Over the past three days, there has been a series of political resignations within Singapore, involving key figures from both the People’s Action Party (PAP) and the Workers’ Party (WP).
Notably, Tan Chuan-Jin and Cheng Li Hui of the PAP resigned on Monday (17 July), followed by Leon Perera and Nicole Seah of the WP on Tuesday (19 July), after the revelations of their extra-marital affairs.
Subsequently, the resignation letters of these politicians were posted online and have been subject to much scrutiny and discussion.
Amidst all the analysis, an Instagram account called Mockingbird News has taken a unique approach, grading these resignation letters like they were school homework.
The Mockingbird News Assessment
The Instagram page Mockingbird News gained attention for its unconventional evaluation of the resignation letters. It provided a fresh perspective, offering insight into the content, structure, and overall quality of each letter.
Mr. Tan Chuan-Jin’s Resignation Letter – Grade: A-
Mr. Tan Chuan-Jin, who resigned as the Speaker of Parliament and from the PAP, received a respectable A- for his letter. The marker commended his efforts and termed it a “good attempt.”
However, they also suggested citing sources in the future, indicating the importance of backing statements with credible references.
Ms. Cheng Li Hui’s Resignation Letter – Grade: F
In contrast to Mr. Tan’s letter, Ms. Cheng Li Hui’s resignation note garnered an unfortunate F grade. The letter comprised a mere three lines and lacked proper formatting, drawing criticism from the marker.
The brevity of the letter, considered “shorter than a tweet,” raised concern, prompting the marker to advise utilizing ChatGPT for assistance in crafting more substantial resignation letters.
The market also wrote the infamous “See me!” under the F grade, something that will undoubtedly bring back nightmares for Singapore students.
Mr. Leon Perera’s Resignation Letter – Grade: B-
Mr. Leon Perera’s letter secured a B- grade, with specific observations from the marker. The assessment noted that the writing displayed “little accountability” and insufficiently addressed pertinent issues. They urged Mr. Perera to “revisit the curriculum” in terms of improving his future communications.
Ms. Nicole Seah’s Resignation Letter – Grade: A+
Ms. Nicole Seah’s resignation letter was met with the highest praise, receiving an outstanding A+ grade. This comes as no surprise given her background in marketing and communications. The marker acknowledged her demonstrated accountability and understanding of the source material, indicating a well-crafted letter.
