All photos by Pandora Wong

The Workers' Party held its third press conference on Aug. 28, 2015, to unveil another four candidates:

Corporate lawyer He Ting Ru, 32

Property agent Ron Tan, 30

Polytechnic lecturer L. Somasundaram, 52

Businessman Adrian Sim, 43

This press con occurred barely 12 hours after Lianhe Zaobao, followed by The Straits Times, made highly libellous unverified accusations against WP candidate Daniel Goh.

Here are five observations I made that has given me grounds to believe the mainstream media knew full well they completely mucked things up and were displaying a guilty conscience:

1. Sylvia Lim and Png Eng Huat were cordial and gracious to the mainstream media reporters despite what happened

Before the start of the press con -- before any of the WP candidates arrived, there was an odious air of acrimony in the Workers' Party HQ where the media people were gathered.

Given what was reported, it's not surprising. Then again, it could have been the haze.

But when Sylvia Lim and Png Eng Huat started the session, instead of asking the Lianhe Zaobao reporter -- whose publication was the first to make the unverified accusations against Daniel Goh -- to identify herself and proceed to throw herself out of the second floor window, they acted like nothing happened and got on with the introducing-the-candidates programme.

Much professional.

This correctly confirms anyone's belief that the WP is really not the suing type. Unlike, you know, some other more litigious party.

2. The mainstream media stuck to asking boring mundane questions like they didn't want to further step on WP's toes

Once the formal candidate introductions were over and the reporters had to ask questions, the first question to all of the new candidates posed by a reporter was: "Why should voters vote for you?"

Hahaha?! Generic much?!

Why, Ms Mainstream Media Reporter, cat got your tongue?

3. Sylvia Lim was full of dirty looks. And it was great.

Some might say it is due to the wonderful prior media training they received. Others might say it is political acumen.

But it was clear as day that Sylvia Lim was at the top of her game.

She simply refused to answer a question deemed too senseless and pointless to warrant an answer.

At one point during the Q&A, she totally snubbed The New Paper reporter.

She shut him down by giving a look like he needed help because he soiled himself and said she did not need to answer his question. And she leaned back into her chair and moved on with taking the next question.

I chuckled out loud. The Online Citizen's Andrew Loh, who was sitting beside me, can confirm that LOL moment.

And get this: Not one person from the mainstream media protested that moment or pressed on for an answer. Mainly because they knew they had no right.

4. The defining moment the mainstream media reporters were sheepish and showed legitimate signs of guilty conscience

The typically quick-witted, Kor Kian Beng, who some say is the one and only hard-hitting reporter from The Straits Times, was reduced to asking but one question during the press con that doesn't even warrant a transcription.

Png Eng Huat, who more or less gave a non-answer to his query, looked at him and quipped: "I'm glad you finally asked a question."

And kind of didn't even bother to answer the question.

This was in stark contrast to Day One of the press con, where the ST reporter was sparring with WP chief Low Thia Khiang and making him think on his feet about what "Empower your Future" entails and if there is still a fear factor in Singapore society.

5. Corporate lawyer He Ting Ru was naturally made the centre of attention

It is clear where the media biases lie: On the second day of the press conference, it was Cheryl Denise Loh who stole the show.

At this third press conference, it was He Ting Ru who shone through and it helped that she is highly photogenic and verbose enough.