Beting Raja

On July 11, Singaporeans woke up to a new reality. The watershed general election (GE) of 2020 had come and gone, and major shifts seem to have happened in Parliament.

With 83 out of 93 seats, the People’s Action Party (PAP) — also Singapore’s incumbent government since independence in 1965 — managed to achieve the “strong mandate” that it asked for.

Image Credit: Vulcan Post

Though they managed to retain their supermajority in parliament, the PAP lost a significant amount of political ground.

The incumbent party relinquished two Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs) — Aljunied and Sengkang — and Hougang Single Member Constituency (SMC) to the Workers’ Party (WP).

The party’s 61.24 per cent of the popular vote was also the second lowest percentage since independence.

We have a clear mandate, but the percentage of the popular vote is not as high as I had hoped for.

– PAP’s Secretary-General Lee Hsien Loong.

It is clear that Singaporean voters are trying to send a strong message to the government and the nation — what is it, and what can we take away from the GE 2020 results?

Singaporeans (Not Just WP Supporters) Want Change

This year, with the exception of MacPherson and Mountbatten SMCs, the PAP had a reduction of votes in all the constituencies it ran for (except the new ones).

How did this happen? The opposition had the odds stacked against them.

Elections held during periods of crises tend to correlate to a vote swing in favour of the PAP, due to the flight to safety mentality. In the GE 2001, the PAP received a handsome 75 per cent vote share when voters decided to opt for stability.

Furthermore, physical rallies which opposition parties tend to rely on heavily to reach out to voters were disallowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Comparison of GE 2015 and GE 2020 results / Image Credit: Vulcan Post

According to Eugene Tan, a law professor and former independent MP, most Singaporeans believe in checks and balances.

This is exactly what the opposition parties capitalised on this election to rally Singaporeans. For example, the WP’s campaign slogan was “Make Your Vote Count” and denying the PAP a “blank cheque” was a point that resurfaced during many speeches.

Furthermore, these points are further supplemented by the electorate’s bid to reject “gutter politics”.

Besides WP, which is arguably the strongest opposition party in Singapore, other parties also made significant inroads into many wards during the GE 2020.

The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) narrowly lost West Coast GRC with about 48 per cent of the popular vote.

In addition, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) also had its best showing since the 1990s. Its Secretary-General Chee Soon Juan scored 45.2 per cent against PAP’s S. Murali in Bukit Batok, while SDP chairman Paul Tambyah won 46.26 per cent of votes in Bukit Panjang

This points to a strong possibility that Singaporeans islandwide are ready to embrace alternative voices in parliament and accept a variety of different parties into parliament.

Personality Politics: The Jamus Effect? WP Candidate Jamus Lim/ Image Credits: Mothership

The personality of politicians could be a key factor in determining the votes of the electorate.

Though the PAP’s vote share fell significantly in nearly all wards, some opposition teams fared better than others.

Noticeably, Sengkang GRC was won over by WP’s young four-man team. Besides He Ting Ru who had previously run in GE 2015, all members were new faces.

However, the presence of Harvard-educated Jamus Lim in the team could have been a strong selling point for the Sengkang electorate.

The WP candidate stood out in this year’s election. He emerged as a rising star during a televised political debate, which saw him capturing the hearts and minds of Singaporeans.

Other candidates with a strong showing such as Chee Soon Juan of SDP or Tan Cheng Bock of PSP had already managed to build up their personal brand name through years of being in the political scene.

Social Media Is Important, Even In Politics Image Credit: Workers’ Party via Instagram

This year, many young millennials and even members of Generation Z cast their votes for the first time. People in these age groups are typically fervent social media users, and spend more time on social media than traditional media.

Most opposition parties made good use of social media and networking sites to reach out to young voters.

80-year-old PSP chief Tan Cheng Bock became an internet sensation with his attempts to incorporate millennial and Gen Z lingo such as “hypebeast” and “woke” into his social media postings.

Image Credit: Tan Cheng Bock via Instagram

According to Tan, this is was a way for him to reach out and better connect to the younger electorate.

You know how much time I spent learning all these new words, my friend? I earn my votes, I never expect them.

– PSP Chief Tan Cheng Bock via TodayOnline

The WP also put up an impressive online campaign, which many netizens lauded. The party’s introduction video spread like wildfire on the Internet, garnering more than 15,000 likes on Facebook.

Becoming A Post-Materialist Society

A materialist society concerns itself with material needs, bread-and-butter issues, physical and economic security.

In contrast to this, post-materialists strive for self-actualisation and values like liberalism.

In the e-rallies of WP’s Sengkang candidates, issues such as social inequality and climate change were highlighted. This seemed to resonate with the younger voters.

According to sociologist Tan Ern Ser of the National University of Singapore, Singaporeans might be adopting “higher-order, post-materialist” values.

This year’s unique elections has laid the foundation for opposition parties to gain a foothold in their various wards.

Though it remains to be observed if the rejuvenation of opposition parties has created a new dawn for Singapore, the years leading up to the next elections will be some interesting ones to watch.

Featured Image Credit: EPA-EFE / Roslan Rahman via AFP

Also Read GE 2020: 9 Iconic Quotes From Our Dear Politicians That Will Be Remembered Forever

The post Observations Post-GE 2020: A Watershed Election And The Rise Of ‘Personality Politics’ appeared first on Vulcan Post.

In light of COVID-19, the best advice for working from home will have you ready to be productive. Indeed, the idea of working from home may seem like a dream. However, the truth is you may not feel as productive as you would at your place of business. So, I’ve put together a list of [...]

Celtic Marches have been making their range of international award winning ciders on their Herefordshire farm for over 100 years. As one of the UK’s largest self-sustaining single estate cider producers, the company is proud of its genuine heritage, provenance, and traceability. We’d be hard pushed to find a better combo than sunshine, cider, and a smokin’ BBQ. We can’t guarantee how long the BBQ weather will hold out this summer but we can guarantee a crackin’ mix of ciders in our Summer BBQ Cider Box. Good luck!

The post WIN a Celtic Marches Summer BBQ Cider Box appeared first on Northern Life Magazine.

Despite its breezy design, the short sleeve shirt has a longstanding reputation for being inherently uncool. If you ask us, it’s entirely unfounded. Sure, there are plenty of instances of this summer staple falling into the wrong hands, but we defy you to find a garment the same can’t be said for.

If you can look past the BBQ-dad stigma, you’ll find that the short-sleeved shirt is actually a highly valuable asset to your warm-weather wardrobe. Whether it winds up looking cool or uncool is all down to which one you buy and how you choose to wear it.

With that in mind, we’d like to arm you with the knowledge you need in order to pick out the right short sleeve shirt and style it right every time.

If you haven’t already embraced linen as your summer shirting fabric of choice, now’s the time. This airy, breathable material is great for keeping cool in the hot weather and perfect for adding a touch of texture to your outfit. Use it to take the edge off dressier pieces or as a quick and easy way to smarten up your poolside attire.

A short-sleeve linen shirt is your ticket to casual Riviera cool, so style it accordingly, A Cuban collar is always the best option when it comes to linen as it adds to the laid-back feel of the fabric. Add in some cool sunglasses, tuck into a pair of cropped dress pants or tailored shorts and top it off with some suitably summery footwear. Suede loafers or sneakers depending on the setting.

At Ape, we’ve always been staunch advocates of simplicity, classic style and minimalism. However, that’s not to say we’re opposed to the odd eye-catching piece, and you shouldn’t be either. One of the biggest factors in the short sleeve shirt’s emergence as a hot-ticket fashion item has been brands’ and designers’ use of statement prints, bold graphics and striking patterns. Every man should own at least one.

Whenever a statement piece is being deployed – whether it’s a jacket, T-shirt, short sleeve shirt or otherwise – it’s always advisable to keep the rest of the outfit toned down. There’s nothing worse than two or more loud garments fighting each other for attention, so focus on subtle colours, understated detailing and minimal branding elsewhere in the outfit. That way, your statement shirt can sing and be heard.

Every season, the fashion editors delight in telling us that stripes are ‘in’. Which begs the question, have they ever been ‘out’? The answer, in our humble opinion, is a resounding “no”. Stripes will always be a respectable option, and a safe way of jazzing things up a tad without breaking out the animal prints – something it’s always best to avoid doing.

There are an infinite amount of ways to wear stripes, but when it comes to short sleeve shirts we like to use them as a device to introduce colour into tonal outfits. Keep your colour palette simple and cohesive and use stripes of an entirely different hue to create a focal point. This technique can work equally well when used against a light or dark backdrop.

Camp collar, Cuban collar, open collar; whatever you want to call it, the resurgence of this retro style reignited the menswear community’s interest in the short sleeve shirt. And it’s not hard to see why. It’s relaxed, yet sharp and offers something a little out of the ordinary in contrast to a classic-collar version. A must-have garment in the modern man’s summer shirting rotation.

The laid-back look of that open collar is great for adding a touch of personality to a look, and also for making dressier pieces feel more summer-appropriate. A pair of dress pants that might otherwise seem out of place on a summer’s evening look considered when paired with a camp-collar shirt. There are countless styles to pick from within the category, but if in doubt, stick to simple, block colours and focus on finding one that fits like a glove.

If in doubt, keep it simple. An understated short sleeve shirt in a clean block colour is one of the pillars of any respectable summer wardrobe. It’s timeless, versatile and something well worth having at your disposal when the sun is shining.

There are two clearly defined routes to follow when it comes to styling an understated short sleeve shirt. Firstly, you can go minimal, opting for similarly stripped-back pieces to create a versatile and pared-back look that can take you anywhere. Alternatively, you can use it as a sort of blank canvas, upon which to introduce bolder textures, colours and patterns.

What to pack for a weekend away

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Great meals have a way of bringing family and friends together in a way that is special and memorable. It is simply one of life’s most precious moments that will forever be engraved on your mind. A delicious meal makes you happy and fixes your mood. As Luciano Pavarotti once said, “one of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.”

A visit to the Brasserie at Hemingways Nairobi simply takes your breath away no matter what day of the week it is. From the dining terrace overlooking the iconic silhouette of the Ngong Hills when you walk in, to the sight and sounds of the water flowing from the large fountain feature against the backdrop of the beautiful adorned landscaped lawns, Hemingways Nairobi Brasserie offers you a pleasant ambiance and iconic instagramable views that elevates your dining experience. On the painted canary yellow walls of The Brasserie restaurant are quotes from world renowned leaders like Nelson Mandela — ‘I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.’

When you walk into a restaurant, you want sincerity and good vibes all around; you want to meet people that are happy to usher you in and excited to receive you and most importantly, at your service throughout your duration/ stay. The Brasserie is filled with a delightful mood coupled with cheerful, elated, and friendly staff from the concierge to the waiting staff and not forgetting the chef who happily engages with guests on their food experience. Really, everyone who works here appears to be extremely into it. If it is your lucky day, you might bump into none other than the ever gracious, and dapper Hemingways Nairobi, General Manager Richard Kimenyi, a distinguished gentleman with over 30 years’ experience drawn from the luxury hospitality industry. RK, as he is fondly known, believes that when you are a guest at a fine dining restaurant, you are seeking high standards of personalized hospitality and a wholesome experience in everything, and that ladies and gentlemen, is what you get at the Hemingways Nairobi Brasserie.

Archie, the Executive Chef, has created this culinary haven that will excite your senses, pique your curiosity and tickle your palate to want to almost immediately sample the meals from the moment you see the names on the menu board. On Sundays, instead of the buffet menu which was a tradition before the ‘new normal era’,  The Brasserie has introduced a Sunday Jazz brunch 5 course meal tasting menu or what the French call, a menu degustation, a  gastronomic journey through a host of plates, a phenomenon gaining popularity around the world. The brunch tasting menu dishes are refreshed on a weekly basis to give clients a new experience every time they dine here, this according to Tuvei Wilberforce, the Food and Beverage Manager at Hemingways Nairobi.