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By: 永久浪客/Forever Vagabond

SPH and MP Indranee Rajah helped organize a photoshoot of 16 female MPs donning in saris for SPH’s newspaper Tamil Murasu last Friday (‘16 female MPs don saris for Tamil Murasu Deepavali special‘).

WP MP Sylvia Lim was not in the photoshoot. The 16 female MPs, posing in front of Parliament House, all came from PAP:

1. Tampines MP Cheng Li Hui
2. Nee Soon MP Lee Bee Wah
3. Jalan Besar MP Denise Phua
4. West Coast MP Foo Mee Har
5. Chua Chu Kang MP Low Yen Ling
6. Pasir Ris-Punggol MP Sun Xueling
7. Hong Kah North MP Amy Khor
8. Jurong MP Rahayu Mahzam
9. Jalan Besar MP Lily Neo
10. Tanjong Pagar MP Indranee Rajah
11. Fengshan MP Cheryl Chan
12. Holland-Bukit Timah MP Sim Ann
13. Tanjong Pagar MP Joan Pereira
14. Bishan-Toa Payoh MP Josephine Teo
15. MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling
16. East Coast MP Jessica Tan

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picture credit: SPH
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picture credit: SPH
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picture credit: SPH
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SPH Tamil Murasu usually features leggy models or celebrities dressed in saris as part of the newspaper’s annual Deepavali spread. This year, it approached PAP MP Indranee to ask if she could get female MPs for its photos instead. It’s not known why WP MP Sylvia Lim was left out.

“As one of the Indian MPs I thought it would be a very nice way of connecting… because Tamil is very hard to learn but a sari is much easier to wear,” Ms Indranee said. She also advised the other MPs where to buy their saris.

Ms Rahayu, who jumped at the opportunity to wear a sari for the first time, said, “I learnt that there are actually more than 50 ways to put on a sari.”

Ms Sun, who is eight months’ pregnant, said, “At first I was a bit hesitant, because I wasn’t quite sure I would be able to fit. But I realised that’s the amazing thing about saris, it fits literally all shapes and forms.”

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PM Lee even commented on his Facebook that his MPs “all looked very beautiful and regal”.

UK MP: Deepavali a time to think of the less fortunate

While the female PAP MPs wonder if they would look good in saris, UK MP and Cabinet minister Priti Patel, a Briton of Indian descent, also sent her Deepavali greetings last week.

She described the Deepavali celebration as a time for reflecting on the true meaning of Deepavali and donating generously to good causes around the world.

“While we celebrate, we remember that from Syria to Sudan, there are millions of people living in fear of war and conflict, or living with the repercussions of a humanitarian disaster, as we have witnessed in Haiti where at least 200,000 homes have been affected,” Ms Patel said.

“Diwali (Deepavali) prompts us to consider how fortunate we are to live peaceful and comfortable lives, and the importance of offering hope to those who are suffering and less fortunate.”

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She reminded that during the celebration, people should “give hope to those less fortunate by donating generously to charities and good causes to help those in need.”

“For me, this is an opportunity to shine a light on those individuals who take this country from strength to strength; it is a moment in time that reminds us that patience, optimism, and hope brings success and rewards,” she also said.