‘Maybe take notes instead?’— Ex-MP Carrie Tan’s paper crane confession divides Singaporeans over focus in Parliament

SINGAPORE: Former People’s Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament Carrie Tan has come under fire online after revealing that she folded paper cranes and did cross-stitch during lengthy parliamentary debates to help herself stay focused.

Tan shared the reflection in a TikTok video posted on July 27, looking back on her five years in Parliament and the challenges she faced sitting through long debates.

In the caption accompanying the video, she admitted that she had initially tried to be what she described as an “obedient” MP who remained attentive throughout every parliamentary sitting, but found that approach did not work for her.

“Fun fact: I once tried to be the ‘obedient’ MP who listens attentively through every Parliament session. Failed pretty badly at that,” she wrote.

Speaking in the video, Tan said she often felt mentally drained after sitting through hours of parliamentary proceedings.

“I was just sitting there feeling really frustrated… and wondering why am I sitting here for hours?” she said.

She explained that despite listening throughout the debates, she frequently found herself having to revisit the proceedings afterwards because she struggled to remember everything that had been discussed.

“I often had to re-read what I had heard in Parliament after sessions ended,” she said, adding that she even questioned herself by asking: “Is there something wrong with me?”

Tan said she eventually realised that keeping her hands occupied helped her maintain her concentration.

“I started bringing in coloured paper to fold paper cranes and… I started to cross-stitch,” she said.

According to Tan, the repetitive hand movements helped her remain mentally engaged with the debates instead of becoming distracted.

She acknowledged that she was initially worried her actions might be inappropriate or attract criticism from parliamentary leaders or fellow MPs.

“Half the time I’m thinking, ‘Is anybody going to scold me?’ ‘Is the Prime Minister going to tell me that you’re not allowed to do this?'” she recalled.

Instead, Tan said colleagues who noticed her folding paper cranes or cross-stitching simply asked what she was doing rather than criticising her.

In the video’s caption, she stressed that the activities were never intended as distractions.

“Sometimes what looks like ‘not paying attention’ is really just someone trying to regulate their focus,” she wrote. “We all stay engaged differently. There’s no one right way to do it.”

Tan represented Nee Soon South in Nee Soon GRC from July 2020 until 2025 after entering Parliament as part of the PAP team led by veteran minister K Shanmugam. She stepped down ahead of the 2025 General Election.

While some appreciated her honesty, Tan’s confession comments sparked criticism online, with many social media users questioning whether folding paper cranes or cross-stitching during parliamentary proceedings was appropriate for an elected representative.

Several commenters argued that parliamentary debates required MPs’ full attention and suggested that taking notes would have been a more suitable way of staying engaged.

One commenter wrote: “Maybe instead of folding paper cranes, write down notes?”

Responding to the comment, Tan said she had tried taking notes but found that doing so shifted her attention towards recording information rather than listening for and processing the key arguments. She added that note-taking required “a different kind of listening.”

Others questioned whether the activities reflected the seriousness expected of an elected representative, arguing that MPs are chosen to scrutinise legislation and represent residents’ interests.

Some agreed that “MPs are paid to do that. Not sit in Parliament to doze off or fold paper cranes.” Others questioned whether Tan had fully understood the demands of parliamentary life before entering politics, with one commenter asking: “You didn’t know what you were signing up for?”

The discussion also turned to MPs’ monthly allowance, with several commenters arguing that taxpayers expected elected representatives to remain fully engaged throughout parliamentary sittings.

Some attempted to estimate what they believed Tan had received during her five-year parliamentary term, pointing out that she had earned a hefty $16,000 a month as an MP. 

One commenter asked, “So basically taxpayers paid almost $1m over five years for this?”

Another netizen said bluntly, “Waste of nation’s resources.”

Others suggested Parliament should introduce stricter attendance or participation requirements, while some questioned whether the overall number of MPs should be reduced.