SINGAPORE: Netizens have reacted with heavy cynicism to the appearance of Deryne Sim, a 40-year-old media and entertainment lawyer, at a recent People’s Action Party (PAP) walkabout.
Although PAP has not officially introduced her as a candidate for Nee Soon GRC, her presence at the event has fueled speculation about her potential electoral debut.
Many have questioned whether Sim’s engagement with residents was merely timed for the election season, expressing skepticism about her motives.
Sim joined Minister for Law and Home Affairs K. Shanmugam on 26 January at Chong Pang Market and Food Centre, where she was seen distributing oranges, conversing with residents, and extending Lunar New Year greetings.
Sim is said to have been volunteering with PAP for a couple of years, starting with Meet-the-People sessions in Nee Soon—although photos of her activities in the past have been hard to find.
Leveraging her legal expertise, she offers pro-bono advice to residents facing issues such as scams, government notices, neighbour disputes, and domestic conflicts.
In addition to her legal work, Sim is said to have been actively volunteers with NSCF Uplift, a charity movement promoting inclusion.
She is also said to have been conducting weekly strength training sessions for children with special needs, reflecting her commitment to the community.
A graduate of the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2008, Sim has built an impressive career as a legal counsel for prominent organisations such as CNBC, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and the Walt Disney Company.
She is currently the legal director at Infront Sports and Media, a Swiss-based sports marketing company, where she handles legal contracts for major events such as Badminton World Federation (BWF) tournaments, the Sydney Marathon, and the Olympics.
Sim’s academic achievements include the prestigious Chevening Scholarship awarded by the U.K.’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2019, which allowed her to pursue a postgraduate diploma in Innovation, Technology, and the Law at the University of Edinburgh.
In 2021, she received a Fulbright Scholarship and earned a Master of Laws at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Netizens Show Cynicism Toward PAP’s Speculated Candidate, Claiming Engagement Is Only for the Election
Despite her credentials, online reactions to Sim’s appearance have been largely cynical.
A post about her on Mothership’s Facebook page attracted 464 comments, with many suggesting that her engagement with residents was strategically timed for the upcoming election.
One user commented that Sim seemed to be doing everything for the camera.
Another noted that elections were approaching and suggested that candidates only became visible when it was time to secure votes.
Others pointed out that it was not surprising for candidates to only be kind when elections approached, claiming that they would not normally even ask residents if they had any difficulties or problems, which was considered disheartening.
One user echoed these concerns, remarking that candidates merely showed up, handed out freebies, and shook hands.
They questioned whether any new candidate, before being elected, had ever discussed the concerns of citizens and how they planned to address these issues.
The user claimed this behaviour revealed that candidates were simply joining the party for power and money, showing little regard for what citizens were going through.
Another commenter dismissed Sim as “nothing grand” and compared her to other PAP candidates like Tan Chuan-Jin.
They wondered whether she would speak up about issues like the high cost of living and inflation in parliament or if she would simply remain inactive, much like Amy Khor, who they claimed had been “sleeping” in parliament.
The commenter expressed frustration with PAP’s inaction and stated that people had already made up their minds to vote out such “free riders.”
One user accused new candidates of seeking money rather than genuinely serving the country or its people.
These candidates, the user claimed, knew that ordinary people were suffering but pretended to be unaware while acting nice.
Another user criticized the insincere election-season friendliness, predicting that if Sim were elected, her accessibility to residents would diminish.
They suggested that Meet-the-People sessions post-election might see a shift, with candidates becoming more selective in their engagements.
Amid the wave of skepticism, one netizen urged Nee Soon GRC voters to consider their choices carefully at the ballot box.
