How MP Tin Pei Ling continues to serve residents amid public scrutiny I The Usual Place podcast

Описание: She cherishes her MacPherson memories and reflects on her rough start to politics.

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

In the lead-up to the expected general election that must be held by November 2025, Natasha looks at how MPs, and others involved, are preparing themselves.

MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling was PAP’s youngest candidate at 27 years old during the 2011 General Election when she was put in the spotlight – remember the Kate Spade bag episode? – and it’s never quite left her.

Since then, she has had, arguably, one of the most closely watched political journeys among MPs. From her pregnancies to career moves, she has drawn much public and media attention.

In this episode, Ms Tin, 41, tells Natasha about how she deals with hate comments, her perceived job-hopping in the past few years, and why she hopes to be the MP for her current ward for a long time to come. 

And given the current geopolitical climate, she makes a case to young voters why her party would be the best choice now.

Highlights (click/tap above):

0:00 Intro
1:09 Is Ms Tin sick of people talking about her Kate Spade bag?
5:01 Dealing with hate comments when she stood for the first time
9:41 Putting aside her feelings to deal with her residents’ issues
13:17 Why she wants to fight to be with the MacPherson ward
14:20 Should more MPs be full-time as she did at one point?
19:38 Ms Tin’s advice for new candidates
24:59 How to keep the online space safe and civil
30:54 What scares this mum-of-two about what’s online
36:40 On the optics of her changing her job three times in the past few years
38:28 Does she think the spotlight on her career was unwarranted?
40:00 Getting involved in the grassroots during her university days
49:43 Age is proxy. It’s about the willingness to connect - Ms Tin on MPs and young voters
51:29 Her pitch to young voters to support PAP
55:43 Is highlighting geopolitical tensions “overblown” or “fearmongering”?

Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])
Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm
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Filmed by: Studio+65
Edited by ST Podcast producers: Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong

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