My neighbour told me - be honest to your self Nancy and do an honest assessment of candidates for Punggol. So for once I thought to myself and decided to do a simple tick sheet and let the numbers do the talking;
Note: these are all facts that came from him or from the state controlled media, my comments only in brackets.
1. "He grew up in a farmhouse at Lorong Cheng Lim" (Punggol) - 1 point
2. "Dr Koh calls himself "kaki lang" (one of us in Teochew) and a "son of Punggol"." - 1 point
3. "Punggol-born and bred, Dr Koh said he has many fond memories of his childhood in the north-eastern enclave." - 1 point
4. "The eldest of five children spent his early years playing in rubber plantations, pigsties and chicken coops" (relevant as Punggol is considered rural) - 1 point
5. "His father used to drive Trans-Island bus service number 82, where the route terminated at Punggol Point." - 25 points (how many people have bus driver fathers whose service ends at the constituency they are contesting)
6. "After his Saturday canoeing sessions, the young Dr Koh would have his meals at Choon Seng restaurant, a seafood zi char place at Punggol end jetty famed for its chilli crabs and mee goreng." - 10 points ( lets face it, he could have anywhere else to have his meal but chose Punggol)
7." "Punggol has always occupied a special place in my heart with special memories."" - 2 points
8." "The fact that there are so many Teochews in Punggol itself kind of makes us like 'Teochew lang, kaki lang' (Teochew people, one of us)." - 10 points ( able to connect)
9. "Coming back to Punggol East is a bit like coming home to me." - 1 point ( repetition)
10. "As an HDB heartlander myself, I can readily identify with many of the issues and daily struggles faced by Singaporeans." - 10 points (one with the people)
11. "And as the eldest child, he often worked odd jobs in his younger days to help support the family"- 20 points
12. "lives in an HDB flat which he bought on a loan from his uncle" - 20 points ( points to struggle)
13. "As a son of Punggol, I will do my utmost together with my team of grassroot leaders and volunteers to make Punggol East a better place to live in," - 30 points (inclusive)
14. "He has keen interest in the arts. He was active in school plays and drama as actor and director." 25 points ( creative and multi-dimensional)
15. "He has also won the National Chinese poetry recital award in secondary school and also put up a play in public during his university days." ( talented)
16. "He made mention too of a grand-aunt he would visit in a little fishing enclave called Wa Gang in Teochew (Many Teochews live in Punggol and, he hastens to add, he's one of the kin too)." - 50 points ( generational reach)
17. "It's a message that every candidate contesting in his or her hometown is sure to trot out at some point: I know you, I am one of you." - 100 points (powerful)
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Note: these are all facts that came from him or from the state controlled media, my comments only in brackets.
1. "He grew up in a farmhouse at Lorong Cheng Lim" (Punggol) - 1 point
2. "Dr Koh calls himself "kaki lang" (one of us in Teochew) and a "son of Punggol"." - 1 point
3. "Punggol-born and bred, Dr Koh said he has many fond memories of his childhood in the north-eastern enclave." - 1 point
4. "The eldest of five children spent his early years playing in rubber plantations, pigsties and chicken coops" (relevant as Punggol is considered rural) - 1 point
5. "His father used to drive Trans-Island bus service number 82, where the route terminated at Punggol Point." - 25 points (how many people have bus driver fathers whose service ends at the constituency they are contesting)
6. "After his Saturday canoeing sessions, the young Dr Koh would have his meals at Choon Seng restaurant, a seafood zi char place at Punggol end jetty famed for its chilli crabs and mee goreng." - 10 points ( lets face it, he could have anywhere else to have his meal but chose Punggol)
7." "Punggol has always occupied a special place in my heart with special memories."" - 2 points
8." "The fact that there are so many Teochews in Punggol itself kind of makes us like 'Teochew lang, kaki lang' (Teochew people, one of us)." - 10 points ( able to connect)
9. "Coming back to Punggol East is a bit like coming home to me." - 1 point ( repetition)
10. "As an HDB heartlander myself, I can readily identify with many of the issues and daily struggles faced by Singaporeans." - 10 points (one with the people)
11. "And as the eldest child, he often worked odd jobs in his younger days to help support the family"- 20 points
12. "lives in an HDB flat which he bought on a loan from his uncle" - 20 points ( points to struggle)
13. "As a son of Punggol, I will do my utmost together with my team of grassroot leaders and volunteers to make Punggol East a better place to live in," - 30 points (inclusive)
14. "He has keen interest in the arts. He was active in school plays and drama as actor and director." 25 points ( creative and multi-dimensional)
15. "He has also won the National Chinese poetry recital award in secondary school and also put up a play in public during his university days." ( talented)
16. "He made mention too of a grand-aunt he would visit in a little fishing enclave called Wa Gang in Teochew (Many Teochews live in Punggol and, he hastens to add, he's one of the kin too)." - 50 points ( generational reach)
17. "It's a message that every candidate contesting in his or her hometown is sure to trot out at some point: I know you, I am one of you." - 100 points (powerful)
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