Murali’s mantra: Plans, not personality, matter
PAP’s Murali Pillai said he was working to ensure that Bukit Batok residents know that he and his team have the capabilities to execute his plans for the ward. PHOTO: KOH MUI FONG
SINGAPORE – One would hardly describe People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate Murali Pillai — known for his low-key demeanour — as a non-conformist. But in his own ways, the head of the commercial litigation department at Rajah & Tann Singapore does not believe in simply going with the flow.
His campaign posters, for example, depict him in everyday settings — sharing a cup of “teh” at coffeeshops or shaking hands with Bukit Batok residents at their homes.
These are different from the typical ones showing just the faces of PAP candidates, prompting the party’s secretary-general Lee Hsien Loong to remark that Mr Murali’s posters “break the mould” when he accompanied the party’s by-election candidate on a walkabout on Saturday.
In interviews with TODAY earlier this week, Mr Murali kept returning to the point of being authentic. “For me, there shouldn’t be a gap between perception and reality — this is what I’ve been ... The posters show situations that I’m familiar with and comfortable in. So that’s really what I project myself as,” he said.
Mr Murali had also joked about how he went against the advice of a resident who noted that none of the incumbent Members of Parliament had a moustache and urged him to shave it off in order to boost his chances in the Bukit Batok by-election.
Mr Murali declined to do so, saying that the residents would be “saddled with my moustache, my imperfections, my warts and all”.
Some observers have noted that Mr Murali could risk being overshadowed during the hustings by his more high-profile opponent Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan. In response to whether there is a difference in the way he projected himself as a candidate in the current contest for the single-seat ward compared to last year’s General Election where he was part of the PAP Aljunied GRC team, Mr Murali stressed that the by-election is “not about projecting a personality”. “(It is) more about presenting plans that affect the daily lives of our Bukit Batok residents,” he said, pointing to his manifesto and plans for the constituency.
Adding that he also sought to make sure that residents know his team has the capabilities to execute the plans, he said: “That’s me I guess, it’s not just an issue of talking (about) high policies, but having the ability to translate whatever you say to action on the ground.”
Apart from Mr Lee, other PAP heavyweights including second assistant secretary-general Tharman Shanmugaratnam and former PAP chairman Lim Boon Heng had lent their support to Mr Murali during his walkabouts.
Despite the presence of the PAP big guns, Mr Murali reiterated that he is the one who would have to get the support of the voters in relation to his plans. “So that’s still my responsibility and I will give it my all,” he said.
So far, Mr Murali has steered clear of the sharp exchanges between the PAP and the SDP over several issues including Dr Chee’s character and credentials.
Stressing that he is focused on his own agenda for the residents, he said: “I’ve said this is very serious for Bukit Batok residents, it’s not entertainment.
“We are dealing with issues of who should take care of Bukit Batok residents’ town council matters, who should take care of their needs.”
The issue of race has also cropped up during the course of the hustings, with Mr Murali seeking the mandate in a constituency where three quarters of the voters are Chinese. The PAP has warned the SDP against playing the race card and the opposition party responded by challenging the PAP to point out any racist statements ever made by it.
Did he choose the moniker “Ah Mu” to appeal to Chinese voters? No, said Mr Murali. His friends have been calling him that for years, he added.
“This has no connection with race at all actually. Friends have been calling me ‘Mu’ for many, many years … so this is something which has worked out to be a term of endearment, I don’t see that as being linked to the issue of race,” he said.
In contrast to his political opponent, Mr Murali has kept his family away from the public eye. The father of twin sons and two daughters revealed that his wife, Dr N Gowri, an educator, has been caring for her mother who was recently discharged from the hospital, having been warded for kidney problems.
Nonetheless, his wife has given him some advice: Shave more, Mr Murali said with a laugh.
Needless to say, he has paid little heed, as he continues doing things his way.
