Sharon was humbled. She had not realised how naïve she had been.

At the same time, she was invigorated. Within the tight span of a few days, Elvis Overee had given her a crash course in how an effective politician operated.

The first lesson started off a little harshly. At the Special Operations Command Centre, when she watched on screen the young woman being carried out of the ambulance with her jeans pulled midway down her thighs, she had made a remark to the effect that she hoped the poor girl had not been sexually assaulted. Elvis had thrown her a strange look, but said nothing. He waited till he was next alone with her before he gave her a piece of his mind.

“That was a really stupid thing to say out loud.”

Sharon glared at Elvis with her mouth agape.

“That is what a housewife might say to her neighbours when they gossip about the riot incident. That is what a taxi driver might lament when he is making conversation with his customers. But that is not what a politician says out loud. You are a public figure. Whatever comes out of your mouth carries weight. There are consequences, depending on how your words are interpreted. The last thing you should do is shoot off your mouth without first considering the impact your words might have.”

Sharon blushed deeply. She fought the urge to defend herself. It was obvious that Elvis was not done with the lecturing.

“When words come out of your mouth, they should serve a purpose. Do you aim to convince and persuade, or do you need to defend or deflect? Are you herding the listeners in a certain direction you want them to go or away from a steep slope you don’t want them to approach? No one knows yet what happened to that girl in the ambulance. Why are you bringing attention to the specific possibility that she might have been sexually assaulted?”

“I am merely hoping that it was not the case,” Sharon stammered. “It would be terrible if it were.”

“Again, that is how the average man on the street thinks and operates, but not us. As politicians, we ought to analyse the situation and kick-start the planning for multiple scenarios. If there is a victim in the equation, yes, it would be a terrible experience for him or her. But if we handle it right, we can emerge winners.”

Sharon nodded and kept listening. It did not escape her that Elvis had switched from “you” to “we”.

“Look at the bigger picture. We have on our hands the first riot in Singapore since our independence. The public feels shocked, afraid, enraged. They will demand explanations and accountability. Tell me, what should be your priority and focus at this moment?”

“Launch a full-scale investigation, identify and apprehend the rioters, bring them to task.”