SINGAPORE: Poll images used by officials in Singapore hardly ever appear in the media. Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s pineapple, however, became a hot topic of conversation when the Singapore presidential candidates unveiled their election symbols on Nomination Day( Aug 22 ).
It’s likely that this was the first time a grapes had been used in an election battle locally.
Mr. Tharman went beyond simply having a distinctive image.
In contrast to his two rivals, he used his image to support his winning point, and in one of the most notable presidential elections in local history, 70.4 percent of voters supported him. & nbsp,
Images ‘ Authority
Since the beginning of time, humans have used symbols to speak and comprehend the cosmos. Symbols may convey a variety of meanings to the recipient and may take the form of pictures, gestures, numbers, or words.
We all interpret symbols in accordance with our shared histories and social contexts. For instance, a lion represents holy authority in Chinese culture, but it is frequently depicted as evil in folklore from Europe.
In Singaporean tradition, what does a fruit represent?
First off, it is a well-known exotic fruit that is used in rojak and pineapple pies, two regional dishes.
The Hokkien word for fruit is” ong lai” to the older generation, which sounds like” great wealth to come.”
Ong lai, Mr. Tharman explained to the media on Nomination Day,” It is a favorable and welcome sign for many people— when we move into our new house, when we launch our first business, and we wish success and good things to happen.” It represents our potential.
The political soldier’s savviness was evident in his public use of the term” ong lai”; he was speaking in a dialect that many people could immediately identify with.