August 14, 04:35 PM 
514 Chai Chee Lane 03-16, Singapore 469029 Photos by Lim Weixiang unless otherwise stated.
On Friday morning, the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) officially introduced its second group of new candidates — this time for Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) — in the coming General Election.
The team is led by National Development Minister and PAP Chairman Khaw Boon Wan.
Joining the five-member GRC are corporate lawyer Amrin Amin and Keppel Corporation director Ong Ye Kung, with MP Lim Wee Kiat joining the team from Nee Soon GRC.
The two retiring MPs are Senior Parliamentary Secretary Hawazi Daipi and two-term MP Ellen Lee.
Here are 5 observations from how the savvy Sembawang GRC team introduced themselves:
1. Their interesting choice of venue
The candidates were unveiled at the Sunshine Welfare Action Mission Home in Sembawang, a venue that was picked because the PAP had already booked the location for a dialogue with residents on the same day.
It was quiet, serene, complete with idyllic-looking backdrops for group photos:
Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
And plenty of space for media to sit (see point 2). The location of their press conference is also positioned, we're not sure if intentionally, beside and below a resting area for the home's residents:
Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
The venue had a spacious room for their residents' dialogue session as well:
Photo by Jeanette Tan
And what's a well-organised event without makan, right?
Chicken rice balls and laksa, leh. (Photo by Jeanette Tan)
And just when we were starting to worry they would ignore all the elderly folk living there amid their busy schedules, the PAP team went round greeting several (strategically placed) residents at the home, handing out goodie bags:
Photo by Jeanette Tan
Photo ops abound indeed.
2. They took a more inclusive approach, inviting non-mainstream media to cover the event.
Compare this:
To this hot mess, just two days ago:
Minister Khaw opened the session by saying that he heard that there were about 60 members of the media at the PAP Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC introduction, adding that he hoped his chosen venue can accommodate all the media comfortably.
Not only was there much better consideration for the media, Khaw's team also extended invites to reporters from Yahoo Singapore, Mothership.sg and The Middle Ground to the event. Minister Khaw also entertained a question from The Middle Ground's Bertha Henson, wishing her "all the best" in her new venture.
2. The strong performance of potential Minister Ong Ye Kung and a competent introduction by Amrin Amin.
Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
Are you taking notes, Chee Hong Tat? Now this is how a Minister-calibre MP re-introduces himself to the public.
Ong, 45, stole the show with a commanding performance in both English and Mandarin.
Before anyone could even say the words "Aljunied GRC", the savvy candidate began his speech by thanking his Kaki Bukit residents and volunteers there for introducing him to public life.
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Ong also pre-emptively spoke about his 2011 electoral defeat:
"What have I learnt from 2011? There are big lessons and there are smaller lessons. The big lesson, I think Minister Khaw has mentioned, is that we never take things for granted. Today's population and how people feel towards politics, I think it's different from the past.
Nothing can be taken for granted. I don't think people want total dominance, so therefore Ministers can lose their seats. So if you are prepared to come into politics and try to do something for residents, understand that there is the situation. Do it with your heart and soul, do it with your eyes open. That I think is the biggest lesson. If you face a defeat, if you face a loss, never let one loss become a defeat. Never let one setback become a failure. And do your best, always overcome it."
Corporate lawyer Amrin Amin, 36, also had a good soundbite during his introduction, "I had an ordinary life but was blessed to have extraordinary people around me".
3. Minister Khaw offered a new vision for Sembawang
Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
Minister Khaw told the media that the team will "focus on doing what is right, doing what is needed for the residents".
He also spoke about good politics, emphasising good values such as "character, honesty, integrity".
Interestingly, he only made reference to the $620 million in "political donations" made to Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak in his comments about politics and character — he also left out the petty politicking of throwing shade or making snide remarks about what opposition parties are doing around the rest of the island, even respectably noting the National Solidarity Party's interest in contesting the GRC.
Photo by Jeanette Tan
More importantly, Khaw's team also set up various exhibition boards along the corridors outside the venue for the residents' town hall session that gave the attendees and media an idea of what the public and residents can expect to see in Sembawang in the near future, such as improved amenities and better facilities, including a new swimming complex and a polyclinic. These were also played out on TV screens:
Photo by Jeanette Tan
All this was regrettably non-existent in the Bishan-Toa Payoh PAP introduction.
4. No awkward bows or tributes by the team to the retiring MP
Compare this
To this:
Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
Much more sensible, we say. They learn fast, thankfully.
5. But what's up with the rehearsed viewing of the koi fish?
It was quite a "caption-this" moment — they were walking toward the press conference venue, and all of a sudden, Ong stopped, and pointed...
Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
at these:
Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
"Do you think the otters might manage to find these guys?"
And just like that — photo op:
Photo by Lim Weixiang for Mothership.sg
Let's see how the party introduces the rest of their folks in the coming weeks. We'll be there if we can!
Top photo by Lim Weixiang.
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