I not fierce: GE2020 candidates Chee Soon Juan and Gan Siow Huang say they aren't as unfriendly as they appear

Some of us are blessed with a pleasant resting face.

And if you are not, you might get misunderstood, like Singapore Democratic Party's (SDP) Dr Chee Soon Juan and People's Action Party's (PAP) Gan Siow Huang.

Dr Chee had to make a Facebook post last night (July 4) to clarify that he actually wasn't "aggressive and confrontational".

He wrote: "I've heard some comments about my demeanour at the political debate on Wednesday, that I appeared aggressive and confrontational, that I should have smiled more and looked friendlier.

"It is true. It would have been good if I had come across appearing a bit more congenial."

Dr Chee — who is contesting in Bukit Batok SMC against PAP incumbent Murali Pillai — added that he actually wasn't angry or agitated during the televised debate, and was simply "focused" on answering the questions and getting his points across within the 90-second timeframe.

"If I was confrontational, I was confronting Dr (Vivian) Balakrishnan with the facts, with evidence — not with aggression. I must admit that, for me at least, it's hard to be thinking and speaking on some serious issue while carrying a smile on my face, a smile that I wasn't feeling. I guess I'm just not wired that way.

"But when I see all of you at the hawker centre, or MRT or in your homes, my face instinctively lights up, or so my colleagues tell me. I guess I'm just wearing my heart out on my sleeve."

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/cheesoonjuan/videos/290138295677010/[/embed]

Meanwhile, Gan Siow Huang — PAP's new candidate for Marymount SMC — also uploaded to Facebook today a reaction video of herself watching a spoof of her Nomination Day speech spliced with war footage from the TV series Game of Thrones.

"This one talk like going to war siah," the title of the spoof video read.

You can't really blame her, Gan was after all the Singapore Armed Forces' first female general.

She burst out in laughter at the video, and said it was very creative.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/gansiowhuang/videos/736845147136439[/embed]

"Frankly, I think I'm usually not so fierce. Those who know me, actually, will know that I'm very approachable," Gan said in the video.

"But for the Nomination Day speech, I mean, I had to tell the residents that I'm serious about wanting to serve them, serious about wanting to make Marymount the best home for all."

Gan will face Ang Yong Guan from the Progress Singapore Party for Marymount SMC. 

kwokkarpeng@asiaone.com