David Neo explains viral ‘sunrise’ remark from GE2025 speech, says he was explaining causation and correlation
David Neo, Acting Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth, explained in a podcast the meaning behind a viral remark he made during the 2025 General Election (GE2025), adding that the comment has since influenced how he crafts his speeches.
Mr Neo, who is also Senior Minister of State for Education, was interviewed on The Daily Ketchup, a news commentary podcast that explores viral topics in Singapore. The episode, posted on April 20 and titled “Why do SAF generals go into Politics in Singapore”, has garnered more than 16,070 views.
At the start of the episode, one of the hosts, Denise Oh, asks Mr Neo if his “Acting Minister” title means he is “on probation”, to which he joking replies: “
On probation lah. Cannot make it, then okay lor, change lor.
Host Daniel Lim also asks Mr Neo about a phrase that went viral during his speech at a GE2025 lunchtime rally on April 28, 2025.
“When I wake up, the sun rises. But I never make the mistake of thinking that the sun rises because I woke up,” he said during the rally, drawing amused reactions from netizens.
The comment was revisited during the interview, where Mr Lim asks if he could explain what he meant.
“I was trying to make a simple point about the difference between correlation and causation,” Mr Neo explains.
He adds that Singapore has experienced good economic growth over the past two years despite challenging global circumstances, following efforts to create jobs for Singaporeans and develop industries.
When asked whether the viral moment had changed how he writes speeches, Mr Neo says that he would “still continue trying new things, new ways of making sure people get the message”.
The interview also touches on the role of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and his experience as Acting Minister, with Mr Neo joking that “anything that is not under anybody’s portfolio, it’s MCCY”.
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