Chin: Jialat! Still got four more speeches to write…How to make each one different?
Chai: Eh, you not suppose to make it different. Must hammer home the same lines. Crisis of a generation. New normal. Stay united. Singapore Together. And somewhere must have resilience, fortitude and solidarity….
Chin: Aiyoh. Can use other words or not? People will get turned off by repetition….
Chai: You know nothing about public communication strategy! Must repeat, repeat and repeat and then can get through people’s head.
Chin: Okay. Some things bear repeating I suppose…
Chai: Of course! We can’t risk people getting complacent or we got to do another CB….! Oh. Remember to put in complacent, complacency or not letting guard down…
Chin: Will remember. But won’t people expect more than the usual phrases? Some kind of plan?
Chai: Of course they can see a plan — elections coming! So must have the ministers practise for the big plan. Proper enunciation, delivery, sense of empathy and assurance, self-confidence and even, hopefully, charisma.
Chin: But that’s not my problem right? I only deal with words.
Chai: Stop grumbling lah. At least, it’s Tharman next. Wait until you get to….
Chin: Who?
Chai: Never mind.
PS. My apologies. It’s not Tharman next but Teo Chee Hean