SM Goh on NSP's 'one-woman team'
By Terrence Voon
Mr Goh (right) being greeted by PAP supporters yesterday at Tao Nan School. He observed that the NSP team seemed to be leaving everything to its popular female member Nicole Seah, seen here speaking to the press yesterday. --ST PHOTOS: NURIA LING, RAJENDRAN NADARAJAN
THE National Solidarity Party (NSP) line-up for Marine Parade appears to be a one-woman team, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said yesterday.
Speaking after the close of nominations at Tao Nan School, Mr Goh observed that his opponents in the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) seemed to be leaving everything to their popular female candidate, Ms Nicole Seah.
'The four men are sort of leaving it to the young lady to campaign, to say all the things,' he told reporters.
'This is teamwork you know. If you win, you have to look after the town council. I've got five members who can look after the town council.'
He added: 'My sense is the other side has only one member to do all the talking for them and all the attraction for them.'
Ms Seah, 24, is the youngest candidate at the coming polls, but has made waves both on the ground and on the Internet since she was unveiled by the opposition more than a week ago.
As of 7pm yesterday, she had garnered more than 27,000 'likes' on Facebook, second only to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who has more than 57,000.
Ms Seah took to the microphone to rally supporters at the Nomination Centre yesterday, along with team leader Ivan Yeo. The rest of the NSP line-up - Mr Cheo Chai Chen, Mr Abdul Salim Harun and Mr Spencer Ng - looked on without speaking.
In contrast, all five members of the People's Action Party (PAP) slate for Marine Parade - Mr Goh, Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin, Dr Fatimah Lateef, Ms Tin Pei Ling and Mr Seah Kian Peng - delivered short speeches.
BG Tan said: 'As you can see today, we have five voices speaking and five people will be here, walking the ground and serving every one of our constituents in Marine Parade GRC.
'I'm kind of curious, but we hear only two voices at the other side.'
When told about the PAP's comments, Ms Seah countered that this was 'a perception that has been played up by the mainstream media'.
'We all have different skill sets. For me, it may be media and engaging younger Singaporeans,' she said.
'But Ivan has 20 years in politics... and strong connections with the older crowd and the Mandarin-speaking crowd. So it's about synergy and not a one-man show.'
Mr Yeo, 63, told The Straits Times that letting Ms Seah take centre stage had been a calculated move.
'Nicole obviously is a star attraction, so strategy-wise, we have to let her have a greater exposure,' he said. 'But come to our rally; we will be speaking to you.'
Encouraged by her online buzz, Ms Seah is looking forward to making use of social media during the campaign. The advertising executive stayed up until 4am the night before Nomination Day to go through online comments left by Internet users. 'I think that this only shows the citizens are hungry for a platform to have their voices heard,' she said.
'They want greater accountability of the policies that have been implemented. They want greater transparency of the information that has been presented to them and they want to be engaged... That is what we want to achieve.'
Additional reporting by Francis Chan, Ng Kai Ling, Jennani Durai and Jermyn Chow
By Terrence Voon
Mr Goh (right) being greeted by PAP supporters yesterday at Tao Nan School. He observed that the NSP team seemed to be leaving everything to its popular female member Nicole Seah, seen here speaking to the press yesterday. --ST PHOTOS: NURIA LING, RAJENDRAN NADARAJAN
THE National Solidarity Party (NSP) line-up for Marine Parade appears to be a one-woman team, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said yesterday.
Speaking after the close of nominations at Tao Nan School, Mr Goh observed that his opponents in the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) seemed to be leaving everything to their popular female candidate, Ms Nicole Seah.
'The four men are sort of leaving it to the young lady to campaign, to say all the things,' he told reporters.
'This is teamwork you know. If you win, you have to look after the town council. I've got five members who can look after the town council.'
He added: 'My sense is the other side has only one member to do all the talking for them and all the attraction for them.'
Ms Seah, 24, is the youngest candidate at the coming polls, but has made waves both on the ground and on the Internet since she was unveiled by the opposition more than a week ago.
As of 7pm yesterday, she had garnered more than 27,000 'likes' on Facebook, second only to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who has more than 57,000.
Ms Seah took to the microphone to rally supporters at the Nomination Centre yesterday, along with team leader Ivan Yeo. The rest of the NSP line-up - Mr Cheo Chai Chen, Mr Abdul Salim Harun and Mr Spencer Ng - looked on without speaking.
In contrast, all five members of the People's Action Party (PAP) slate for Marine Parade - Mr Goh, Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin, Dr Fatimah Lateef, Ms Tin Pei Ling and Mr Seah Kian Peng - delivered short speeches.
BG Tan said: 'As you can see today, we have five voices speaking and five people will be here, walking the ground and serving every one of our constituents in Marine Parade GRC.
'I'm kind of curious, but we hear only two voices at the other side.'
When told about the PAP's comments, Ms Seah countered that this was 'a perception that has been played up by the mainstream media'.
'We all have different skill sets. For me, it may be media and engaging younger Singaporeans,' she said.
'But Ivan has 20 years in politics... and strong connections with the older crowd and the Mandarin-speaking crowd. So it's about synergy and not a one-man show.'
Mr Yeo, 63, told The Straits Times that letting Ms Seah take centre stage had been a calculated move.
'Nicole obviously is a star attraction, so strategy-wise, we have to let her have a greater exposure,' he said. 'But come to our rally; we will be speaking to you.'
Encouraged by her online buzz, Ms Seah is looking forward to making use of social media during the campaign. The advertising executive stayed up until 4am the night before Nomination Day to go through online comments left by Internet users. 'I think that this only shows the citizens are hungry for a platform to have their voices heard,' she said.
'They want greater accountability of the policies that have been implemented. They want greater transparency of the information that has been presented to them and they want to be engaged... That is what we want to achieve.'
Additional reporting by Francis Chan, Ng Kai Ling, Jennani Durai and Jermyn Chow
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