SINGAPORE: While political observers and analysts do not all agree that the internet and social media are game changers in the coming elections, its impact is already evident.
For starters, the National Solidarity Party (NSP) is in disarray after poison pen letters on two of its leaders - party president Sebastian Teo and central executive council member Steve Chia - starting spreading online, which led to Mr Chia’s reversing his decision to stand in MacPherson single-seat ward. Retiring People’s Action Party (PAP) Members of Parliament (MP) have also shared their frustrations with the online sphere, and Cabinet Ministers have expressed dismay at the mocking and vilifying of outgoing Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew.
But whether they love it or hate it, political parties and candidates simply cannot afford to ignore the power of the internet and social media. Even before the hustings truly begin, supporters, candidates and parties have ramped up efforts to spread their message and canvass for support.
Political parties including the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) have revamped their websites to include elements such as neater interfaces and glossier photos. Beyond a brand-new website, the PAP also introduced a mobile app last week for quicker navigation of candidates and constituencies. The SDP has also put up several YouTube videos, one of which has drawn the authorities’ attention for being a political party film.
For the Workers’ Party (WP), its new faces have been quick to set up Facebook pages to raise their profile, while WP veteran Sylvia Lim has recently taken to Instagram, creating a buzz with her posts.
And in an initiative reminiscent of the popular American photographer Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York project - a photographic tribute to the people in Manhattan - the party’s youth wing has been updating more frequently its “People of WP” web page, with pictures and snippets of potential candidates.
Last week, the Singaporeans First (SingFirst) party, which is looking to make its debut in the coming election, said on Facebook that it was looking for “young, energetic and savvy” people, after admitting they “may not be entirely savvy in social media”. This was after netizens had raised a ruckus over a press release the party put up on its Facebook page that contained red wavy lines that indicate spelling errors on Microsoft Word.
The rest of the opposition parties - Singapore People’s Party (SPP), NSP, Reform Party (RP), People’s Power Party (PPP), and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) - have also been diligently posting updates on their social media accounts, including photos of their outreach activities and views on policy matters.
CANDIDATES ON USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Since the 2011 General Election (GE), household access to internet and individual usage of the web have been on the rise, based on annual surveys by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore. Last month, Reuters reported that in the coming GE, citizens born after Singapore’s independence in 1965 will probably account for the majority of voters for the first time.
Party leaders interviewed by TODAY said their parties would tap new media heavily for their campaigns. For instance, SingFirst party chief Tan Jee Say said that articles would be put up to help voters understand his party more. The recruitment of younger volunteers would also help them better manage their social-media engagement, he said.
PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng believes social media will have “maximum” impact in the coming polls, noting that younger voters could influence their parents with what they see and read online. He added that he will be using Facebook to put up his views and engage voters.
PAP’s Chua Chu Kang Group Representation Constituency MP Zaqy Mohamad, who will be standing in his third GE, said he has observed how the use of the internet and social media has grown exponentially, since he made his electoral debut at the 2006 GE and he believes the platform will be more “pervasive” in the coming election.
WP’s Punggol East MP Lee Li Lian, who will be defending her ward, is an active user of Instagram. Through her account, the public can get a glimpse into her daily life, such as the things she observed during her constituency work. Apart from maintaining her Facebook page, Ms Lee said she tries to post on Instagram at least two to three times per week, but is mindful of putting up only appropriate content.
“I would prefer to engage residents face to face, but it is not possible to meet everyone, therefore this platform is another viable alternative for me,” she said.
Fellow WP member Daniel Goh, who has been touted as a potential candidate for Fengshan, is active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. He said he does not see social media as an outreach tool, but more of a platform to “get (his) views tested (and) ego checked, to reduce error and hubris”.
Associate Professor Goh regularly posts his personal thoughts on current affairs.
PAP’s new face Darryl David, who will be part of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s team in Ang Mo Kio GRC, has been using social media to “connect with friends and followers to share a little more of myself”. He added that he has found social media useful for engagement, and he believes it will be a “bigger factor” for the coming GE, as candidates will be using this platform to share more about themselves and their views.
‘A PIVOTAL FACTOR IN CLOSE FIGHTS’
It is not just parties and their candidates who are making their presence felt online. Neutrals and supporters have set up Facebook groups discussing politics, and with the GE approaching, these forums have been rife with comments on news articles and views on the various parties and their candidates.
PAP supporters, for example, have recently started a Facebook group called Silent No More!. The group, which has about 3,240 members as of Monday (Aug 24), describes itself as “a ground up movement by supporters for the supporters of the People’s Action Party”.
“The purpose of the group is to circulate the correct information online, and to give people a heads up on news about the party leading up to the next General Election,” it said on its Facebook page. “We will also be debunking falsehoods about our leaders and the party, backing our claims from official sources.”
Several socio-political websites have also sprung up since the 2011 GE.
The net result is a significantly more vibrant online sphere, which could sway public opinion in the lead-up to Polling Day.
Analysts interviewed by TODAY agreed that the internet and social media would feature more prominently in the hustings this time round. Said National University of Singapore (NUS) political scientist Lam Peng Er: “The young, growing up in a globalised world, are more pluralistic in their values and are more open to the diverse opinions offered by the fragmented cyberworld.”
How big a factor the new media will be remains to be seen, but some feel it could prove pivotal in closely-fought contests. Dr Alan Chong, an Associate Professor at S Rajatratnam School of International Studies, said: “When it comes down to the wire, the Opposition can play up certain issues to undercut the likes (of) the PAP candidate and appeal to the last-minute undecided voter.”
However, Singapore Management University law academic Eugene Tan feels that, by and large, the internet and social media will not prove to be game-changers. “One of the things about social media is it acts like an echo chamber, mainly attracting those who share the same sort of views,” he said.
For any online campaign to make an impact, Associate Professor Tan said, political parties or their candidates must be able to draw non-supporters to their cause, instead of preaching to the converted.
Yet, apart from trying to gain new supporters, parties and candidates also have to guard against losing existing ones. To that end, they would have to be quick to respond to criticism, misperceptions or falsehoods that could dent their image or reputation, NUS political scientist Bilveer Singh said.
Assoc Prof Tan noted that political parties have to make a judgement on when to engage rumours or ignore them, given that it is impossible to respond to everything said online.
The analysts reiterated that, ultimately, it is what a party or a candidate does in real life that matters to voters, beyond the sound and fury in the online world. “People will still scrutinise the party for what it has done and what it has set out to do,” Dr Chong said.
Read the original TODAY report here.
- TODAY/xk