At the Gates

This is a fictional story relating to a fictional character and timeline within Singaporean politics.

Hannahbelle glanced at the numbers on the smaller monitor.

35,145 on YouTube.
7,976 on Twitch.
29,340 on Facebook.

Pacing around the set, she did a quick mental calculation and smiled. Enough people to fill six Indoor Stadiums. Levi and her old comrades at the PAP can organize as many rallies they wanted next week, milking the memory of Lee Hsien Loong’s passing, and still dream of having that number of attendees.

“Hannahbelle,” Jon, her sound guy, chirped up. “Sound test.”

After fiddling with the mic clipped onto her collar, Hannahbelle launched into the introduction she always opens with.

“Hello everyone! Welcome to another episode of Hannahbelle Speaks, the show where you get the most uncensored conversations about Singapore-”
Jon raised a thumbs up, drooped over his laptop with the other hand pressing against his headphones.

Feeling an itch in her throat, Hannahbelle drank what water remained in the glass on the coffee table. As if on cue, her assistant, Shu Qi, shuffled by with a half-full pitcher.

“How many on the line so far?”

“27 in the waiting room,” Shu Qi replied. “I’m still processing through about 50 plus more question submissions though, making sure to filter out questions that I think are irrelevant. Should we have a cut-off time mid-stream?”

“No,” Hannahbelle answered firmly. “Let the questions come in. For those that we cannot get to, split them into different categories and combine those that are similar. I want to read through them later.”

“Okay.” Shu Qi nodded before rushing back to her desk.

A sense of controlled chaos permeated the cramped set. It would only get worse. The craziness of the campaigning period would be like a whirlwind. Rallies. Walkabouts. More livestreams. They would hardly have time to even eat. Thank god Pritam gave the crucial TV debate slot to Jamus instead of her since he had done well the last GE. She already had too much on her plate.

“3 minutes!” Jon shouted.

Hannahbelle’s slim frame melted into the recliner, its worn seat creased by the countless hours she had spent on it over the last months building out her channel. Staring at the image of herself on the larger monitor, she swept away a few errant strands of her shoulder length hair. She had made sure to apply a very light layer of makeup, wanting to maintain her austere image.

“2 minutes!”

Hannahbelle went through her usual breathing exercise to calm her racing heart. The numbers on the screen only kept increasing. With record breaking audience numbers came added pressure. Goh Chok Tong had spearheaded a more open and consultative form of government. She recalled her first impression of the man. It was her first ever party convention, back then in 2015, after a landslide victory buoyed by the recent memory of Lee Kuan Yew’s passing.

“1 minute!”

She remembered the review of the last election in 2020. There had been a sense of worry around the party after losing another GRC and coming close to losing another two. “We have to work harder in getting a better sense of the ground,” Lee Hsien Loong had said. “We cannot let the popular vote slide any further.” On hindsight, Hannahbelle could see the cracks deepening then. The result was not merely because of the Covid-19 crisis. A lot of people voted for the opposition because they believed in an alternate voice. They did not believe that the faceless ones in white could bring their own voices in, for all the fancy dialogues and public consultations they held.

“30 seconds!”

She realized back then that being open and consultative also meant establishing an image of being able to advocate for different opinions and hold your own ground. That meant that people could trust you to fight for them. But leaders like Levi did not understand that. To him, it was the party’s way or the causeway.

“10 seconds!”

Hannahbelle’s lips curled. She would show them the cost of failing to adapt to a new age. People wanted to experience actually being listened to. To be treated with respect. They wanted their voice to be heard. And that’s why her platform stood for: a voice for the voiceless.

“3… 2 … 1! And we are live!”

To Hannahbelle, going live was like slipping on a warm and familiar hoodie. An explosion of energy gushed out from her diaphragm.

“Hello everyone! Welcome to another episode of Hannahbelle Speaks, the show where you get the most uncensored conversations about Singapore.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the countless heart emojis being spammed across the various chats.

“Today we have a very special episode. As you all know, tomorrow is Nomination Day and as announced on the Worker’s Party Facebook page, I will be leading a team to contest in Tanjong Pagar GRC. So, today will just be a Q&A session. I’m sure many of you, especially those living in Tanjong Pagar GRC, have a lot of questions to ask me and I will be happy to answer!”
She read the name popping up on the screen. “First up, we have Bjorn Gomes from Clementi.”

Jon unmuted the first caller.

“Hi Mrs Chong,” a gruff voice sounded out.

“No need to call me Mrs, Bjorn.” Hannahbelle chuckled. “Makes me feel old. Just call me Hannahbelle please.”

There was a soft laughter. “Okay. Hannahbelle, thanks for doing this Q&A. I want to say that it really means a lot that you are being so approachable with the people. My question is why is it that you left the PAP? I know you talked about it in some of your previous episodes, but I hope you can elaborate more fully, especially about what happened after PM Lee’s passing. Thanks.”
Hannahbelle fought to suppress the excitement within her. The perfect question to start the stream.

“Thank you, Bjorn, for the question. It’s a… tough one.” She paused for three seconds, furrowing her eyebrows to appear deep in thought, when in fact she had rehearsed her answer countless of times.

“The decision was a very difficult one to make because the party had given me a lot over the years. I got to learn from many great people. But as you all know, I am not a very PC person so I will be honest. Although I was the Minister of Trade and Industry, I had very strong stances on other policy areas like education and welfare. I’m sure some of you know that I had quite a few debates with the then Minister Levi Tan in parliament. Although the direction of the party was not going in a direction that I agreed with, it was quite difficult, even as a Minister, to advocate for changes within the party.”
Just like she had practised, she swallowed a lump in her throat and looked away from the camera for a few seconds before continuing.

“And with PM Lee’s tragic passing, I understand that some people will say that I am just leaving when things are going bad. But the truth is that… offering too much critique will ruffle a few feathers. So, combined with that disempowering feeling of being unable to make the impact I wanted to see, I made the hard decision to leave.”

Hannahbelle was pleased with her delivery. That ought to make a few headlines in the papers. She could already visualize it. A public feud between Hannahbelle the rising star and the 4G leader DPM Levi Tan. The showdown of Tanjong Pagar GRC.

“If possible, can I ask a follow up?” the caller said.
“Sure, Bjorn, please.”

“What were some of the obstacles that prevented you from making as much as an impact as you wanted?”

Ah, this could go in any direction. Hannahbelle thought about which angle she wanted to tackle before making a mental note. Got to add the buzzwords in too. Diversity. Inclusivity.

“Well, it’s really about the culture. If you look at how bills are passed in parliament, it’s usually the Cabinet introducing them and the MPs voting. Very rarely do we see MPs suggesting large amendments or introducing their own bills. Well, if people are just going to sit there and vote like robots, then what is the point?”

Hannahbelle paused for dramatic effect.

“As representatives of the people, we have a duty to bring up our constituents’ concerns to the public space. Because the PAP leadership controls everything, its MPs will find it hard to disagree or criticize. This is not healthy for our democracy, because there is less scrutiny on the policies being passed and even less on the ones already in place. Therefore, a loose cannon like me would find it difficult to get support. The system is exclusive, not inclusive. That means that change must come from the outside, not the inside.”
Another bombshell. Note to self: get Jon to clip that and share it on social media. Let it go viral.

She had not been entirely truthful. Change could come from within, but it had to be from the top, a place closed off to her. Her altercations with Levi had sealed her fate. After Levi had been confirmed to be the next PM after a secret meeting within the CEC after Lee Hsien Loong’s death, she heard rumblings that a large-scale renewal would happen this election. She knew she would be one of the first on the chopping block and she was not about to allow an unceremonious exit to destroy her dreams, even if it meant fighting against her former paymasters.

“Good questions so far! Really loving them. Next caller: Quek Zi Ting from Pasir Ris.”

There was a crackle on the line before a bubbly voice burst out. “Hi Hannahbelle! Really big fan here. Oh my gosh I really love your vlogs. You really inspire me a lot.”

Hannahbelle placed a hand over her mouth and giggled. “Thank you, Zi Ting! Happy to hear that!”

“Okay, so right, my question is… erm… what motivates you? You know, to be in politics?”

Awesome, a glorious opportunity to tell her “sibei cham” story.

“Thanks for the question.” Hannahbelle let her eyes wander to the ground for a bit. Biting her lips, she then looked straight at the camera, making sure to roll her shoulders back and puff her chest out. It was important to look dignified and tough.

“I never really had much growing up. It was just me and my mum and it was tough. She had to work different part-time jobs just to raise me.”
The tone of her voice lowered.

“There was this time in primary school when I lost my calculator. My mum was so angry. ‘You know how many hours I have to work to buy a new calculator?’ I was young. I did not understand much.”

Hannahbelle clenched her fist as she felt tears welling up in her eyes. She cursed herself. This was not part of the plan. She did not want to appear a victim. She could sully anything, but not the memory of her mother. Immediately, she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.

“But I could see the inequality. I could not go down to the school’s bookstore to buy textbooks but had to wait for the donation drive. After holidays, my classmates always talked about their overseas trips, while I spent most of it in the public library because there was no one to take care of me. I was lucky to get a scholarship to go into university, and lucky to have my first business succeed. But I know that there were many kids in my position who were not so lucky. That’s why I volunteered at Access, mentoring low-income kids and helping them get a better head start.”

A familiar sensation burned in her heart. The vivid image of her dream appeared in the forefront of her mind.

“But doing all these volunteering was not enough. We need good policies to create impact on a larger scale. That’s why I entered politics. The truth is Singapore can be harsh place for many people to live in. I mean… my mum worked so hard to raise me. She’s the hardest working person I know. The kids that I have mentored. A lot of them just feel… out of place in school, like they don’t belong. And I just feel the responsibility to provide with them some hope. I just want Singapore to be kinder, more accessible, more equitable.”
Hannahbelle felt a hand tap her shoulder. It was Shu Qi’s, holding a piece of tissue. Hannahbelle’s eyes flitted to her image on the monitor, where she saw her moist cheeks and reddening eyes. How embarrassing. She accepted the tissue and wiped her cheeks, looking away from the camera. Instead, she saw the various live stream chats on the monitor. Heartfelt messages were being spammed, one after another.

‘Dun need be ashamed about where you come from. This only shows how strong a person you are.’

‘This is what a politician should be, real and from the heart.’

‘Hannahbelle over this out of touch PAP govt.’

There was a sniff on the line. “That’s a really beautiful story… Hannahbelle. I would vote for you if I were in your GRC.”

“Thank you.” Hannahbelle quickly looked at the name on the screen again. “Zi Ting.”

Her tongue suddenly grew wetter with desire as she realized this vulnerable moment, though unplanned, was an opportunity. After she gulped down another glass of water, she sat in silence for a couple of moments. Her eyes blinked rapidly as more tears welled up. Placing a hand on her heart, she made sure to lace her every word with tension.

“Thank you everyone for the support you all have shown me… it means a lot. Inequality is an issue very dear to my heart because I lived through it. I understand what it means to have your voice unheard, to have no hope and insufficient support. That’s why I am working to change this. And to do that, I need all your help. Once again, thank you.”

She made sure to have her face contort with visible sadness, sniffing, before wiping the tears again. Perfectly executed. Not oversold. It was just enough. Soon, that clip would be all over social media.

“Okay, the stream must continue. Next, we have Ryan Ong from Novena.”

“Hi Hannahbelle. Thank you for your sharing. My question is: Can you explain the policies that you will push for if you are elected?”

“Of course.” she replied. Great timing for the question. After winning the hearts, it was now time to win the minds.

“The policies that I will fight for will help alleviate inequality in two areas: welfare and education. Firstly, in terms of welfare, Covid-19 has disproportionately affected those with lower incomes. Therefore, I am proposing an expansion of the Workfare Income Supplement and ComCare programs, focused on fostering more inclusion towards disadvantaged families. For instance, the Workfare Income Supplement scheme only applies to those above 35, which means younger families are excluded. The ComCare fund has reviews every 3 to 6 months, which is too short a time for many families to become more self-sufficient.”

She raised her hands, as if protesting her innocence.

“To be clear, I am not saying that we should have a welfare state like in some European countries, but I believe the way our social welfare policies are being designed and implemented can be done with more compassion and inclusivity.”

Hannahbelle grinned. Time to target the parents and add a little spicy drama.
“Next, I believe that a good education is very important in alleviating inequality. Every child should have access to a good education so that they can have a good future. Currently, the education system is too rigid, meaning that a lot of focus is on the top few schools, mostly in Bukit Timah. The fact is there’s large gap in resources and autonomy these schools have compared to the others. Look at our cabinet. Practically all of them come from the same few schools in Singapore. PM Heng Swee Keat said in 2018 that ‘every school is a good school.’ Then why is it the ministers are from the same few schools? I was the only odd one out from a neighbourhood school.”

Levi would be fuming if he was watching. She could already imagine that snob and his other dull grey-haired friends sitting in their high and mighty CEC accusing her of playing identity politics. That thought gave her immense pleasure.

“Although we changed the PSLE scoring system a while back, the inequality remains. What I am proposing is a gradual decentralization of the system. There should still be a centralized examination system, but I believe that different schools should have the autonomy to design the curriculum in different ways to suit the specific needs of their students, as well as select the teachers they want to hire. This can help improve the general quality of even more schools in the country and build a better future for our next generation.”
“Ultimately,” she continued. “It’s all about building a more compassionate and inclusive society with more equal opportunities for all. That is what I am fighting for.”

She could already envision the pro-PAP sheep, like Calvin Cheng, bleating about her words. How are we going to fund these welfare policies? Where will the money come from to fund these schools? Blah blah blah. She could not give a damn. These policies would not come to pass this election anyway. What mattered was that they sounded good. That they evoke emotions. That they sway sentiments. Compassion. Inclusivity. The details and the math were irrelevant.

“Next up we have Wong Yi Ern from Tampines.”

“Hello Hannahbelle. Thanks so much for talking about education and I agree it’s all about the next generation. I think about my child who is turning seven next year and the thought of sending him to school is so stressful.”

Hannahbelle nodded and smiled. “Thank you, Yi Ern. It’s very tough being a mother. I have a five-year-old myself and he means the world to me.”
More points in the “relatable” column.

“So I just wanted to ask what made you choose the WP?”

“When I was in parliament, I always thought that they offered valuable constructive criticism. After I left the PAP, I spoke to Mr. Pritam Singh, and I felt that I identified with a lot of the values that they were looking for.”
She paused. Probably unwise to talk about the other parties. She remembered Lim Tean reaching out but she could not stand those anti-foreigner for-the-people types. Political success warranted a certain level of credibility, which the opposition parties other than WP sorely lacked. Besides, the core ideologies of the WP felt familiar to her. She just thought of them as PAP-left. It was easy to join. Pritam had been all too quick to induct her and grant her command over a team.

“So that’s why I joined the WP. Okay, next question comes from…”

The stream ended past midnight after a gruelling few hours. After going through the next day’s schedule, Hannahbelle bid goodbye to her assistants and took the lift down. She yawned, wanting to head home and take a long bath.

As she exited the lift and strode towards her car, her phone rang. She fished it out from within her handbag and looked at the caller ID.

Unknown number.

Her finger hovered above the reject button before some deep instinct within led her to accept the call.

“Who’s this?”

A familiar husky voice answered. “Congratulations on the successful livestream, Hannahbelle. It’s been a long time since we talked.”

“Levi Tan.” She seethed. “What do you want?”

“Have you heard about the story of Hannibal, the Carthaginian general that was Rome’s greatest enemy?”

“Be straight to the point please.”

“Hannibal was a very strong general that almost brought Rome to its knees. He won many battles against all odds. But ultimately, he still lost the war. Do you know what Rome did when he was at their gates?”

“Levi,” she exhaled sharply. “Don’t waste my-”

“They shut it. They shut the gates and let Hannibal ravage their countryside like a hungry wolf. Because they knew they could win in the long term. They were the greatest city in the Mediterranean. They were resilient and could afford losing a few battles. Hannibal, isolated, could not win a long war, and so, in the end, he was defeated and died ignobly in exile.”

She paused in her steps. “Huh. You think I will be like Hannibal?”

“Hannahbelle… I saw what you were the moment you joined the party after Tharman brought you in. You could fool the others, but you couldn’t fool me. Now you are exposed as just an identity-politics-playing, power-hungry populist.”

“Yeah?” Hannahbelle sneered. “If you say so, that’s who you will be losing your cushy seat in parliament to.”

“You had a bright future, you know? A lot of the others liked you. You were the best female minister we had. If only you had just shut up and followed orders. What a pity…”

“You-”

Levi had hung up. Hannahbelle muttered a curse under her breath. She had let him get under her skin. What was that Hannibal story for? For some reason, she felt shivers creeping up her spine. She shook her head. No matter, she would fulfil her ambition. It would start with thrusting a symbolic knife into the PAP’s throat and ousting its leader out of parliament. She looked forward to seeing Levi’s smug face tomorrow, on Nomination Day.

The large ceiling fans in the assembly hall of Deyi Secondary School could not blow away the air of tension amongst the WP candidates.
Hannahbelle kept looking at her watch every few seconds. Barely 10 minutes till the deadline at noon. She could not stop the shaking in her legs. Where was Levi and his cronies?

“Wah, they actually going to give us walkover? Cannot be right, it’s Levi Tan leh,” someone asked hopefully.

“Are you dreaming?” Hannahbelle shot back, visibly irritated. “Tch. So late. This can only mean one thing. And I don’t like it at all.”

“What thing?”

Just as Hannahbelle was about to reply, she heard a loud commotion at the holding area outside the hall. She and her team stood up, looking out of the double doors to see a mass of white shirts. She squinted, trying to spot Levi Tan amongst the group but to no avail. A knot of dread formed in her stomach.

“Eh guys! Check your phones! The group chat! Levi Tan spotted at Ang Mo Kio Secondary! He changed GRC last minute like Heng Swee Keat the last GE!”

“Wah really! That means our chances are very good now right? Hannahbelle? Hannahbelle? Where are you going?”

She had stormed off, needing some fresh air.

She reached at the railing outside the hall and hunched over. The cheers from her colleagues sounded across the hall and it irked her to no end. All they cared about was getting elected. Limited men with limited dreams. She felt nauseous.

What was another GRC going to do? It would be too slow. She wanted Levi Tan out next week, not give him an entire term to consolidate his power. Singaporean politics needed a huge shaking up. And what better way to light a fire than to defeat the PAP’s 4G leader? She could feel her dream becoming more distant. Was she doomed to play a game of cat and mouse? Fighting GRC by GRC? By the time PAP would lose its hegemony, her time would have expired… and her dream… of holding Singapore within her palms would have disappeared. She swore as she recalled Levi’s stupid story from last night. He would shut the gates, and let her ravage the countryside, like Rome did to Hannibal.