Asia (Page 31)

When asked about the party ’s preparation for three-corner battles, Mr Ng said on Apr 20: “Let us not become disillusioned that the PAP may be easily dislodged. ”

However, the SUP group has spoken to Reform Party manager Mahaboob Baatsha, said Mr Zhu, and Mr Mahaboob confirmed that his party had no contest in Ang Mo Kio GRC again this year, CNA reported on Apr 6.

In the 2020 election, the PAP secured 71. 91 per cent of seats in Ang Mo Kio GRC against the Reform Party.

The Singapore Political Alliance was supposed to reveal if it would challenge Punggol GRC, which might be contested by the PAP and WP, on Tuesday. However, the group had cancelled a press event to attend a funeral.

Effects OF MULTI-CORNERED Beat DEPENDS ON WHICH OPPOSITION PARTY Events: Professionals

Authorities said there are many causes for the increased amount of multi-cornered conflicts.

Separate social observer Felix Tan said the “dramatic” shifts to political boundaries is one cause, with another being the news of some new prospects.

“Everyone feels that they have the opportunity to start afresh in these districts, ” he said. “Each of these social functions feel that no one political party has all the solutions to policymaking in Singapore. ”

Associate Professor Tan Ern Ser of the Institute of Policy Studies ( IPS) said that many opposition parties have confidence that the “ground is sweet for them”.

“The opposition environment seems to have morphed into events that see themselves as more or less equally credible based on their own significance in the districts they consider themselves to have a major hold, ” he told CNA.

SMU’s Assoc Prof Tan said while there will be more multi-cornered battles than previous votes, many may not materialise.

He noted that such events are more likely to result in SMCs and in the northern half of Singapore, regions where the WP is unlikely to battle.

“ Where WP is involved, the opposition vote will assuredly and considerably coalesce around it. This vote pool behind the WP could result in the various opposition group coming a distant second and losing the election payments, ” he said.

He added that in a situation where the difference between the two opposition parties is “not clear”, the opposition voting may get split between both parties. Such a situation may pave the way for a “comfortable win for the PAP”.

While Dr Tan said multi-cornered conflicts have made Singapore’s opposition environment “really messy”, it can also be seen as a indicator that more people are becoming earnestly engaged in politics.

“ In a democracy, you tend to see this kind of active participation of political events. There seems to be more folks being involved in politics because they want to play a part in deciding or charting Singapore’s manner. ”

When asked about how the increase in multi-cornered battles has changed the communications of opposition cohesion, Dr Tan said that” there’s little unity in the opposition parties. It’s each for themselves. At the end of the day, politics is a greedy game”, he said.

Dr Tan added that the PAP would have to “strengthen its main ” and get the right people into their staff, and the same goes for WP.

“They are so far the strongest opposition group. They have maintained a direct amongst all the opposition parties, and they need to proceed with that result, ” he said.

“So to get more credible people into their group would be something really important for them, ” Dr Tan added.

More reporting by Ang Hwee Min, Davina Tham and Abigail Ng

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SINGAPORE: From dishing out tips on how to be a Member of Parliament ( MP ) to playing tour guide in their constituencies, the ruling People’s Action Party’s ( PAP ) political office holders have been getting creative with online outreach efforts ahead of Singapore’s May 3 General Election.

What has even grabbed consideration is the presence of celebrities and media characters in some of these movies, which are often positioned as light-hearted and peppered with some humor.

In one, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong is seen showing regional professional Maxi Lim the cords of conducting a Meet-the-People program.   In another, the artist takes on the role of a native complaining about problems such as noisy birds, leaving the secretary obviously amused.

Older Minister of State for National Development, as well as Digital Development and Information, Tan Kiat How has even appeared alongside content creator Queenie Lim from new advertising company SGAG, who made a film documenting her day as an apprentice of a political business owner.

Another picture sees Mr Tan taking a run around the Central Business District and attempting a TikTok issue with Mr Kao Rong Sheng, more popularly known online as Runner Kao.

Then there is Top Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Desmond Tan appearing alongside Mr Fauzi Azzhar, a previous SGAG information father, in videos showcasing numerous areas in Pasir Ris.

Mr Tan has been MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC since 2020 and is part of the People’s Action Party’s ( PAP ) slate for the new Pasir Ris-Changi GRC.

Mr Fauzi and Mr Lim told CNA they were never paid for their work and that the video were never part of any sponsored cooperation.

CNA even reached out to Ms Queenie Lim and Mr Kao Rong Sheng, but did not receive a reply.

According to battle instructions announced by the Elections Department, just political parties, candidates and vote agents can distribute paid online vote advertisements.

These refer to any substance published online that may fairly be regarded as intended to promote or prejudice the political victory or position of a political party or prospect.

Others can publish these advertisements only if they have written authorisation from a candidate or election agent.

All online advertisements, whether paid or unpaid, have to display the names of all the people who played an active role in publishing them.

Paid advertisements will also have to include a message or statement to indicate that they have been sponsored or paid for, as well as the names of people who paid for them.

Influencers contacted by CNA declined to reveal their rates for collaborations.

CNA understands that influencers tend to set their rate cards based on reach. This can be determined by the number of followers, as well as the potential for content to go viral. They also negotiate with clients, which means rates are not standardised or well-defined across the industry.

Responding to CNA’s queries, the PAP said its branch chairpersons work with content creators to reach out to different groups of residents and communities.

“Some collaborations are commissioned. During the elections, paid commissions will have to comply with the rules, ” it told CNA via email.

The party did not respond to follow-up questions about examples of these commissioned collaborations.

The ruling party has had a” Friends of the PAP” network since 2002, which according to media reports last year has since expanded to include influencers.

The main opposition Workers ’ Party, in response to a question from CNA at a press conference on Apr 20, said it does not work with social media influencers.

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