GE2020: Sylvia Lim says WP practises 'selective opposition' in new viral video

With things heating up for the general election, politicians are appealing to the electorate through intimate videos that showcase who they are as people and the work that they've done.

Workers' Party (WP) made headlines with their campaign video last week when it was analysed and compared to Avengers: Endgame trailer.

And the party seems set to continue its trend of viral videos with another that showcases Aljunied GRC candidate Sylvia Lim. The video published earlier today (July 1) offers a more personal look at Lim and her beliefs, as well as her history as a politician and a member of the opposition.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/sylvialim65/videos/292995171749952/[/embed]

Lim first commented on how politics have evolved since her admission into WP in 2001. She recalled that during those days, there were still a lot of "older school politicians around" and there was "a sense that we still needed to engage in combative politics".

However, with a "newer generation of electorate coming up" that "don't seem to like confrontation that much", Lim said politicians have to be more "nuanced" in how they reach out to their voters and present their messages.

Lim also explained the WP's approach as an opposition party and how they practice "selective opposition". They've largely supported the ruling government — especially when they found that "the Government's agenda had a rationale" or when they "needed to make a tough decision".

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"It's only when it comes to decisions that we are suspicious are being made for reasons other than national interest or it is a decision that perhaps give the Government too much power vis-a-vis the citizens and we don't think there are sufficient checks, then we'll vote against that," she noted.

On a softer note, Lim revealed herself as a music lover and said she "likes nothing more than live music".

Incidentally, she also ended off the video with a short cover of the popular Hokkien song Ai Pia Cia Eh Yia, which translates to "You have to fight to win". However, that was more of a reference to her work as a politician — both on the ground and for WP.

The video has caught the attention of netizens on social media with 55,000 views and close to 1,000 shares. There were also many who left messages of support for Lim.

This GE, Lim will be defending Aljunied GRC alongside fellow WP colleagues Pritam Singh, Gerald Giam, Muhamad Faisal and Leon Perera. Contesting against them will be the People's Action Party team comprising Chua Eng Leong, Chan Hui Yuh, Victor Lye, Shamsul Kamar and Alex Yeo.

bryanlim@asiaone.com