New voices of Singapore: GE2015’s first-time celebrity voters

How does it feel to be voting for the very first time?
I’m quite excited about it, actually! The last time we had elections, I was turning 21 that year but it wasn’t past my birthday yet so I didn’t get to vote, and I’m quite curious about the whole thing. And we get a public holiday which is good!

Who are you going to go and vote with?
I’m most likely going with my family or friends, and we’ll probably dress up and take a selfie, but I have to be careful not to wear something political such as white! (laughs) Maybe I’ll just wear black.

What are you going to do if fans spot you and ask for a pic?
Can lah, as long as they don’t ask me who I’m voting for! (laughs)

Any plans to celebrate your first time voting?
I don’t think it’s really a celebration, but I guess since everyone has the day off, maybe we can go and have a catch-up session, depending on who I go with.

Do you pay attention to local politics?
No, actually I know more about Bersih [ed’s note: the recent rallies calling for fair elections in Malaysia] because I just came back from filming in KL! (laughs) But to be fair, this is my first time voting, and during past elections I was quite young so I wasn’t very interested. Plus, there were no big rallies or oppositions in my GRC, so I felt like whatever happened didn’t concern me much.

Ever thought of becoming a grassroots volunteer or going into politics?
I’ve thought of grassroots volunteering but maybe in a few years when I have a family and when everything is more stable. For now, I just need to focus on my career and take things one at a time. As for politics, I don’t think I’m very suitable because in order to be a politician, you have to be very decisive and firm. I’m more emotional – I think most actors are – and I get swayed very easily. If they say Mr. Lee Kuan Yew ruled with an “iron fist”, mine would be like cotton. (laughs)

How does it feel to be voting for the first time?
During the last election, I went with my family to go and vote, but since I hadn’t turned 21 yet, I was the only one who had to wait for them in the car. I felt so left out!

Who will you be going to vote with?
I’m very happy that my family and I can go and vote together. The thing is, I’m in the midst of filming Life – Fear Not, including on Polling Day itself, so I’m working with the company to see if I can take an hour or two off to go and vote.

Are you going to dress up nicely in case someone asks for a picture?
I don’t pay attention to things like that, and I think the focus on that day should be on the government and not on celebrities. And even if someone asks for a picture when I’m not dressed up, I won’t mind.

Do you pay attention to local politics?
The problem is, I don’t have time to pay attention to them – I don’t even have time for enough sleep! But when I was doing my reservist a few weeks back, I thought to myself, I should quickly do my research a few days before voting instead of relying on the opinions of the public and my family. After all, I’m at the age where I should have my own ideas.

Have you ever thought of going into politics?
Never. I could never leave acting behind – I will be an actor until the day I die. I hope to follow in the footsteps of Chen Shu Cheng, who went from playing someone’s son, to playing someone’s father and someone’s grandfather – I really want to do the same.

When you were a child, did you ever dream of becoming the president?
When I was young I wanted to be a lawyer or veterinarian, but I didn’t like to study so I can’t be a lawyer, and I cannot stand seeing animals in pain, so I can’t be a vet. (laughs)

How does it feel to be voting for the first time?
I’m very excited! This is the first time I am contributing to the nation, and also the first time that I feel like I have the power to decide.

How will you be preparing to vote?
I rarely follow political news, especially since I have been busy with work. However, my dad pays a lot of attention to politics, so maybe a day or two before we go and vote, I will have a discussion with him and he will explain everything to me. (laughs)

Who will you be going to vote with?
I should be going with my parents.

Are you going to dress up especially for the day?
The polling station is just opposite my house, so I won’t specially dress up, but I’m not going to be too shabby either! (laughs)

What would you do if a fan asks you for a picture or autograph?
I don’t think you’re allowed to take pictures within the polling station, but if I encounter someone around the vicinity, then I don’t mind.

Would you ever go into politics?
That’s impossible, I’ve never even imagined it – I’m simply not interested! I don’t even keep up with the news. The time Mr. Lee Kuan Yew passed away was probably the most I’ve ever followed the news in my life.

How does it feel to be voting for the very first time?
It feels strange because I’ve never done it before! I don’t know what to expect and I don’t know how everything is going to be like, and I suddenly feel like I have that social responsibility as an adult.

Who are you going to go and vote with?
I hope my mum or my dad, I’m definitely not going to go by myself! Because I don’t know how it works and all.

Any plans to celebrate your first time voting or hang out since it’s a public holiday?
Oh, I still have to work. DJs don’t get public holidays ah.

Are you going to dress up for selfies or in case someone asks you for a picture?
No need lah! If you spot me in an unglamorous state then too bad! I’m just going to go in whatever’s comfortable that I feel like wearing that day.

Do you pay attention to local politics?
On and off. I wouldn’t say I’m extremely politically informed but I do keep up with certain news snippets, but I don’t think I’m informed enough to make a decision as of now, so I still have a lot of homework to do. Jialat, I’m very stressed leh.

Have you ever thought about going into politics?
Definitely not. It’s not that I don’t have opinions when it comes to politics, but I feel that while it’s very easy to have an opinion and a comment, to actually be a politician you have a world of responsibility in your hands. Even if you’re critical, intelligent and can come up with the best policies and solutions, it doesn’t make you the best politician if you don’t see them through. Some people have very cool ideas but whether they can live up to them is a different thing.

As for myself, I’m too free-spirited to commit myself, and if I rule, I would be a b**** leh! I’m very practical, I cannot deal with redundancies and incompetence, and I’m too straightforward.

How does it feel to be voting for the very first time?
I would say I feel like I’ve grown up because since I was young, I always listened to all the adults talk about voting, and now it’s finally my turn. (laughs)

Who are you going to go and vote with?
I should be going with my mum. My girlfriend will be overseas during the voting period so she won’t be able to join us.

Any plans to dress up for pictures and celebrate your first time voting?
No lah, it’s just going to be a regular day, but since it’s going to be a public holiday, I may hang out with my mum after we cast our votes.

What are you going to do if fans spot you and ask for a pic?
I would take the photo as long as it’s at an appropriate location that doesn’t disrupt the other voters.

Do you pay attention to local politics?
Not really, actually, but since I’m going to vote, I have been reading up and keeping a lookout on things and watching the news.

Ever thought of becoming a grassroots volunteer?
I would like to help people such as the elderly, but not necessarily as a grassroots volunteer.

What about going into politics?
I don’t think so, I don’t think it’s my thing.

How does it feel to be voting for the very first time?
It’s very exciting because not only is it my first time, my area is also in a three-way fight. Also, during the last elections, when I was still doing my National Service, I remember waking up at 4am to guard one of the centres, but this time, the tables have turned! (laughs)

Who are you going to go and vote with?
I should be going with my family.

Are you going to celebrate your first time voting?
I doubt it, because I think my parents, who work at a hawker centre, are only going to take half the day off and I might have basketball training for the upcoming Asian Games.

What about dressing up and taking a selfie to commemorate the occasion?
I haven’t thought about it, but maybe!

Did you always pay attention to local politics?
I’m going to have to go and read up on what’s happening because in past years when I didn’t need to vote, I didn’t bother with politics. I thought, as long as we are living in a good country, I needn’t bother with things like that.

Do you think you’ll ever go into politics?
Me!? (laughs) I don’t think so. I feel like it’ll be stressful to be a politician.

How do you feel about voting for the first time?
It feels good. I’ll have to do some homework to find out more about the candidates, but I think that no matter what political party they’re from, they all have good intentions and want to do their part for Singapore.

Who will you be going to vote with?
I should be going with my entire family.

Are you going to dress up to take a celebratory selfie or something like that?
I don’t think so, I have not decided what I’m going to wear on that day yet.

What would you do if fans spot you and ask for a picture?
(laughs) I doubt most of my fans would be at the voting ground – they’ll probably all be hanging out at Orchard Road!