'Keep it honourable': Tan Chuan-Jin shares photo of PAP, WP polling agents in Marine Parade post-GE2020

It was a snapshot to commemorate the end of a gruelling nine days of campaigning, but for Tan Chuan-Jin and many Singaporeans, there was more to the picture.

Wearing their masks and observing safe distancing, polling agents and volunteers from both the People's Action Party (PAP) and Workers' Party (WP) took a photo together after the counting of votes for the Marine Parade GRC was completed on early Saturday morning (July 11).

"Really proud of them. They all kept to what we all agreed to do at the start of the campaign. Keep it honourable," Tan wrote as he posted the photo on Facebook the following day.

The PAP team led by Tan won 57.76% of the votes against a WP team fronted by Yee Jenn Jong.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/TanChuanJin1/posts/3217921314917288[/embed]

It was a sentiment that struck a chord with netizens, with some commenting that it "should be the theme of every general election."

Others said that both sides had put up a good fight, adding "We need to be more gracious and embrace each other."

Of course, netizens did not let slip the chance to relate the political parties' symbols (lightning and hammer) to popular culture such as Marvel Comics character Thor, and they even got a reply from Tan himself.

Facebook users also took notice of the hashtags Tan had used in his post, with some saying "Regardless of which team won, it's still 'One people, one nation, one Singapore.'"

This comment probably said it best: "A good [display] of the spirit of democracy. Fight during the election and after that, fight together for the nation. Thank you WP and PAP for showing unity after election."

Hours after the GE2020 results were announced, PM Lee Hsien Loong urged Singaporeans to put aside their differences and come together to overcome the challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"With this election now behind us, let's work as one Singapore, to secure our lives, our jobs and our future," he said on Saturday.

lamminlee@asiaone.com