PAP aims to click with young online
Singaporeans can now go online to watch short videos of People's Action Party (PAP) MPs at events on the party's revamped website that was launched yesterday.
It is a new way to reach out to young and IT-savvy voters, said party chairman Lim Boon Heng last night.
'New media is facilitating change. Our party is gearing up our resources to harness this new platform,' he told 1,500 activists and unionists at the PAP's awards ceremony.
'It will change some of the things that we do at our branches.'
For instance, at each of the 84 branches, two or three party activists will now report on events, and put up slideshows and video footage on the party website.
'Since the new media is reaching out to more and more people, not just the young but also some of the older ones who have got into IT, the party should use it as a medium for reaching out to people,' Mr Lim told reporters later.
His comments follow recent moves to ease the ban on party political videos. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong indicated at this year's National Day Rally that he was in favour of relaxing existing rules.
A government-appointed advisory council on new media issues is expected to make known its recommendations.
Once the new rules are clear, Mr Lim said the party will ensure that its branches abide by them. Currently, the videos on its website are more like slideshows.
Some MPs like Mrs Josephine Teo plan to do more than videos. Her Toa Payoh East branch intends to set up an account on social networking site Facebook for residents to communicate with her and with one another.
That is because traditional ways of outreach are not as effective with the young.
'When we go on house visits, the young people are not at home. And they don't go to the Meet-the-People sessions and they do not participate in community club events,' she said.
Even so, Mr Lim reminded party activists not to neglect face-to-face contact with people, a practice which has been beneficial to the party.
The PAP has won the mandate of the people since 1959, he said, not only because of good leadership that has renewed itself but also due to its strong network of activists who help out at the weekly Meet-the-People sessions and other party functions.
He singled out as party stalwarts former MPs Phua Bah Lee and Yeo Toon Chia, both of whom won the party's meritorious service medal.
Mr Phua, first elected as an MP for Tampines in 1968, was known for dealing with the problem of unemployed Singaporeans running pirate taxis, and mobilising the public's support for national service.
Mr Yeo, the first MP for Ang Mo Kio, set up a network of branches when the housing estate was carved up into five constituencies at the 1980 General Election, and into two more parts in 1984.
Mr Lim gave credit to Mr Yeo for mentoring and helping him and other new MPs in these constituencies at the time, including PM Lee.
He added that both Mr Phua, 76, and Mr Yeo, 67, are still actively serving the party at the branches.
The party also gave Bukit Batok branch an award for consistent good work. Mr Lim said this is a testimony to the leadership of the ward's late MP Ong Chit Chung, who died in July.
He also reminded party members of their role in helping Singaporeans cope with this current downturn.
'Our activists need to be more vigilant, so that we can respond to their concerns and needs quickly,' he said.
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Singaporeans can now go online to watch short videos of People's Action Party (PAP) MPs at events on the party's revamped website that was launched yesterday.
It is a new way to reach out to young and IT-savvy voters, said party chairman Lim Boon Heng last night.
'New media is facilitating change. Our party is gearing up our resources to harness this new platform,' he told 1,500 activists and unionists at the PAP's awards ceremony.
'It will change some of the things that we do at our branches.'
For instance, at each of the 84 branches, two or three party activists will now report on events, and put up slideshows and video footage on the party website.
'Since the new media is reaching out to more and more people, not just the young but also some of the older ones who have got into IT, the party should use it as a medium for reaching out to people,' Mr Lim told reporters later.
His comments follow recent moves to ease the ban on party political videos. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong indicated at this year's National Day Rally that he was in favour of relaxing existing rules.
A government-appointed advisory council on new media issues is expected to make known its recommendations.
Once the new rules are clear, Mr Lim said the party will ensure that its branches abide by them. Currently, the videos on its website are more like slideshows.
Some MPs like Mrs Josephine Teo plan to do more than videos. Her Toa Payoh East branch intends to set up an account on social networking site Facebook for residents to communicate with her and with one another.
That is because traditional ways of outreach are not as effective with the young.
'When we go on house visits, the young people are not at home. And they don't go to the Meet-the-People sessions and they do not participate in community club events,' she said.
Even so, Mr Lim reminded party activists not to neglect face-to-face contact with people, a practice which has been beneficial to the party.
The PAP has won the mandate of the people since 1959, he said, not only because of good leadership that has renewed itself but also due to its strong network of activists who help out at the weekly Meet-the-People sessions and other party functions.
He singled out as party stalwarts former MPs Phua Bah Lee and Yeo Toon Chia, both of whom won the party's meritorious service medal.
Mr Phua, first elected as an MP for Tampines in 1968, was known for dealing with the problem of unemployed Singaporeans running pirate taxis, and mobilising the public's support for national service.
Mr Yeo, the first MP for Ang Mo Kio, set up a network of branches when the housing estate was carved up into five constituencies at the 1980 General Election, and into two more parts in 1984.
Mr Lim gave credit to Mr Yeo for mentoring and helping him and other new MPs in these constituencies at the time, including PM Lee.
He added that both Mr Phua, 76, and Mr Yeo, 67, are still actively serving the party at the branches.
The party also gave Bukit Batok branch an award for consistent good work. Mr Lim said this is a testimony to the leadership of the ward's late MP Ong Chit Chung, who died in July.
He also reminded party members of their role in helping Singaporeans cope with this current downturn.
'Our activists need to be more vigilant, so that we can respond to their concerns and needs quickly,' he said.
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