GE2015: The 5 Best and 5 Worst Speakers
Today marks the last day of campaigning for GE2015 before we head to the poll on Friday. With 181 candidates from 9 political parties and 2 independents going for all 89 seats in Parliament, GE2015 is the most keenly contested election since independence in 1965.
As each candidate took to stage at their respective political rallies across Singapore, who are the best and worst speakers so far?
I must admit, I do not have time to watch all the videos, but I did try to catch snippets of each candidates to do a fair assessment.
There were many who were just plain boring and it’s hard to get beyond two minutes waiting them speak. Then, there are the really good ones who keep you glued to the screen and the really bad ones who also achieved the same effect, but for a different reason.
Here’s my list of the top 5 best speakers so far:
1.
Singapore Democratic Party’s Dr Chee Soon Juan
Without a doubt, Chee is the man to watch for GE2015. His first rally speech after 15 years was charismatic and confident, appearing to speak from the heart. He went on to build larger and larger crowds after each speech and SDP rally. There is a little of that Obama-like speech quality in him.
2.
People’s Action Party’s Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam was able to explain complex tax issues into something simple and relatable to the common Singaporeans. He largely steered away from name-callings, but focused on the hard numbers and issues. Yet, he still kept himself engaging as a speaker.
3.
Workers’ Party’s Slyvia Lim
Together with the secretary-general of the WP, the chairman of the WP, Slyvia Lim is clearly the leader of the opposition. It shows in her speeches. She is always calm, reasoned and structured in what she wants to bring across, sharing on a wide spectrum of topics and issues which the WP wants to champion.
4.
National Solidarity Party’s Lim Tean
The secretary-general of the NSP was appointed just a week before Nomination Day. He appeared from nowhere to represent a party full of self-pwned on televised debates and turned out to a surprising star catch. He speaks well and has the right fire in the belly to get people on his side. A pity he is in a very weak, self-destructive party though.
5.
Singapore Democratic Alliance’s Harminder Pal Singh
This guy is always a crowd favourite since GE2011. His day job is a motivational speaker and probably explains why he is so good at engaging with the audience!
Let’s now move on to the 5 worst speakers list:
1.
People’s Action Party’s Sim Ann
She looks like Snow White, but her speech and mannerism on stage makes her appear more like the evil stepmother who fed Snow White the poisonous apple. Usually speaking in languages other than English endears a speaker more to the audience, but this is not the case for Sim Ann.
2.
Reform Party’s Jesse Loo
His speeches just do not make sense. Yet I find myself watching many of his videos to the end because I cannot figure out what he is trying to say. Please enlighten me if you can understand Jesse Loo.
3.
National Solidarity Party’s Choong Hon Heng
This is another speaker with speeches that do no make sense. Play particular attention when he showed a thumbs down sign and booed PAP at the end of his speech before slamming on the rostrum. Right, this is the way to win votes.
4.
People’s Power Party’s Low Wai Choo
She is contesting in “Phua Chu Kang, PCK” and openly declared herself as an activist at Hong Lim Park, associating herself with vote-getters like Roy Ngerng, Gilbert Goh and Han Hui Hui. Very smart move indeed.
5.
Independent candidate Han Hui Hui
Need I say more? She’s Han Hui Hui. Please vote for her to “Return Our CPF”. Wait, isn’t that the slogan for her good friend, Roy Ngerng who is a Reform Party candidate, the party which Han Hui Hui is contesting against in Radin Mas along with the PAP?
