7 Things Spotted On The Campaign Trail, Sept 2 edition

7 Things Spotted On The Campaign Trail, Sept 2 edition

SINGAPORE - The game is afoot, as Sherlock Holmes would say. Campaigning kicked off in earnest on Wednesday (Sept 2) morning, as candidates were up bright and and early to meet and greet residents.

Since it is just the start of the season, candidates were full of beans today. Here are some of the more interesting things we spotted on the campaign trail today.

1. Lui Tuck Yew spoofed (again)

Mr Melvin Yong, the PAP's candidate for Tanjong Pagar GRC, was grateful to outgoing Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew for personally helping to put up election posters in the area, posting photos of this on his Facebook page on Tuesday evening.

Netizens were just grateful for the chance to generate more memes of Mr Lui, whom they noted looked happier now.

Local humour site SGAG parodied a conversation between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Mr Lui, while all manner of creative images (including a Workers' Party movie poster) were superimposed on a photo of Mr Lui busy putting up a PAP placard.

2. Man on a mission

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, Marine Parade GRC's new sprint king, looked to be in a mighty hurry as he laced up his "Maju-Lah" shoes on a run-about in his ward, dashing from one house to the next canvassing votes.

On his Facebook, he said "running in between units has become my most regular form of exercise! Helps to not let residents wait for too long. But as always, good to catch up with friends. I should weigh myself before and after and track my number of steps!"

The 46-year-old's fitness was impressive. But, alas, not everyone is as fit as he is. The reporters and photographers covering him must have been rather out of breath trying to keep up with him while lugging their heavy equipment.

3. Sitoh Yih Pin should stick to his day job

Full marks to the People's Action Party's Mr Sitoh for the effort, but it wasn't too hard to spot the odd one out at a regular dance class held for aunties at a park in Potong Pasir on Wednesday morning.

He was sporting, but he evidently could not keep up with the fast-stepping aunties.


4. McDonald's gets a couple of surprise visitors

Nope, they weren't there to grab a quick meal. Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and his fellow Pasir Ris-Punggol candidate Sun Xueling popped by a neighbourhood McDonald's outlet for a meet and greet.

Mr Teo even managed a quick look around the kitchen as the duo posed for photos with the excited staff. Did they get a Hello Kitty toy to go, we wonder?


5. Kevryn Lim opens up about her background

The revelation on Nomination Day that National Solidarity Party (NSP) candidate Kevryn Lim is a single mum with a two-year-old son generated a fair bit of online buzz, so she was inevitably cornered by the media on a walkabout in Sembawang.

She also had a riposte handy when quizzed about her modelling past, pointing out that the People's Action Party's candidate Darryl David, like her, also hailed from the "entertainment industry".


6. Don't be a stranger

It might be every man (and woman) for himself when it comes to the polls, but we've already witnessed several heartwarming moments between candidates and supporters on Nomination Day. And it was more of the same on Wednesday as candidates got chummy for the photographers.

The Workers' Party's Lee Li Lian and the PAP's Charles Chong bumped into each other at Rumbia LRT station at the start of their planned walkabouts - and took a photograph to commemorate the encounter on social media. Both are contesting in Punggol East SMC.

There were also smiles all round when the PAP's Grace Fu and Singapore Democratic Party candidate Jaslyn Go, looking remarkably like two peas in a pod, gamely posed for a photo when they crossed paths in Yuhua SMC.


7. Food, food and more glorious food

Okay, everyone knows this is going to go down as The Election That Made Orh Luak A Hot Topic.

The oyster omlette dish featured yet again today, when four-fifths of the PAP's Aljunied GRC team - minus Mr Victor Lye - sampled curry puffs and yes, orh luak at Serangoon Gardens. The photo of them tucking in was posted on the Aljunied GRC Facebook page.

Speaking of food, Bishan-Toa Payoh candidate Chee Hong Tat was spotted speaking to the owners of a famous yong tau foo stall at Toa Payoh North, which just happens to be a favourite lunchtime haunt of Singapore Press Holdings staff across the road - including us.

And Tampines GRC's Baey Yam Keng posted a photo of himself with a delish-looking plate of black and white carrot cake on Instagram.


This article was first published on September 2, 2015.
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