Goh Meng Seng mentors Nicole Seah on issues of pride and prejudice

[Sinkie]

Well we can agree that it is about her choice of words. Meltdown doesn't mean melt down. Literally it means that something has gone wrong with a nuclear power plant. When it is used on a human being it means that a person has a nervous breakdown.

She is a popular person. Girls can relate to her and the guys want to lick her juices. But in politics saying that you have a meltdown is very dangerous. What I did not mind about her diary entry was she told everybody how hard she was working for the people. But when you are saying you have a meltdown, it is very dangerous, because people can sympathise with you and then after that doubt your ability to be an MP. I cannot think of a politician who can say that she has a meltdown, and it does not affect her in a bad way.

Governor Howard Dean was about to be considered seriously for presidential nomination in 2004, but there was one conference where he started to scream into the mike. It was called a "meltdown" and his chance was gone. That speech was called "I have a scream". In American politics, you don't use the word "meltdown" unless you're trying to explain why your political enemy is not suitable for office.

I just think her choice of words is very bad because if she simply said "life has been very tough for me recently" it would have been perfectly OK.

In politics there is a right way to emote. (It is emote not emode.) You can emote "I tried but I failed", or "why is my opponent so evil" or "there is so much injustice in the world". But you cannot emote "this is too much for me and I cannot cope with all my own problems" because if you can't solve your own problems how can you solve other peoples' problems? So what if this is what little girls write in their diaries? Nicole Seah may be a "little girl" but she will enter parliament - if at all - as a fully grown woman who is a tough warrior who will take on the PAP.

We all know how capable she is, which is why I'm surprised she made such a basic mistake.

Dun you say such thing about her. I'm the one who helped her pen that facebook post. It has a sublime purpose to arouse and emote, which is my specialty.

 

[tanwahp]

We all know how capable she is, which is why I'm surprised she made such a basic mistake.

With due respect I don't see her as "capable". Not that she's stupid.

She's an ordinary girl with a bit more heart, came forward and was pushed into the limelight by her parties because the parties she joined so far are the small parties with much desire and need for publicity. Because the parties she joined are the small ones, there was also lack of guidance for her, leading her to write all those stuff. She wasn't ready for public office, in other words. Same for Steve Chia back then, who ran into the lion's den (the MSM) after posing with his maid.

I can say that the junior WP MPs would be in that position if they had chosen another party. Gerald Giam stumbled twice and it could have been more. But with WP, you have LTK training Sylvia, and then the 2 training the rest. Although you can't produce perfect results, you can at least minimize damage. That's the advantage of bigger parties. Nicole has missed the boat.

 

[mei mei]

Oh, Nicole
by The Independent on November 27, 2013

By Elias Tan

As expected, Nicole Seah’s online outpouring of how her entry into politics has emotionally scarred her got her the vote of netizens with many sympathising with her. One, Belmont Lay of Mothership, even went to the extent of saying the government’s action to weed out trolling was unnecessary because netizens know how to show love, too.

There are three other points that need to be made.

One, Nicole, 27, has shown that politicians need not be mean machines tying to trip up opponents using every trick in the book. They can be sincere, open and humane. The assistant secretary general of the National Solidarity Party is the refreshing face of politics that Singapore has lacked. If she lasts the long haul, then it can have a lasting impact on how politics is practised here.

Two, Nicole does not make a breeze. Politics, glamour and fame will always attract unsavoury characters. You still need a thick skin to fight not just your direct opponents but all kinds of people who will, as clearly shown in her Facebook confession, take advantage of your personality and popularity for their own ends. The world is full of such people and they have a way of smiling and saying all the good things in front of you, but hiding a dagger behind their backs.

The radio ad, Hear Only The Good Things, should be instructive.

Three, her point about how she felt she was “arm-twisted into making some pretty bad decisions” during the Presidential Elections, uring which she lobbied for then presidential candidate Tan Jee Say, raises a lot of questions than answers. “Terrible, irreversible mistake, completely underestimated what my lobbying could do,” she said.

That is a departure from the clarity and openness she displayed in talking about the upheaval in her personal and professional lives. Who arm-twisted her? Her party or Tan? What was the terrible, irreversible mistake she made? That Tan Cheng Bock could have made history and become the President if she had not supported Tan Jee Say? For the sake of her party and the people who stood by her, it is time for Nicole to write a second confession.

 

[cheekenpie]

And the point is?

The point is that GMS is an oracle and that it was a mistake not to have voted him into Parliament.

 

[Cosmos10]

AsiaOne apologises to Nicole Seah

http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/asiaone-apologises-nicole-seah

AsiaOne
Thursday, Nov 28, 2013
AsiaOne would like to unreservedly apologise to Miss Nicole Seah and to Mr Steven Goh for any distress and inconvenience caused by an article posted on AsiaOne on Tuesday, November 26, 2013.

The headline of the article, "Nicole Seah uploads photo of her with a man believed to be married", as well as the first line of the article which mirrored the headline, did not correctly reflect the rest of the article's content, which indicated that Mr Goh, the man in the photo, is divorced and not presently married.

Adrian Tay
Editor, AsiaOne

 

[metalmickey]

With due respect I don't see her as "capable". Not that she's stupid.

She's an ordinary girl with a bit more heart, came forward and was pushed into the limelight by her parties because the parties she joined so far are the small parties with much desire and need for publicity. Because the parties she joined are the small ones, there was also lack of guidance for her, leading her to write all those stuff. She wasn't ready for public office, in other words. Same for Steve Chia back then, who ran into the lion's den (the MSM) after posing with his maid.

I can say that the junior WP MPs would be in that position if they had chosen another party. Gerald Giam stumbled twice and it could have been more. But with WP, you have LTK training Sylvia, and then the 2 training the rest. Although you can't produce perfect results, you can at least minimize damage. That's the advantage of bigger parties. Nicole has missed the boat.

It's safe to say that in March 2011, nobody - from RP or NSP and least of her Nicole herself - knew that Nicole Seah was going to be such a phenomenon. It is very difficult to grow up in public. It's better for you to stand on a smaller platform for a while, and sit and observe how things really work, make a few mistakes, before going out to the main stage. Now she has nowhere but the main stage.

After gaining so much publicity during the elections, she suddenly had a very big burden on her shoulders. There was once I was walking out to lunch somewhere in the city area, and I saw her walking to the coffeeshop chatting away with two colleagues. I remember thinking that it was absolutely remarkable that somebody so famous could do that, but that's what star power is all about.

Outside of the WP, there is some confusion about what being a member of parliament is about. LTK has 20 years of experience, so he knows everything that goes on in there, not only the televised debates, but what goes on in the committees. He has an idea of the workings of the system. Younger people or less experienced people (you don't have to be young to be stupid - just look at GMS) confuse NGO style advocacy with being a member of parliament. They are slightly different. Nicole Seah, it seems is working in NGO mode. People in NGOs can be a little bit more careless with what they say, and don't have to watch themselves as closely as election candidates.

But it's not a coincidence that Nicole Seah is that popular. She has some very good instincts about what to say. She has an awareness about the disadvantaged in Singapore, she is genuine, she can get over these stumbles. The problem is - will she go the way of Vincent Wijeysingha, who has realized that there is an incompatibility between what he's doing and what it takes to be an MP. That would be an absolute waste.

Nicole Seah has not missed the boat. Missing the boat is for people who are much older than her. But she does need somebody to watch her back.

It's not up to her to join the WP. I think both parties know that she's not compatible with the way that WP does things. And she's not the Mandarin speaking blue collar type. Thing is - SDP would not be a bad fit for her, but why doesn't she join them?

 

[tanwahp]

It's safe to say that in March 2011, nobody - from RP or NSP and least of her Nicole herself - knew that Nicole Seah was going to be such a phenomenon.

Yes and no. What RP and NSP didn't expect was the scale of the "phenomenon", but it was clear they wanted a poster girl of some sorts. When she did become a "phenomenon", she become a 2nd Asst SG, a very high post for the 3rd largest party in Singapore.

Nicole Seah has not missed the boat. Missing the boat is for people who are much older than her.

If WP was her first party, she would not have achieved that level of star status but could be in parliament soon after proper grooming. What's the use of a being star. Between being a star not in parliament and Lee Lilian who is not a star but in parliament, who has the last laugh? Even if the star factor can help her, she will need a good GRC team where all members need to be good.

But she does need somebody to watch her back.

No one is going to watch her back. Left are mostly a group of elderly men who aren't that political savvy in the first place. That's a trade-off of sorts. You can't shine like a silver plate in a mudpatch and then expect the mudpatch to polish you.

It's not up to her to join the WP. I think both parties know that she's not compatible with the way that WP does things. And she's not the Mandarin speaking blue collar type.

I would not be in favour of Nicole joining WP, but not for the reasons you gave. There's no benefit for either WP or her if she joins but loses her star status and gets relegated as a foot soldier like Sear Hock Rong in PAP. Ask yourself why didn't WP select Glenda Han as NCMP or field her in Hougang or Punggol. Star status can only bring you that far, but at critical times you need the best general.

As you said, "she has nowhere but the main stage", she cannot go to WP by WP's perception, her perception or the people's perception. That is why I said she missed the boat - but I didn't say another boat will not come, but perhaps a long time.

WP is hardly a party for the Mandarin speaking. Look at their 9 MPs - half of them can hardly speak Mandarin and only 2 (LTK and CSM) are well versed in Mandarin.

Thing is - SDP would not be a bad fit for her, but why doesn't she join them?

I don't agree. SDP is even more "top-heavy" than WP. Everyone has to be a fan of Chee of some sorts before they are willing to stand side-by-side with him. It's worse than fitting her into WP.

 

[Huatchye]

The following is a note I have written to Nicole Seah after reading her article post "Ground Zero" on her personal Facebook.


http://happy-tv.com/blog/1286/the-l...pr-stunt-to-kickstart-her-political-campaign/

good article to see... at least a more balance view

 

[Huatchye]

Nicole Seah has popped up again into the spotlight in her Facebook post on 23 November 2013 with the revelation of her trials and tribulations since she was propelled into the political landscape in 2011 General Elections. In her post, Nicole spoke about her self-doubt and struggles, including getting in and out of hospital for the past year, receiving rape threats, losing two jobs and her grandmother contracting cancer. Her most surprising revelation was that she was “arm-twisted” into supporting Tan Jee Say in the last presidential elections.

Nicole was described by the media as a political starlet for her attractive appearance, articulateness and self-assured personality during her political campaign. Like any starlet, the public started to take an interest in her private life.

I would expect Nicole’s revelation to generate much public interest, especially after her story came out in The Straits Times on 25 November 2013. Nicole is bound to earn sympathy for her personal travails, including from myself. Eligible young men (I am not among them) would take note that Nicole implied that she is now available, having dated two or three men whom she described as only being interested in her public profile. I remember Nicole had a regular boyfriend, a prominent blogger named Belmont Lay, during her 2011 elections campaign, but her starlet status probably put paid to that relationship.

Again, I say, she has my sympathies. But I hope I would not be seen as being a little cynical to pose this question: Is Nicole’s latest Facebook post merely a spontaneous outpouring of her frustrations and anguish? Or is it a PR stunt to gain public support ahead of the next elections? The next elections are still some three years away, but it is never too early to start campaigning.

My personal take is that there is nothing wrong in campaigning early. After all, MPs from both the ruling and opposition parties have been making their regular rounds at the grassroots level, especially during festivals and community events. Despite her smooth public performances, Nicole Seah does not seem like someone who craves for public attention. But personally, I always feel a little uneasy about public figures pouring out their private lives and personal problems into the public realm. If Nicole was just an ordinary young leader, a sports personality or a showbiz celebrity, it might just be a little more acceptable. But politics is about vote-getting and it leaves me with a little nagging suspicion that Nicole is reaching out for public sympathy in view of the next elections. She may just be marketing herself because come 2016, we cannot be sure Nicole Seah will still be with the NSP. Then again, I may be wrong. Miss Seah may just be another Facebook micro blogger expressing her personal thoughts and experiences to her fellow netizens. If only she was not Nicole Seah, our very own political starlet.

 

[gsh]

If Steven Goh is her boyfriend and eventually her partner, she could be in trouble. She better checked on the background of Steven. This man had two marriage to two wonderful girls but it lasted less than 3 years. The second one lasted less than 2 years. He was the subject of multiple lawsuits and even had a Maruva Injuction on him once in Perth. He was declared bankrupt before but was discharged 2 years later.

In his work, many who had known him knew him as narcissistic, ruthless, unprincipled, a compulsive manipulative liar, hot tempered, reckless and unrealistic in his goals. His saving grace is that he is a charming and smooth talker. He thinks big and talks big. That is probably the reason he succeeded to convince VC to support him. Once you get to know, he definitely lacks substance. It is just all hot air. I will wait to see if his current mig33 will succeed. His father who was involved in his previous business was sued and had to leave Australia to live in China and now probably Malaysia for for a long period of time. He was also divorced from his wife and had multiple affairs. He was also charged for manipulating the stock market. The father was a maths professor at UWA but tried to get into business with his son. It was a bad ending.

If PAP is able to bring out all this history of this family, Nicole's political career is finished.

I like Nicole. I think she has a good heart and a charming personality. I feel sorry for her if she is so vulnerable or even gullible in this kind of relationship.

Sometimes, a person with such personality could succeed short term especially in a dot.com world filled with exuberance, greed, excessive optimism, unrealistic expectations, over blown targets and full of hot air.

 

[tanwahp]

She may just be marketing herself because come 2016, we cannot be sure Nicole Seah will still be with the NSP.

She will be with NSP or leave politics. Many parties except WP will want her on board, but the only platforms she may consider are SDP or DPP, neither which she will join in the end.

My view is not that she craves the attention, but is letting her guard down too much and forgetting that she has no ordinary status (for now at least).

If Steven Goh is her boyfriend and eventually her partner, she could be in trouble.

Unless you know Steven Goh personally, it is quite hard to base on hearsay. With or without Steven Goh, my view is that Nicole Seah's political career will not be a long or successful one. Being nice and sweet only is not a formula for political success.

If PAP is able to bring out all this history of this family, Nicole's political career is finished.

PAP will not raise such issues. It will turn off even the fence sitters.

 

[oratedar]

If PAP is able to bring out all this history of this family, Nicole's political career is finished.

Whore Jinx so cockup as a businessman but that doesn't seemed to affect LHL's political career.

Wonder now if gms will follow suit by saying he was 'arm-twisted' to be Tan Kin Lian's political advisor. 5% of popular votes. wow.

 

[da dick]

Steven Goh...

In his work, many who had known him knew him as narcissistic, ruthless, unprincipled, a compulsive manipulative liar, hot tempered...

sound like goh meng seng. nicole should be his mistress instead@!

 

[gsh]

Having good judgment on people is key to political good success. Nicole is seemingly weak in this matter.

To check on Steven Goh is easy. Just ask some of his ex colleagues like the Chief Technical Officer, his father's colleagues at UWA, his former investment banking director, marketing director, and some of the VCs that invested in him. You should get a clear answer on his character and background.

What I had seen is a person with huge ambitions and will achieve it with any means without consideration of integrity, character, and principles.

Unfortunately, he has a charming side that could make a girl's heart melt with his public profile and smooth talking. This is actually common among Australian men. But once you really get to know him, it becomes a nightmare. This is probably what happened to his first 2 marriages.

 

[gsh]

Deleted

Deleted message

 

[Huatchye]

This is the impression GMS tried to give to the online community as far as I remember, but it is doubtful as to whether "The Nicole Seah" was a sole handicraft of GMS. If it was so, he would not go all the way out to demolish her.

Nicole was part of an ex-RP team that arrived in NSP, and all including herself recognized that she was the youngest, lowest paper qualified and most inexperienced junior of the group. When RP formed a post-JBJ CEC and prematurely announced candidates, Jeanette, Tony and Hazel were among them but not Nicole. Why would she suddenly become GMS "pet" and not seek alternative opinions from the 3 and Spencer?

The part about disrespecting NSP's long time veterans. The group dominates NSP even until now and without their support, the ex-RP group will not succeed. They either respect the veterans and get to where they are, or disrespect them and get nothing. To oust them and yet be supported by them doesn't make sense. That is why I think NSP's rebuttal will clear the air.

The real issue is a personality like Nicole Seah who shine brightly because she stood up to her believes and willing to sacrifice her time and effort to execute her ideals speak alot about her. She is unfortunately or fortunately been cast in the parties that understands her passion and exploit it for good reasons.
However, Nichole has grown, she knew her heart of doing good cant survive the complex game play in Singapore politics. So either she can accept and deal with the demands of the game, or throw in the towel.

Is Nicole really tired? or its a political stunt.

 

[steffychun]

This advice should go to the PAP politicians ...look at how many of the failed election candidates are in the employment of PA or NTUC with big titles, earning big pay ...one even has two jobs ...while waiting for another try at the election jackpot. Without these jobs courtesy of the PAP government, these clowns would have quit.
So, Nicole is tougher than all these PAP clowns who are in the game for the money.

sorry, once they get their government scholarships, they are sucked into politics for life and spur up food analogies.

 

[metalmickey]

Yes and no. What RP and NSP didn't expect was the scale of the "phenomenon", but it was clear they wanted a poster girl of some sorts. When she did become a "phenomenon", she become a 2nd Asst SG, a very high post for the 3rd largest party in Singapore.

No one is going to watch her back. Left are mostly a group of elderly men who aren't that political savvy in the first place. That's a trade-off of sorts. You can't shine like a silver plate in a mudpatch and then expect the mudpatch to polish you.

Well you've answered your own question. It's not a very high post for somebody her age, who will be 30 when the next election comes. That was around the age when LKY started leading the PAP. Then at 36 he became chief minister and at 42, PM of independent Singapore. Everybody who talks about "youngsters these days" conveniently forget how young LKY was when he became PM.

I would not be in favour of Nicole joining WP, but not for the reasons you gave. There's no benefit for either WP or her if she joins but loses her star status and gets relegated as a foot soldier like Sear Hock Rong in PAP. Ask yourself why didn't WP select Glenda Han as NCMP or field her in Hougang or Punggol. Star status can only bring you that far, but at critical times you need the best general.

In some ways she has achieved more than Glenda Han or any of the old men you mentioned earlier. Really, the only way she pales in comparison is if you were to judge her as a general. Anyway, it's a little hard to judge generals unless you are on the inside track.

As you said, "she has nowhere but the main stage", she cannot go to WP by WP's perception, her perception or the people's perception. That is why I said she missed the boat - but I didn't say another boat will not come, but perhaps a long time.

You know, you don't really get the full implication of "nobody expected her to be such a star". It is not that she "missed the WP boat". It is that she never expected to be anywhere near the level of success that she achieved in 2011. Never expected to get to the point where she was within sight of an MP's seat. And I suspected that she did not expect to have a political career at all. And now it's got to the point where she wasn't really allowed to walk away from it.

I don't agree. SDP is even more "top-heavy" than WP. Everyone has to be a fan of Chee of some sorts before they are willing to stand side-by-side with him. It's worse than fitting her into WP.

I don't know if Chee has such tight control over the party. Tan Jee Say and Ang Yong Guan were possible alternate power centres, as was Vincent Wijeysingha. But then again all three are gone now. Also remember that the SDP today is completely different, and more media savvy than the 10 years ago version. So is it possible that CSJ changed so much, or is it that somebody else had a big degree of influence that he hadn't had before?

Also, somebody mentioned about Nicole Seah's meltdown note being a political ploy. I know that we have a lot of conspiracy theorists in this place but you have to go for the simplest story: everything that she said was true, and if it was true, then she would be under a lot of stress. And since she was under so much stress, she just felt she had to pour her heart out. I don't think it's a political ploy because it did not advance her cause politically, other than telling people how hard she was working.

 

[PoliticalDialogue]

It seems that more and more people are waking up to the fact of what TJS is all about. They had been misled by initial impressions.

At the PE he secured 25.04% of the vote, just a 0.04% margin outside the irreducible core of anti-PAP votes (i.e., 25%), and this despite garnering 80-90% support in the online world.

 

[tanwahp]

Well you've answered your own question. It's not a very high post for somebody her age, who will be 30 when the next election comes. That was around the age when LKY started leading the PAP. Then at 36 he became chief minister and at 42, PM of independent Singapore. Everybody who talks about "youngsters these days" conveniently forget how young LKY was when he became PM.

Sorry but I have never said Nicole cannot be 2ASG because of her age. I touched on the circumstances surrounding the fact that she could sit on the post of 2ASG, such as NSP's dynamics and situation.

In some ways she has achieved more than Glenda Han or any of the old men you mentioned earlier.

Yes, she had herself, the Facebook era and Tin Pei Ling combined to create the effect. Glenda had only herself to fall on, but I recall that she created a stir before the internet era. We will see what effect can Nicole create in 2016, as more new Nicoles, Glendas and Angelas will always appear.

Really, the only way she pales in comparison is if you were to judge her as a general.

From the time she became 2ASG, the judging standards and expectations on her will go up. Glenda is no ASG or MP but just a CEC.

Anyway, it's a little hard to judge generals unless you are on the inside track.

Don't agree. We won't be talking observatory politics if we always need to be inside.

You know, you don't really get the full implication of "nobody expected her to be such a star". It is not that she "missed the WP boat".

No, that's not what I said. The star and the boat are 2 different things. It depends on which one you want if you can take either only one.

Also remember that the SDP today is completely different, and more media savvy than the 10 years ago version.

I don't see much evidence in that, unless you can provide some examples.

So is it possible that CSJ changed so much, or is it that somebody else had a big degree of influence that he hadn't had before?

At the fundamentals, Chee and SDP will always be the same. He's in-charge of the bizarre works that undoes 100 times the good efforts. Compare the similarities of 1993 glucose hunger strike and the 2013 Punggol East horseplay 20 years later. A number of people do take note of this.

I don't think it's a political ploy because it did not advance her cause politically, other than telling people how hard she was working.

I also don't think it is a political ploy. Just that she needs to always be wary as a politician.