Here it is, the first night rally of GE2015 and a fitting “clash” between the incumbent, People’s Action Party (PAP) and the main opposition, The Workers’ Party (WP).
WP spoke at Hougang, while PAP spoke at Tanjong Pagar, both for similar symbolic reasons.
Hougang SMC is a stronghold of the Workers Party, having been under the charge of the WP Secretary-General, Low Thia Khiang for 20 years. Hougang remained a WP stronghold even after Mr Low left the constituency for loftier aims in the previous election — unlike a certain Potong Pasir.
Likewise for the PAP, Tanjong Pagar is the constituency of the late former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew since 1988. Holding their first rally there certainly is trying to bring up the Lee Kuan Yew-vibe in the coming General Election.
The WP rally was rather more densely populated than the PAP one.
However, it may be more important to hear what candidates said during the rallies, MustShareNews pick out 16 best quotes of the night from both parties.
People’s Action Party
Lee Hsien Loong
1. An Ideal Politician
Honest, capable, most of all these are people of integrity.
You can trust them.
Because in politics, its not just what you say, its not just how good you are at making a speech — not so hard to stand on a platform like this and look good.
Smile, wave a little bit, relax. Can — anybody can do that, train you — can. But if your heart is wrong, cannot be trained.
– PAP Ang Mo Kio GRC Candidate, Lee Hsien Loong
Watch Lee Hsien Loong animatedly giving us an illustration on how to “act” like a politician —
2. More BIG plans ahead
The PAP Secretary General let in on big plans for Tanjong Pagar to support the PAP.
We will have a big area [in Tanjong Pagar].
3 times size of Marina Bay & we will build something 3 times as beautiful as Marina Bay.
– Lee Hsien Loong
3. Lee Kuan Yew again
No surprise that Lee Kuan Yew name was brought up during the rally in the constituency of the late founding father.
Chan Chun Sing
4. Why be normal?
50 years on, we have tried so hard to build a special country for ourselves and for our children.
Why should we let go of this because someone else promise us to be average and normal?
– PAP Tanjong Pagar GRC Candidate, Chan Chun Sing
5. Accountability
Mr Chan makes it clear that his conscience is clear when he stands before Tanjong Pagar in the General Election.
Indranee Rajah
6. As a matter of fact….
[T]he Oppositions do not know you.
They do not know you like we do. They will not care for you, the same way as we do.
– PAP Tanjong Pagar GRC Candidate, Indranee Rajah
7. The special thing about Tanjong Pagar
We care for the people under our charge, we care for the people in our ward.
And we care for each and every single one of them who have come to see us.
That is the Tanjong Pagar Spirit.
– Indranee Rajah
8. Indranee in Cantonese
A Tamil lawyer speaking fluent Cantonese in Singapore?
The entire speech was pretty quote-worthy.
Note her Cantonese reply to a resident from 0:30 – 0:33 — she was totally not reading off the script.
The Workers’ Party
Cheryl Denise Loh
9. WP’s purpose
Our purpose is to better your life, not to oppose for the sake of opposing.
– WP Nee Soon GRC Candidate, Cheryl Denise Loh
Daniel Goh
10. Life is too short
On why he joined politics —
Life is too short and too special to be kiasu, kiasee, and kiagui (scared of ghost).
– WP East Coast GRC Candidate, Daniel Goh
11. On Education
Why he disagree with the Primary School Leaving Examination system —
[B]ecause 12-year-olds need to be encouraged, not to be sorted out like sheeps and goats.
– Daniel Goh
Yee Jenn Jong
12. What colour is Marine Parade?
[B]ecause Marine should be blue, not white
– WP Marine Parade Candidate, Yee Jenn Jong
13. Time to push back
[W]hen somebody pushes you around, you must fight back or else the bully will keep pushing you around.
– Yee Jenn Jong
Png Eng Huat
14. What is PAP fixing?
I guess fixing the Opposition is more important to the PAP than fixing the SMRT, the hospital bed shortage, and improving the Singaporean core in our workforce.
– WP Hougang SMC Candidate, Png Eng Huat
#WORD
Sylvia Lim
15. Hougang is special
WP Sylvia Lim declaring the symbolic status of Hougang.
Without Hougang, the Worker’s Party will not have Aljunied or Punggol East, we remember you, Hougang.
– WP Aljunied GRC Candidate, Sylvia Lim
Low Thia Khiang
16. PAP and the Aljunied – Hougang – Punggol East Town Council issue.
If we (the WP) had done anything wrong, we would all be in jail! If there was any corruption, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau would have checked on us — they couldn’t have let us off! [in Teochew]
– WP Aljunied GRC Candidate, Low Thia Khiang
Day 2 is today
There you go, the 16 most quote-worthy phrases from the Workers Party and the People Action Party on the first night of the election rallies.
Tonight, we will see 6 elections rallies across the island with other opposition parties also kicking off their rallies.
Its 9 days to Polling Day when you will decide the future of this nation.
Like this post and MustShareNews’ Facebook page to keep up with our posts!