Heng Swee Keat East Coast Plan (GE2020)

A snapshot of the famous “East Coast Plan” moment from GE2020. Photo from Youtube video.

The East Coast Plan is a political catchphrase that originated from a fumbled speech by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Nomination Day of the 2020 General Election. The incident occurred on 30 June 2020 when Heng, who was contesting in East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC), repeatedly stumbled over his words while attempting to unveil the People's Action Party's (PAP) electoral manifesto for the constituency.

Context

Heng Swee Keat's sudden move

In the lead-up to the 2020 General Election, Heng Swee Keat made a surprising last-minute switch from Tampines GRC, where he had served as a Member of Parliament since 2011, to East Coast GRC. The move surprised political observers as Heng had been expected to remain in Tampines, having represented the constituency for two terms and achieving a strong 72.06 percent of the vote in the 2015 General Election.

Heng explained on Facebook that the decision to contest in East Coast GRC was made because the constituency could not afford a "succession gap" during such uncertain times. He stated that moving to East Coast allowed him to "do my part" and ensure the constituency had "a full team that can take care of the residents and position them to come out of this crisis stronger."

Political stakes

The 2020 General Election took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period of significant uncertainty and stress for Singapore. As Minister for Finance at the time, Heng was responsible for overseeing the national budget response to the pandemic, which included unprecedented measures and the drawing down of past reserves. Heng was also the First Assistant Secretary-General of the PAP and widely regarded as the leading contender to succeed Lee Hsien Loong as Prime Minister.

East Coast GRC became a highly contested battleground when the Workers' Party (WP) fielded a strong team that included Nicole Seah, a popular opposition figure making a political comeback.

The infamous speech

On Nomination Day, 30 June 2020, Heng delivered a speech intended to introduce the PAP's manifesto for East Coast GRC, titled "Together We Care @ East Coast." However, during his address to the media, Heng repeatedly stumbled over his words and became visibly flustered. The most notorious segment of his speech was described by The Economist as a "disastrous speech" in which he "fumbled his lines so badly that it inspired widespread public ridicule and a bounty of internet memes."

Reason behind the fumbled speech

Heng later explained in interviews that several factors contributed to his speech difficulties. He had been switched at the last minute from Tampines to East Coast GRC, on top of having to manage the national budgets during the COVID-19 pandemic as Finance Minister. Recalling the incident, Heng said he had a quick briefing with his fellow candidates on their plans before speaking to the media, and though he thought it was a "very good" plan, it came out "a little garbled."

Contemporary observers theorized that the decision to move to East Coast GRC was made at the last minute, which explained why the speech seemed unprepared. Additionally, speakers at nomination proceedings were under strict time limits, which may have contributed to Heng's thoughts becoming more jumbled than planned.

How it went viral

Initial reaction

u/ayam’s sticker of Heng Swee Keat’s GE2020 speech. Photo from Reddit.

The speech immediately became the subject of widespread mockery on social media. Netizens noted that all they heard from Heng, who was tipped to be the next Prime Minister was the phrase "East Coast" repeated incessantly. The plan became popularly known as the "East Coast Plan" among Singaporeans and on social media platforms.

The fumbled speech inspired a wave of creative content from netizens. Memes spread rapidly across social media platforms, with users creating parody music videos, artwork, and satirical commentary. The incident became one of the most memorable moments of the 2020 General Election campaign and has been cited as one of the 60 iconic Singapore pop culture moments. Even Heng's PAP colleagues made playful references to the "East Coast Plan" during the campaign. Sengkang GRC candidate Amrin Amin and Jurong GRC MP Tan Wu Meng both alluded to the phrase in their own speeches.

The meme evolved beyond digital content when creative entrepreneurs turned it into physical merchandise. Reddit user u/melonmilkfordays created a doodled meme with a cue card, which Reddit user u/ayam (Tea Kok Hong) then transformed into vinyl stickers.

The stickers were sold online for S$2 each through the Instickate website, with all proceeds donated to Krsna's Free Meals, a soup kitchen in Little India that primarily serves migrant workers. Initially intended as a giveaway, demand became overwhelming after Tea received over 500 requests. By 18 July 2020, the sticker fundraiser had raised over S$4,300 for charity, which contributed towards purchasing a van for the soup kitchen.

Public criticism

Many netizens expressed disappointment that someone positioned to become Singapore's next Prime Minister would stumble so badly during a crucial campaign speech. Critics pointed out the irony that the PAP had positioned the election as necessary during COVID-19 to secure a strong mandate, yet their key candidate appeared unprepared.

Some netizens questioned whether the speech demonstrated inadequate preparation or whether Heng was overwhelmed by the sudden change in constituencies. Others found humor in the fact that Heng appeared to have a plan but was unable to articulate it coherently.

Heng Swee Keat's response

Good-natured self-mockery

Heng Swee Keat reposting a meme of his speech on his Instagram. Photo from 8days.

Heng demonstrated remarkable grace under pressure by taking the criticism in stride and even embracing the meme. He did not appear offended by the jokes and instead showed a willingness to laugh at himself.

During an e-rally held during the campaign period, Heng engaged in playful self-deprecation. His East Coast teammate Maliki Osman opened the rally by saying: "Many of you must be very familiar with this quote: 'We also have a plan. We have an East Coast Singapore. Indeed…'" Heng then interjected: "But Maliki, you forgot 'a together, an East Coast plan!'"

Heng also commented positively on the creative merchandise inspired by his speech blunder, stating: "Our merchants are creative." He sportingly accepted artwork alluding to his "East Coast Plan" and showed appreciation for the entrepreneurial spirit displayed by those who created memes and products.

Reflections on the incident

In subsequent interviews and social media posts, Heng reflected on the incident with humor and humility. He posted a video on Instagram in which he referenced the slip-up, saying: "In my excitement, and some would say 'strategy', I had a moment where people remembered forever." The post included the now-viral clip of himself stuttering and stumbling during the speech.

Heng also joked that he was "glad I didn't say it was a Tampines Plan," adding that "it turned out to be a plus as many people remember it." He acknowledged that while the moment was embarrassing, it ultimately helped make the East Coast Plan memorable to voters.

Reflecting on the broader lesson, Heng stated: "When I was Education Minister, I told kids: never be afraid of failure, never be afraid of making mistakes. You learn from it. Sometimes you're embarrassed by it, but if that stops you from doing what is right, it'll be a big minus, but if you learn from it and do it even better, that's a big plus."

What is the East Coast Plan

Plan details

When Heng and his team first articulated the East Coast Plan in 2020, it was described as a "broad outline" of the direction they intended to pursue. The plan comprised three pillars:

• Caring: Building a spirit of care within the neighborhood community
• Vibrant: Creating good common spaces for residents
• Green: Promoting environmental sustainability

Implementation & delays

Despite the early momentum of the 2020 campaign, tangible results of the East Coast Plan remained limited for several years. It wasn't until January 2025, nearly five years after the plan was introduced that Heng unveiled a key component: the development of PlayHubs and PlayLinks for East Coast residents.

The PlayHubs are described as vibrant community spaces featuring adventure playgrounds, fitness zones, and pet-friendly areas. However, construction was only scheduled to begin in late 2025, meaning residents would not see the fruits of the 2020 promise before the next general election.

This delayed timeline raised questions about the fulfillment of the ambitious plan and drew criticism for the gap between promises made during the 2020 campaign and what had been delivered.