Tan Wu Meng’s shot at Pritam and Alfian can be understood by considering 2 things. (A thread of my personal thoughts) #GE2020

Firstly we consider party dynamics. TWM is the “smallest” guy in Sembawang GRC, led by Tharman. Tharman’s approval ratings are off the roof, and the night before he just gave a great speech on TV. With the amount of political capital his team currently holds,

it’s ok to let one his small guys to take the shot. They can afford to do it on behalf of PAP (even with the current backlash considered) because he’s not a frontrunner for any key political position. Meanwhile on WP’s end, Pritam is the leader and is seen to represent oppies—

PAP will never give up such a lucrative opportunity to shoot WP’s frontrunner. If we judge Shanmugam’s response in the news today, it’s relatively measured and seems almost reasonable: “What’s wrong with questioning our opponent’s loyalties? This is politics!”

But of course there is a deeper reason, which brings me to my second point. Please read this very carefully-written CNA article: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/tan-wu-meng-pritam-singh-aflian-shanmugam-12856406

Note the journalist‘s effort to focus on the politicians and not the real subject which is far more sensitive: Malaysia & Mahatir. In fact Dr M only mentioned once in the whole article, when in fact it he might have been the main source of TWM’s ire (that SGeans cosy up to Dr M)

Pritam and Alfian’s loyalties were questioned because of their association/attitudes towards Malaysia, but more specifically, Mahatir. Dr M is a huge thorn in SG’s flesh. Most of us older Singaporeans know this, but nobody is more acutely aware than our political establishment.

Any neutral or even vaguely favorable mention of Dr M will make pro-establishment Singaporeans reel and reject Pritam and the party he represents. I think this is a powerful heuristic that younger spectators might not realize.

And so perhaps the real question here is not about loyalties or allegiances. It’s clear to me that Pritam is fiercely loyal and patriotic. But perhaps PAP’s appeal towards a large pocket of Singaporeans is the “hardline” or “hawkish” stance towards geopolitics.

This is something that some people will wanna see in Pritam Singh — and whether the hawkish stance is gonna to be in WP’s advantage or not, is a lot harder to say. Alfian is really just collateral damage hahahaha....