SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong has followed hot on the heels of Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh in taking public transport, after public dissatisfaction over his advice on how Singaporeans need to play their part to conserve electricity.
The DPM caused controversy earlier this week after he suggested in Parliament that Singaporeans can help save electricity by using fans instead of air-conditioning units and by taking public transport instead of driving.
Netizens on social media, online forums, and messaging groups are asking whether the DPM and his fellow ministers will lead by example and opt to take buses and trains and turn off the air-con in Parliament to do their part.
Some asked whether Parliament would switch off its air-conditioning or whether ministers would begin commuting by bus or train. Others described the remarks as “tone-deaf” and “out of touch,” with some suggesting they reflected a disconnect between policymakers and ordinary citizens.
As the remarks continued stirring a sense of unease online, the WP secretary-general was spotted travelling by train, winning widespread praise and comparisons to the DPM.
One commenter asked, “Where is DPM Gan? After calling people to use and take public transport suddenly MIA.”
Another commenter felt Mr Singh was “leading the way with action, not words.”
DPM Gan was hot on Mr Singh’s heels and was spotted hours later on Friday (April 10) taking the Punggol LRT.
The clip of him taking the LRT, however, has not gone down as well.
Netizens pointed out that Mr Singh has travelled solo, standing and reading a newspaper, during what appears to be an ordinary commute. He has his bag tucked between his legs, like how many commuters travel, suggesting that he is well-versed in taking public transport.
Mr Gan, on the other hand, travelled with an entourage. As he tapped in through the MRT gantry, he looked at his card with what appeared to be wonder, leading some online to ask when the last time he took a train.
One commenter asked, “Why after he tapped in, did he need to double-take at his card?” To this, another netizen responded, “The previous time he took MRT, the whole card must slot in.”
Another commenter quipped, “Damn fake sia who will tap in the gantry so happily? He looks like a little boy going to the zoo.”
Yet another commenter said, “Tell me you barely take MRT without telling me.”
Some scrutinised the timing of the video release, with one individual saying, “I’d like to think that he was planning to release the video later on, but after the Pritam on the MRT post went viral, his team decided to release it now.”
Another person said, “I can imagine the panic in his office this morning.”Oh no, oh no, oh no, Pritam has been seen taking the train. Quick, can we put together a photo opp that looks totally normal and not staged?”
One person said the exercise felt like a “primary school level comeback attempt”.
Others questioned why the DPM needed a posse and noted that he chose to take the train during off-peak hours. One commenter said, “When you need a whole entourage to take public transport, you can’t make it any clearer that it’s wayang. Plus, they chose the least peak hour to do this photo op.
“Where is he even going on the LRT? How did he even get to Punggol anyway? Probably driven here.”
Another commenter quipped, “lol take during off peak with a whole posse.”
A number of voices online felt the outing appeared too staged and did not seem authentic.
One person wrote, “Dude went on an LRT like it was a short outing out of the office, he didn’t even have bags or anything on him lol. Even if photo op can do better anot ah?”
Another commenter said, “Haha, just as I’ve been saying, need minders and photographers on standby. SOP wayang pattern.”
Comparisons to the opposition politician were also rife. One netizen said, “Wayang number 1, Pritam’s seemed so authentic,” while another pointed out, “Well, Pritam was just actually commuting. The man was reading a newspaper, minding his own business. Nothing more authentic than that.”
Another commenter said, “See, I take LRT leh.” In the next clip, he will be in a room with windows open and a table fan blowing at him, while he sips a Lipton tea. “See, I never on air con leh.”
