Public speaking skills: how important a factor??

[CPT (NS) BRANDON]

Would like your views on this, bros

Many politicians have proven that their public speaking skills are not fantastic, but they have shown their ability to deliver. Goh Chok Tong for example was never the best orator. On the opposition side, Chiam See Tong was also not a fantastic public speaker. But arguably he has delivered more than a lot of better public speakers.

The best public speakers in the opposition camp are probably Dr Vincent Wijeysingha and Dr Ang Yong Guan (both from SDP).

What have they delivered so far, despite showing tons of promise?

The WP speakers are not the best - Chen Show Mao for instance is far less articulate and eloquent than most MPs. Yet, he managed to gain election into Parliament on his first attempt.

So how important is it for a politician to speak well (especially at rallies)? Is it even a factor anymore in the internet age?

 

[myfoot123]

Would like your views on this, bros

Many politicians have proven that their public speaking skills are not fantastic, but they have shown their ability to deliver. Goh Chok Tong for example was never the best orator.

Yes, it does. People who can't speak properly might have some serious brain cell problems. It affects the speech.

 

[billisnotathome]

More than speaking skills, I think it is basically down to that strange indecipherable quality known as 'charisma'. CSM has it in spades.

 

[kongsimi]

Gay politicians with good public speaking skills?

No thank you.

 

[metalmickey]

Would like your views on this, bros

Many politicians have proven that their public speaking skills are not fantastic, but they have shown their ability to deliver. Goh Chok Tong for example was never the best orator. On the opposition side, Chiam See Tong was also not a fantastic public speaker. But arguably he has delivered more than a lot of better public speakers.

The best public speakers in the opposition camp are probably Dr Vincent Wijeysingha and Dr Ang Yong Guan (both from SDP).

What have they delivered so far, despite showing tons of promise?

The WP speakers are not the best - Chen Show Mao for instance is far less articulate and eloquent than most MPs. Yet, he managed to gain election into Parliament on his first attempt.

So how important is it for a politician to speak well (especially at rallies)? Is it even a factor anymore in the internet age?

Well not only is Goh Chok Tong a lousy orator, I think he's also a lousy politician. There were 4 candidates to be Singapore's second prime minister - Dhanabalan, Tony Tan, Ong Teng Cheong were the others. And of the four, he's the lousiest, but he got the job because Tony Tan didn't want to be a seat warmer.

The ability to debate is important for a member of the house. It's not the only requirement, but first and foremost, being a backbencher means that you are participating in a debate. The ability to speak well is not only an advantage, it is practically a requirement.

 

[metalmickey]

More than speaking skills, I think it is basically down to that strange indecipherable quality known as 'charisma'. CSM has it in spades.

The main component of his "charisma" is the idea that a person who has achieved the great Singaporean dream of corporate success and a well paying job not only comes back to Singapore from Beijing to serve the people but also take the MRT. Didn't stay in Singapore for much of his life but did NS. The "charisma" is the power of a good story, which is why Koh Poh Koon does the Punggol boy thing. If you were following the US presidential elections, the fact that Barack Obama and Mitt Romney were able to tell such different stories about their own lives tells you something about what politics in a democracy is all about. There will be a lot more of "this is my story" stuff in Singapore politics in time to come. For somebody, say, Nicole Seah to say "I am a peranakan" - well how much more Singaporean can you get than peranakan?

Personally I would rather take the MRT in Singapore than in Beijing, but that is another matter.

 

[CPT (NS) BRANDON]

Well not only is Goh Chok Tong a lousy orator, I think he's also a lousy politician. There were 4 candidates to be Singapore's second prime minister - Dhanabalan, Tony Tan, Ong Teng Cheong were the others. And of the four, he's the lousiest, but he got the job because Tony Tan didn't want to be a seat warmer.

The ability to debate is important for a member of the house. It's not the only requirement, but first and foremost, being a backbencher means that you are participating in a debate. The ability to speak well is not only an advantage, it is practically a requirement.

Goh Chok Tong may not have been a good politician in the traditional sense but I think he is more shrewd than he was given credit for.

He was certainly a good Prime Minister, in my view and in the view of most Singaporeans. Better than Lee Hsien Loong who is a weak leader.

For a so-called seat warmer, he certainly held on pretty long.

 

[andyfisher]

how come topic changed to whether GCT good or not?
ok nvm my two rupiah on GCT:

Pinky makes GCT look like a superstar.
Objectively lookg at pinky and gang, they are paid top dollars (literally as they are among the highest earning ministers in the world) and yet, the policies are half past six, scandals, corruption, ineptitude and pinky has no presence, I mean tak boleh tahan want to giggle when the pinky speaks, not diam diam listen, cos he just doesnt have It. But what to do, the leegime say he pm, he pm. bopian becos of the 60 percenters knn. I think a mei mei's armpit hair has more charisma than the pinky.

to the public speaking skills:
It is very apparent from the rallies we've had so far.
WP; LTK and gang can speak eloquently, they have charisma, they look prepped and polished, the stand outs to me are LTK, CSM, Sylvia and Pritam. The weak point was the m&d, he is ok only but he is still miles better than:
KJ and gang; I pity KJ, the guy keeps bandying the Jeyaretnam name, but on the stage, it was a damn squid, he does not have the charisma of his old man, bless him. But even he is yards better than the other RP speakers, the indian guy was like a loanshark, very brusque language and not empathizing with the people and I get the impression he did not prepare his speech.

Heck they make Ah Mee look more interesting with his monotone voice.

I really hope KJ dont cock up anymore, maybe this BE is a warm up or trg for his party, but he needs to buck up.


KP and the pappys: ok la, not very good but not as screwed up as RP. but KP has a smug look, he shld talk to his PR people and practice a bit more to look earnest, which Png aced in the last election, Png can do the earnest and sincere look very well.

But as politician, you are selling your koyok, your ideas, you want to lead people, must inspire, not knn turn them off.
you can have the world's best policy, but if you cannot communicate it, its worth less than a mei mei's urine stained toilet paper.

:oIo:

 

[steffychun]

LHL is definitely not a good speaker.

 

[Ash007]

I was particularly impressed with Chen Showmai's mandarin. We need more people like him.

 

[metalmickey]

Goh Chok Tong may not have been a good politician in the traditional sense but I think he is more shrewd than he was given credit for.

He was certainly a good Prime Minister, in my view and in the view of most Singaporeans. Better than Lee Hsien Loong who is a weak leader.

For a so-called seat warmer, he certainly held on pretty long.

I tend to disagree. Our current problems are due to two policies that started off during his reign. The influx of foreign talent started during his reign, and it resulted in the current overpopulation. The overpricing of property was due to asset enhancement policy which took place during GCT era. If he held on long, it was due to LHL not being able to take over until 2004 for whatever reason, not because he's a genius. Other policies were not popular either: the overpaying of ministers. The cabinet that got flushed out right after 2011 were basically all Goh Chok Tong people.

Basically he was chosen over Ong Teng Cheong and Dhanabalan for only one reason: he was easier to control than those two. Tony Tan (LKY's choice) declined the PM job.

Anyway we may think that the LKY era ended in 1990, the GCT era ended in 2004. But in reality, a three man council has been running Singapore between 1990 and 2011 even though only one of them were PM at each point in time. It's only now that LHL is truly on his own, which remains to be seen whether it's a good thing or not.

 

[tanwahp]

Would like your views on this, bros

Many politicians have proven that their public speaking skills are not fantastic, but they have shown their ability to deliver. Goh Chok Tong for example was never the best orator. On the opposition side, Chiam See Tong was also not a fantastic public speaker. But arguably he has delivered more than a lot of better public speakers.

The best public speakers in the opposition camp are probably Dr Vincent Wijeysingha and Dr Ang Yong Guan (both from SDP).

What have they delivered so far, despite showing tons of promise?

The WP speakers are not the best - Chen Show Mao for instance is far less articulate and eloquent than most MPs. Yet, he managed to gain election into Parliament on his first attempt.

So how important is it for a politician to speak well (especially at rallies)? Is it even a factor anymore in the internet age?

If you think Ang Yong Guan speaks better than Chen Show Mao, I don't know what to say.

 

[metalmickey]

If you think Ang Yong Guan speaks better than Chen Show Mao, I don't know what to say.

Yeah, I would also have said that Ang Yong Guan is not an excellent speaker. But he has this avuncular manner and the likeability factor is definitely there as well. He looks a lot like the personification of Danny the democracy bear.

 

[jixiaolan]

Try to think politician like a salesman trying to sell his wares. Not all good salesmen are articulate but it is certainly a plus.

 

[freedalas]

Some politicians can't articulate their thoughts well but at least what they say has substance. In KJ's case, he not only can't speak well (as if he has a prick in his mouth) but what he says (if you can understand what he says) lacks substance absolutely and downright nonsense. So comparing everything, KJ is the worst of the whole lot, oh ok lah, same same as Zorro Lim Swee Say.

 

[Seamaster]

Chen Show Mao for instance is far less articulate and eloquent than most MPs.

Chen Show Mao less articulate and eloquent than most MPs ? He is one of the best English speakers in Parliament. Outside Parliament he is on par with Dr Chee. But his Mandarin is miles ahead of the rest !

 

[steffychun]

It's a known fact that Sylvia Lim is second in WP because of her English speaking skills. Along came CSM, but he a balance of both English and Mandarin. I predict Low being to sit aside in 5-8 years time

 

[metalmickey]

It's a known fact that Sylvia Lim is second in WP because of her English speaking skills. Along came CSM, but he a balance of both English and Mandarin. I predict Low being to sit aside in 5-8 years time

That doesn't make sense. Chen Show Mao and Low Thia Khiang are around the same age.

 

[jswyodn]

I think Vincent is the best public speaker in Singapore politics right now, not including Lee Kuan Yew in his prime of course. But at the end of the day, all that matters is your ability to grab votes, so I think two very strong political elements would be Vincent and Nicole. If somebody can somehow pull both of them to form a GRC team, I think they'd have a good chance of taking a GRC.

 

[SDPhopelessParty]

he is once of the best speaker off all times.


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