Glaring Double Standard: Singaporean asks why failed PAP candidate’s face is plastered around Sengkang

SINGAPORE: In a much-shared May 27 Facebook post, a Singaporean highlighted a long-standing issue of former candidates from the People’s Action Party (PAP) standing as grassroots advisers in opposition-held wards.

Andrew Loh, who often writes socio-political content, shared photos of posters promoting subsidised “Sunrise Specials” breakfasts in Senkang that prominently feature Theodora Lai. Ms Lai, a venture capital firm co-founder, had been part of the PAP slate that lost in GE2025.

He pointed out that the posters, which can be found in public areas, carry the official logo of the People’s Association (PA), a statutory board funded entirely by public funds.

“This raises an immediate, uncomfortable question: Why is a defeated political candidate’s face plastered all over public infrastructure to promote a food discount?” wrote Mr Loh.

He took exception to Ms Lai benefiting from the posters, and cited Minister in charge of the PA Edwin Tong as having said in Parliament last month that Grassroots Advisers receive “no remuneration or other allowance or benefit.”

FB screengrab/ Andrew Loh

Pointing out that there are two such posters at SingPost lifts, a standee and a poster on the electronic notice board at the lift lobby, plus another poster at the Sengkang Community Club.

“Who pays for all this publicity for Ms Lai?” he asked, adding, “For a politician who contested and lost Sengkang GRC under the People’s Action Party (PAP) banner in the last election, face recognition is the ultimate currency.  Having your name, title, and smiling portrait systematically displayed in high-traffic public spaces—like post offices and HDB lifts—is an invaluable political benefit that money simply cannot buy.”

Calling it a “Glaring Double Standard,” Mr Loh also noted that Sengkang’s MPs, who were elected by residents, have been excluded from “these taxpayer-funded platforms,” and non-elected grassroots advisers are given access to community networks and public facilities, as well as “prominent advertising space.” 

“Residents deserve clear boundaries between state-funded community care and perpetual electioneering,” he added. 

The relationship between the PA, grassroots advisers, and opposition-held constituencies has been debated for decades, but especially since the Workers’ Party has won two GRCs, Aljunied and Sengkang, as well as held Hougang SMC for decades.

In 2019, CNA even called it a “perennial issue,” and in 2022, Jamus Lim’s post, wherein he said that Sengkang parents had written to him asking why he and the other Workers’ Party Members of Parliament had not been giving out Edusave awards, received a lot of attention.

Fb screengrab/ Jamus Lim

He explained to them that opposition MPs are not given this responsibility, which falls to grassroots advisers instead. He offered to write letters of encouragement to the awardees and to give them out during mini-ceremonies at Meet-the-People sessions. /TISG

Read related: Jamus Lim Joins Local Church in Celebrating Sengkang Students’ Achievements with Bursary Awards