“So cringy” – Netizens taken aback by Sun Xueling’s reaction to a resident’s child calling her “Dora the Explorer”

SINGAPORE: Some Singaporeans online have been taken aback after ruling party candidate Sun Xueling said that she was moved to tears by a resident’s daughter who called her “Dora the Explorer” and asked her friends in school to “Save Dora”.

In a Facebook post on the final day of campaigning (1 May), the Minister of State described an interaction she had while visiting families in the Jewel estate of Punggol GRC. One mother, upon opening her door, told Ms Sun that her daughter adored her and had been urging her school friends to “save Dora”.

Confused at first, the ruling party politician asked who “Dora” was, only for the mother to clarify: “Yes Dora. Save Dora the Explorer. She thinks you are Dora.”

“Maybe it was because it was as funny as it was sad,” Ms Sun wrote. “We ended up giving each other a hug through tears.”

While a number of netizens were touched by the anecdote and told Ms Sun in the comments that their children love her too, others across social media found the story bizarre.

Some critics expressed concern that children were being politicised and used to drum up support on social media.

While political figures all over the world frequently highlight their bonds with the young — often to project warmth, relatability, or grassroots appeal — the use of children in campaign narratives has long been controversial.

Critics say such stories, particularly when shared publicly on social media, risk crossing ethical boundaries. While the child in Ms Sun’s anecdote was not identified and no images were used, the broader issue, according to some observers, lies in the intent and effect.

Others pointed out that children, especially as young as four, are unlikely to grasp the nuances of electoral politics — and that presenting their remarks in a campaign context could be seen as framing them as political agents when they are not capable of informed consent.

Some netizens, on the other hand, questioned the veracity of the interaction in the first place. Some of those who were critical said the anecdote was too “cringy” and suggested the way the post was worded makes it sound like it could have been written by AI.

Ms Sun’s team for Punggol GRC, led by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, is expected to face a tough fight with the Workers’ Party team when the nation goes to the polls on Saturday (3 May). Voters are keenly observing the messaging from both sides of the political divide before they make their decisions.