GE2025: I went to my 1st rally as a 1st-time voter. Here's how it went.

If I'm being honest, I didn't know much about politics.

My recollection of the 2020 General Election was a couple of memes on social media ("East Coast plan", "cockles of my heart") and feeling bored at home as my family left me to go vote.

Since I couldn't vote anyway, was there even a point to learn about it?

It didn't help that I spent most of my life overseas for my studies — 17 years to be exact — which made Singapore politics so distant (both literally and figuratively) that I never bothered getting involved.

But five years have passed: I, like many other fellow Singaporeans, will head to the polls on May 3 to decide who will be our new Members of Parliament (MPs).

The nine-day campaign period is packed with events, from walkabouts to media doorsteps.

Yet perhaps one of the most exciting would be rallies.

It is where party candidates would take to the stage to convince spectators on why they should vote for them, and take sharp jabs at opposing parties with the aim to waver voters' trust.

So when I was asked to attend the Workers' Party's first physical rally in ten years on Apr. 24, I was curious and excited to see what it would be like.

And yes, for those wondering: my shoes were very much done for at the end.

Muddy fields and a lok lok stand

As I pulled into the venue, I could already sense the anticipation from spectators.

On the roads leading to the field along Anchorvale Crescent, where the rally was being held, many people chattered excitedly to one another as they walked in.

Even after the rally began, people continued to mill in.

There was also an ice-cream cart and a lok lok stand right outside of the field, which honestly felt pretty nostalgic.

The moment I stepped onto the field, my shoes sank into cold, wet mud, and I felt instant regret.

But there was no turning back now, so I continued to make my way to the stage.

Though grumbles could be heard behind me about how wet and muddy the field was, that didn't stop the curious onlookers from trudging their way down the path to get closer to the stage.

Cheers and jeers

I couldn't help but get caught up in the excitement too, as many cheered as candidates took to the stage, and also jeered as the names of opposing party candidates were mentioned.

At one point, one man shouted a vulgarity after the name of an opposing candidate was mentioned, which led to giggles erupting from those around them.

An older man, who appeared to be his father, good-naturedly slapped him on the back of his head.

Candidates also took a moment to speak in other languages, with one memorable moment being WP's Harpreet Singh speaking in Teochew.

Though my Teochew is non-existent, there was something very comforting about hearing a candidate speaking in the language I've grown accustomed to hearing my parents and grandparents talk in.

Even as the rally approached its end, spectators continued to be captivated by the candidates' speeches.

Before attending, part of me was worried that the rally might become rowdy as people got more riled up from the speeches.

Yet everyone kept a respectable distance and would just quietly give way to those who wanted to pass.

There were also many wholesome moments.

As Singaporeans slowly made their way out of the field, many strangers took it upon themselves to help others down the muddy slope so they wouldn't accidentally slip.

I even saw one man slowly leading an elderly couple out of the muck.

Unfortunately, my shoes didn't make it out of the rally unscathed.

A final decision on May 3

There was something heartwarming about seeing such a huge crowd at the rally, from the elderly to families with young children.

The number of younger supporters who showed up also surprised me, given the stereotype of these generations as being apolitical.

As I waited for the crowd to disperse before making our way home, we met a few WP supporters who struck up a conversation with us.

Though the interaction was brief, I couldn't help but admire how passionately they spoke about their lives and the things they've seen, which in turn influenced their choice to support WP.

It made me curious to go to more rallies, not just to hear what these politicians and potential candidates have to say, but to hear why these spectators decided to take time out of their days to attend these events.

What made them interested in these parties? What do they hope to learn from the speeches? What do they see in these politicians that makes them think they would be a good fit to represent the residents in parliament?

As someone naturally cautious, I often felt that politics was something only accessible to the elite or academics.

Yet attending the rally made me see that politicians and their supporters are just as human as the rest of us.

As the rallies end, a bigger moment approaches — when every Singaporean must decide who they trust to lead.

Ultimately, the final decision rests in the hands of every Singaporean voter.

So perhaps, you're like me, who thinks politics is too intimidating, too complicated, too confusing, to get into.

It's okay, try anyway.

Let's make sure we know exactly who we're placing our bets on when we head to the polls on May 3.

Top photos by Amber Tay