The People's Action Party (PAP) unveiled its first slate of eight candidates for the impending General Election (GE), on the morning of June 24.

The candidates were introduced by the party's first assistant secretary-general Heng Swee Keat in the first session, and PAP vice-chairman Masagos Zulkifli in the second.

The eight candidates hail from diverse backgrounds, aged between 30 and 50, with some having already been serving the community prior to GE.

Heng, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, added during the virtual press conference that the four candidates he introduced are likely familiar faces to numerous Singaporeans, while Masagos added that the slate of candidates introduced earlier in the day shows the merits of meritocracy.

While you might have learnt about their credentials from their introductory speeches, here are five observations of this first slate of eight candidates from the morning press conference on 24 June.

Type of online press conference: Live, via Zoom

How long: Zoom Pro account - Within an hour per session

Press Conference Participants: Heng Swee Keat + four new candidates + lots of media personnel, followed by Masagos Zulkifli + another four new candidates + slight fewer media personnel

1. Many of them highlighted their humble beginnings

One trait that stood out was that a number of new PAP candidates introduced today came from humble backgrounds, something which was brought up in their individual speeches.

Former chief executive director of the People's Association (PA) Desmond Tan Kok Ming, who was also a brigadier-general in the Singapore Armed Forces, described himself as someone who came from a simple family.

Tan, whose father was a taxi driver and mother a factory worker, grew up in a three-bedroom flat with hand-me-down books and uniforms, and subsequently attended a neighbourhood school, Queenstown Secondary School.

Keppel Offshore and Marine General Manager Ivan Lim Shaw Chuan shared that he lived in a rental flat in Henderson for over 30 years, and started work at the tender age of 16. Lim said that his parent's hard work taught him not to take things for granted.

Bank employee Don Wee Boon Hong, came from a "less privileged background" and had lived in a rental flat.

Hany Soh Hui Bin, who studied in the Normal Academic stream in a neighbourhood secondary school, then went on to become the director of a law firm.

Perhaps PAP would like to show Singapore that these candidates are exemplary of the success of meritocracy and they will be able to relate and empathise with Singaporeans especially during this trying period.

As Wee acknowledged in his introduction, he said, "as a beneficiary of Singapore's meritocratic system, he wants to give back to the community and help the less privileged".

2. Adopting a different strategy?

A stark difference between GE2020 and GE2015 is the way the PAP unveiled its candidates this time round.

During previous elections, PAP introduced all its candidates and the respective Group Representation Constituency (GRC) that they would be contesting in well before the Nomination Day.

This had shed some light on the ground support that the team had garnered, the team dynamics and even the party's strategy.

Back in 2015, the Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen admitted it as "a radical change" in response to public feedback but said that it was a "better politics".

"We believe that this is better politics. It's better to tell the residents up front who is standing in their constituency so they can examine on record, what the candidates have done and can do. (The residents) can make intelligent choices after examining the political parties which are standing, and who can better serve them."

Is PAP reverting to a cautious approach to introducing their new candidates?

While much speculation have been floating around, it remains uncertain which GRCs or SMCs these eight candidates introduced will be contesting in.

Every batch of new candidates was led by a seasoned Central Executive Committee member and the press conference was kept within an hour.

How they were grouped? Why were they introduced by Heng and Masagos respectively? Are the candidates in the same team as the two ministers (probably not - because both ministers are in Tampines GRC team)? Would PAP only reveal the exact GRCs that its candidates are contesting on Nomination Day?

With only six days to the Nomination Day on June 30, it indeed would not take too long for the answers to be revealed.

When asked by the media when the contestants for each GRC would be announced, Heng kept the suspense and urged the media to be patient.

"The party HQ is finalising the deployments, and of course we have been putting our candidates on the ground for a while now...

...So in a few days time you will know."

3. Even more SAF candidates to come?

Out of the initial eight candidates revealed, two spent their formative years in the SAF: ex-Brigadier General Desmond Tan, and ex-Colonel Mohd Fahmi Bin Aliman.

Historically, the upper echelons of the SAF had always been a ripe harvesting ground for fresh political faces, and this year is likely to be no exception.

This is a likely indicator that more SAF candidates will be unveiled in the near future.

For example, there are already rumours that Singapore's first woman general, Gan Siow Huang, may be contesting in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC during GE2020.

There is also talk of former RSAF helicopter pilot and Vice-President of Changi Airport Group Poh Li San standing in Sembawang GRC, and NDP 2018 Parade Commander Shawn Ingkiriwang walking the ground in Jurong GRC.

However, interestingly enough, not all the SAF candidates stepping forward this year have served as flag officers yet (wearing one "star" or more on their epaulettes).

In 2015, current Labour Chief Ng Chee Meng entered politics after serving as Singapore's Chief of Defence Force and as a Lieutenant-General, making him highest-ranking officer to join the ruling party.

In 2011, Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing was a Major-General and served as Singapore's Chief of Army from 2010 to 2011 prior to his stint in politics, while Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin was a Brigadier-General before he entered politics.

Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean was a Rear-Admiral and Chief of Navy from 1991 to 1992 before entering Parliament himself.

Time will tell whether more among the senior SAF leadership will be stepping up to join the PAP over the next few days.

4. Didn't stop at two

The government has been actively encouraging citizens to have more children in recent years, instead of stopping at two, due to its aging population.

During a joint ministerial media conference in August 2019, Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo urged Singaporeans to "start early", and have larger families, in order to raise Singapore's Total Fertility Rate (TFR).

The new candidates are certainly walking the talk.

Half of the new candidates have three children or more, with former civil servant Yip Hon Weng boasting the largest family, with five children:

• Desmond Tan Kok Ming, 50 - Three children
• Mohd Fahmi Bin Aliman, 48 - Four children
• Ivan Lim Shaw Chuan, 42 - Four children
• Yip Hon Weng, 43, - Five children

During the press conference, Yip touched upon his sizeable number of children, claiming that it was an intentional choice to reflect his faith in Singapore's future.

"A question I get a lot of the time is, why did I choose to have so many children? Well, just to share, me and my wife [sic], we both love kids. But more importantly, I have five children because I have confidence in Singapore's future," said Yip.

Two for replacement level, one for the country, one for the PAP, one for Singapore's future?

5. Start the ball rolling on a serious note but end the day with a lighthearted session

The two sessions were conducted one after another and one was able to feel the contrast in the mood of the two sessions, chaired by Heng and Masagos respectively.

Heng who started the ball rolling with the very first batch of four candidates in the earlier session was all business.

He led off the session by explaining why the upcoming election is a critical one, and how it would profoundly shape Singapore's future, before introducing the "very interesting and diverse slate of candidates".

He then introduced the candidates in a very detailed and thorough manner, listing out their various achievements and accolades in succession, before handing over the time to them.

Masagos, on the other hand, took a slightly more light-hearted approach to his introduction.

Keeping his opening address short, he passed on the time almost immediately to the candidates, although not before making a witty comment or two.

"I would like to begin the introduction first with Hany Soh Hui Bin. I want to introduce her for three special reasons. Of course, ladies first. Secondly, it is also her birthday. So, happy birthday Hany. And thirdly, Hany is very passionate about hospitality", said Masagos.

He continued to warmly bridge the introductions between candidates throughout the session, pointing out small similarities between himself and the various candidates.

For example, he said that he and Fahmi were both engineers, which is why he "took a liking to him immediately".

He also pointed out that both Yip and himself love children. Having four children himself, Masagos jokingly warned Yip that it will be a "difficult journey".

Perhaps being the very first session, Heng chose to set a formal tone to assure Singaporeans that their choice of candidates was thoughtful. The backgrounds of the first four candidates in Heng's session were also much more distinctive than the later session.

Adding on to that, perhaps the party was also mindful of the long period that media folks had to sit through in the early morning, it might be strategic for Masagos to also liven up the second session so as to retain the attention and interest for the subsequent four candidates.

As an elder, Heng was perhaps more anxious for the candidates given this is their first official press conference as he quickly put a stop to the question on when the party will reveal what GRCs these candidates will be contesting in, after Tan answered that "he will let the party decide where to deploy him".

Masagos, on the other hand, was not only more friendly with the candidates but also appeared more relaxed during the session.

During the session, he was asked about Lee Hsien Yang's latest move to join the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), and whether the PAP expects him to contest in the upcoming election.

True to the mood of the session, Masagos took the question with a smile.

"We don't know, and we won't speculate whether he will be running as a candidate," said Masagos, as he concluded the session.

Short and sweet.

Top image via PAP.

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