Singaporeans wonder if PAP’s ‘new faces’ will bring ‘something different to the table’

SINGAPORE: A Mar 31 (Monday) article in The Straits Times (ST) about the possible new candidates to be fielded by the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) received a lot of attention online, with netizens in Singapore having a lot to say on the matter.

The piece said that ST had identified about 30 new possible candidates, among whom are “senior civil servants, C-suite executives, and long-serving grassroots volunteers.”  With the PAP likely to bring in 24 to 32 new faces, and based on ST’s analysis, the trend is toward fielding more women, which Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he would do. The ruling party is also likely to bring younger candidates, and ST said that the average age of the new faces on the ground is 40.5 years old.

While many commenters said that diversity would be welcome, they nevertheless raised a number of questions.

One Reddit user appeared concerned about being unfamiliar with the new potential candidates, writing, “I hope these new faces start giving more interviews and start building their presence and rapport asap.”

They feel the campaign period is too short, writing that there isn’t enough time “for us voters to familiarise with these new candidates and their views and if they more of the same or actually bringing something different to the table. Like now, when I watch parliament, I barely recognise more than a quarter of the faces.”

A Facebook user wrote, “I rather want to know (if these) new faces have answers to the rising cost and future of our kids. Get them to debate on current news. This is the 21st century; are they equipped with the knowledge to counter all these problems and the future of Singapore? We are talking about human lives, not a fanfare walk around and posing like models. How (can we) trust these new faces when they are mute like a mouse!”

A commenter who calls themself a “concerned citizen” asked, “How many elected representatives truly speak up for us, ordinary Singaporeans? What does Singapore really need right now? We need representatives that really know the ground well.”

Another commented that if new candidates “are genuinely interested in people’s well-being, we would have seen them repeatedly at community events, way before election.”

One chimed in to say that it would be unlikely to see “young people with new ideas” in the ruling party, as they would be more likely to end up in the private sector or overseas.

“I mean, sure they could have some ideas for change, but by and large, it will be groupthink. Truly creative types, for starters, wouldn’t align with post-WW2 one-party rule,” the commenter continued. /TISG

Read also: ‘More of the same?’: Singaporeans react to 3rd senior civil servant as possible PAP candidate