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SINGAPORE : For the first time, the People's Action Party (PAP) has employed the use of new media on a large scale.
This includes the party's first political videos since the ban on such films was lifted.
In the corner of the convention hall, the PAP's new media team was fast at work - capturing every single moment of the event and posting it online.
There were instant updates on the PAP website, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.
And during the dialogue, participants sent in questions through their mobile phones.
This is the first time new media tools have been given such a prominent spot at the PAP Convention. It is part of a broader effort to update and refresh the party image, reach out to the wider public, and hopefully bring in new members.
Hamidah Aidillah Mustafa, PAP member, Keat Hong Branch, said: "I won't say this is something earth-shattering or ground-breaking, but it is certainly something that shows the party is able to accept and engage the younger electorate or the younger voters."
The party's youth wing said that once it has fine-tuned its online tools, they will be rolled out to the PAP wards.
The party also showed off its first political videos, including one on its struggles in the early years of Singapore's independence.
These are now available online, and include a recruitment clip, and a look at the work of ordinary members.
Zaqy Mohamad, vice-chairman, Young PAP and MP for Hong Kah GRC, said: "There is a lot (about) the PAP that people do not understand and know, like the dialogues and discourse that goes on in the party.
"Everyone thinks the PAP is monolithic, the PAP has only got one voice. And the reality is, for the first time, you see our activists and cadres in action."
This year's convention saw ordinary members deliver speeches and take part in dialogues before the convention to share their concerns. This is the first time these pre-convention sessions - held over May, June and July - were being held.
Chan Hui Yuh, co-chair, PAP Convention Organising Committee, said: "There were repeated calls for the politics of consensus. Many activists felt strongly about the need to have more consensus or buy-in within the party, be they of policies or other political issues, before we can reach out to the rest of Singapore."
Inderjit Singh, chairman, Kebun Baru Branch and MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, explained: "We have policies that some people agree with, some people may not agree with, unpopular policies, some that create anxiety, like on foreign talent and so on.
"So the issue for us is therefore, how do we create consensus among everyone to understand that we need some of these things, even though it may not be something that they like in the short term, but something that will help us in the long term."
Janil Puthucheary, volunteer, PAP Radin Mas Branch, said: "Much has been made of of the negative side, 'kiasi, kiasu', what have you. I would like to turn the focus to the other direction and say look, what is the positive side? The positive side can be summed up by, I believe 'Pah Buay Sih', "Da Bu Si", or in English, 'Beat Won't Die'."
Other speakers also touched on the challenges of grassroots work, and the need to stay relevant to Singaporeans. - CNA/ms
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