'We are not caricatures': RDU's Liyana Dhamirah fires back at netizen who poked fun at her

Candidates during the General Election are often under great public scrutiny, and this can sometimes include receiving comments from members of the public. 

One netizen's comment has drawn strong rebuke from Red Dot United (RDU)'s candidate Liyana Dhamirah, who took to Facebook on Wednesday (April 23) — just a few hours before she was to head to her nomination centre at Nan Hua High School — to speak up on an incident that had happened to her. 

In the post, the 38-year-old said that under the comments of a video showing her speaking at an unspecified press conference, one netizen remarked: "I want one nasi lemak chicken set." 

In response, she shared that such comments are what many minority candidates, "especially Malay women", still have to put up with.

"Maybe to some, it's just a joke. But to me, it's a reminder of what women like me—Malay, Muslim, tudung-wearing—still face when we step forward to serve," she said. 

"I didn't join politics for fame or favour. I came forward because I believe in service. In fairness. In the idea that Singapore belongs to all of us, equally." 

She added: "We are not tokens. We are not caricatures. We are citizens. Professionals. Mothers. Daughters. Leaders." 

Liyana is currently a manager at a non-profit organisation focused on gender equality, and was named one of the SG 100 Women in Tech by IMDA in 2020. 

She is the treasurer of RDU, as well as part of the five-man team for the newly formed Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC. 

In the 2020 General Election, she contested in Jurong GRC as part of the team led by Ravi Philemon. They secured 25.39 per cent of votes that year.

melissateo@asiaone.com 

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