cheering at all of Lee Hsien Loong's jokes now. #ndrsg

— Elizabeth Law (@lizzlaw_) August 21, 2016

 

12. PM Lee still made Singaporeans concerned, nonetheless:

Can someone make PM Lee sit down please! #ndrsg

— Xaviere (@ixaviere) August 21, 2016

 

13. A Malaysian was made concerned too:

Heard that you're not feeling well. I hope you're all right. Get well soon @leehsienloong.

— Mohd Najib Tun Razak (@NajibRazak) August 21, 2016

14. But PM Lee still had it in him to make everyone feel included:

@leehsienloong JUST SIGNED COUNT ON ME SINGAPORE AT #NDR2016 #ndrsg yay for integration!! ??

— అరjun (@v_arjun) August 21, 2016

 

15. And make quick work of what he had to do:

He finished his speech in 15 minutes. Power la PM! #ndrsg

...now please go rest.

— Evil SANTA; PUNisher (@sanzochan) August 21, 2016

 

16. By the time he ended he got more people watching than when he started (only 2.1k live earlier)

?????????????????????? #NDRSG #NDR2016 pic.twitter.com/d13qkZ7LiN

— ☁ See Ting Chun ☁ (@seetingchun) August 21, 2016

 

17. And left everyone with something to chew on:

Wishes also must save for a rainy day. Because we are Singapore. #ndrsg #NDR2016 pic.twitter.com/eidEbgloi6

— mrbrown (@mrbrown) August 21, 2016

 

Related articles:

Everything you need to know about the 2016 National Day Rally in 90 seconds

PM Lee was dehydrated, ‘did not have a stroke’: PMO statement

Reform Party’s Kenneth Jeyaretnam had a ‘brainstorm’, tweets inappropriate tweet

PM Lee looked visibly jovial after returning on stage. Here’s what he said.

Those watching National Day Rally 2016 on YouTube had a lot to say when PM Lee was speaking

 

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