Not all leaders are created equal.
Good leaders are hard to come by but Great leaders that can inspire and rally the citizens together to create this mystical unicorn of ours are few and far in between. As we prepare to elect the next generation of our leaders to take Singapore into the next 50 years, we need leaders who can lead us through uncharted territories and rallies us together as a unit. To take Singapore to the next 50 years, we need great leaders, so let us give credit where credit is due ...
50 Shades of White
Let us take a closer look at our current crop of heavyweights, fan favorites, up and coming and the not so cool ones...
The Heavyweights 四大金剛
The Untouchables, these heavyweights are of great importance and influence to the future of our nation building. They are well respected and holds the most important portfolios which are key pillars of our nation including finance, education and defense.
Mr Lee Hsien Loong - Prime Minister of Singapore
Mr Lee Hsien Loong (10 February 1952) is the elder son of our founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew. He is also the Secretary-General of the People's Action Party (PAP), PM Lee succeeded Goh Chok Tong in 2004. Before becoming Prime Minister in 2004 he served as the Minister for Trade and Industry, Minister for Finance and Deputy Prime Minister. Prior to his election to Parliament, he served as an officer in the Singapore Armed Forces, quickly rising to the rank of Brigadier-General.
Whilst lacking his father's fiery speech, PM Lee is dedicated, honest and unassuming. Despite his long fight with cancer, he is resolved to bring Singapore forward. Humble and courteous, he is well liked and respected by the electorates. As a leader, he stands tall on the shoulder of his fathers' lifelong pursuit to make Singapore a better place.
Dr. Ng Eng Hen - Minister of Defence
Dr. Ng Eng Hen (10 December 1958) is our Minister for Defence, as well as the Leader of the House in the Parliament, He had previously served as the Minister for Manpower and Minister for Education. One of six children who lived in a rental flat in Zion Road during his childhood, Dr Ng attended ACS and NJC before going on to medical school at the National University of Singapore and fellowship training in surgical oncology at the University of Texas. Upon his return, Dr Ng served as a consultant surgeon at the Singapore General Hospital from 1992 to 1997, and maintained a private practice in Mount Elizabeth Hospital as a surgical oncologist from 1997 to 2001.
A respected and charismatic leader, he has spearhead the NDP 50 Celebration as the Chair of the Organizing Committee. On nomination day, he thanks both his supporters and even opposition party's supporter who jeered him by stating that even even if you jeer us, we will improve your life... The more you jeer.. the harder we work for you... A true Gentlemen and a Charismatic Leader.. Pure Gold
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam - Minister of Finance
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (born 25 February 1957) is our Minister for Finance since 2007 and Deputy Prime Minister since 2011. He is also Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore and had previously served as the Minister for Education from 2003 to 2008. Mr Tharman studied at ACS, before going on to the London School of Economics, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in economics. He subsequently obtained a Master's degree in economics from the University of Cambridge, and a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University, where he also received a Lucius N. Littauer Fellow award for outstanding performance.
Highly astute, intelligent and respected in the international financial arena, Mr Tharman was appointed the Chairman of the International Monetary and Financial Committee, the policy steering committee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2011. He was also admitted to the Group of Thirty (an international consultative group made up of 30 leading financiers and academics) in June 2008. With Mr Tharman in charge of finance, we are in safe hands.
Mr Heng Swee Keat - Minister of Education
Mr Heng Swee Keat (1961) is the Minister for Education since May 2011. Prior to his election to Parliament, Heng served as the Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) from 2005 to 2011. Mr Heng began his career in the Singapore Police Force before being appointed the Principal Private Secretary to former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
In August 2012, Mr Heng was tasked to lead a new ministerial committee to conduct a broad-based review of the Government's policies and direction by engaging with fellow Singaporeans through the National Conversation. Mr Heng Sweet Keat also brought about gradual changes in the education system by introducing "All school is a Good School " motion where he methodological and meticulously review education systems of other leading nations and how we can improve our education system. A respected and caring leader, Mr Heng handled the devastating Mount Kinabalu tragedy where we lost 10 Singaporeans with great empathy, care and consideration. Mr Heng is also in high regards by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, stating that Heng Swee Keat, was the best Principal Private Secretary he ever had.
In August 2012, Mr Heng was tasked to lead a new ministerial committee to conduct a broad-based review of the Government's policies and direction by engaging with fellow Singaporeans through the National Conversation. Mr Heng Sweet Keat also brought about gradual changes in the education system by introducing "All school is a Good School " motion where he methodological and meticulously review education systems of other leading nations and how we can improve our education system. A respected and caring leader, Mr Heng handled the devastating Mount Kinabalu tragedy where we lost 10 Singaporeans with great empathy, care and consideration. Mr Heng is also in high regards by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, stating that Heng Swee Keat, was the best Principal Private Secretary he ever had.
The Crowd Favorite
The crowd puller, a group of prominent MPs whom truly care for the welfare of their residents and frequently appears in community events and champion for social causes. These group of MPs are well loved by their residents. With a large legions of fans, they are constantly photographed and featured on social medias.
Mr Baey Yam Keng - MP for Tampines GRC
Mr Baey Yam Keng (31 August 1970) is the Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC, Before entering politics, Baey held executive positions in the Economic Development Board amongst others. He was a managing director at Hill & Knowlton until resigning in 2012 to devote his time to his constituency. Mr Baey and his wife have three children. He was educated at Catholic High School and Hwa Chong Junior College and graduated from the Imperial College London (BSc) and University College London (MSc) on EDB scholarships.
Charming and highly savvy on social media, Mr Baey is a crowd favorite with the ladies and aunties following him on instagram and facebook postings. He is always swarmed during meet the people session and has a loyal legions of fans following.
Dr Lily Neo - MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC
Dr Lily Neo (August 12, 1953) is a Singaporean medical practitioner and a Member of Parliament (MP) for Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC). Dr Neo furthered her studies in Australia before graduating with MBBS , Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1980.
Dr Neo currently serves the Deputy Chairperson for the Social and Family Development Government Parliamentary Committee. As a caring and loving MP whom has being championing for more support on many social issues particularly the low-income group, the elderly and young children, Dr Neo highly respected and popular across Singapore.
Dr. Amy Khor - MP for Hong Kah North SMC
Dr Amy Khor (23 February 1958) is currently the Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Health as well as in the Ministry of Manpower. Dr Khor was a valuer at the Property Tax Division from 1981 to 1987. She then served as a Senior Lecturer at the National University of Singapore, in 1988, she completed an Master of Business Administration at San Jose State University and her Doctor of Philosophy in land management at the University of Reading in 1997.
Well liked, warm and jovial, Dr Amy Khor is highly popular and appreciated by the residents in Hong Kah North where she served as a MP for the past 14 years. In 2011 election, She was the PAP's top electoral performer garnering 70.6 per cent of the votes way above the Party's average of 60%
Dr Lee Bee Wah - MP for Nee Soon GRC
Dr Lee Bee Wah (born 1960) is a member of the Parliament of Nee Soon GRC. Coming from a humble background where both her parents were rubber planters, Dr Lee graduated from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) with a B.Eng. from the School of Civil and Structural Engineering. In 2011, the University of Liverpool presented to her an Honorary Doctorate and also the Nanyang Distinguished Alumni Award from NTU. Devoted to community projects and fundraising,
Dr Lee is a highly popular figure in both Ang Mo Kio and Nee Soon.In 2013, her adopted a stray dog named Blackie, or Xiao Hei. went missing, causing panic and frantic search amongst the residents, the dog was subsequently found.
The Rising Stars - Generation 4 Leaders
Mr Ng Chee Meng - Former Chief of Defence
Mr Ng is part of a six-member PAP team that will be contesting in Pasir Ris-Punggol Group Representation Constituency in the 2015, making him the highest ranked officer ever to join politics. Mr Ng chaired the organising committee for the state funeral of Singapore's first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, from 23–29 March. He also led the first round of the vigil guard who stood guard during Lee's lying in state in Parliament House from 25–28 March.
Mr Ong Ye Kun - Former Principal Private Secretary to PM Lee
Ong Ye Kung (15 November 1969) is the Director of Group Strategy at Keppel Corporation in Singapore. He previous roles includes Deputy Secretary-General of NTUC and the Chief Executive Officer of WDA Singapore and Principal Private Secretary to Singapore's Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong.
Ong stood as a candidate for Singapore's governing People's Action Party (PAP) at the 2011 general election in the Aljunied Group Representation Constituency, but failed to win election when the PAP's team in the constituency was defeated by the team from the opposition Workers' Party. Despite the defeat, he said that the experience had been a privilege as he had fought alongside George Yeo, who he was honoured to learn from. While admitting that the results were a blow, he commented that politics is never about the power, but the motivation to serve the people.
Mr Chee Hong Tat - Former Principal Private Secretary to MM Lee
Mr Chee Hong Tat studied at the University of California at Berkeley on an Overseas Merit Scholarship, and graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science (Highest Honours) in Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences and a Bachelor of Arts (Highest Honours) in Economics. He obtained a Masters of Business Administration from Adelaide University and was awarded the Newmont Australia Prize for Most Outstanding MBA Graduate.
Mr Chee joined the Administrative Service in 1998 and worked in various ministries, including Home Affairs, Finance, Transport and Education before becoming the Principal Private Secretary to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew from 2008 to 2011. Mr Chee was appointed Chief Executive at the Energy Market Authority and 2nd Permanent Secretary at Ministry for Trade and Industry
Mr Melvin Yong - Former Assistant Commissioner of Singapore Police Force
Mr Melvin Yong is the first Senior Ranked police officer to trade his blue uniform for the party's white garb since Singapore's independence. He has held key appointments such as deputy director for Planning & Organisation as well as director for Administration & Finance. He was also concurrently deputy director for Operations between November 2013 and June last year.
He shared "My experiences as a police officer and a grassroots volunteer have shaped me in becoming the person that I am today. Being able to make a positive difference in the lives of fellow Singaporeans has been my motivation. I believe that together, we can build a community where we are able to look out for one another, to share simple joys of achievement and to support each other in times of need."
The Light Feather Weight Division
Last and the very least, we present the light featherweights division, MPs whom punched below their weights and pales in comparison when benchmarking their performance with the rest.
Mr Teo Ser Luck - Minister of State
Mr Teo Ser Luck (8 June 1968) is currently a Minister of State at the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Mayor of the North East District of Singapore. Teo is a MP representing the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC. In GE 2011, Mr Teo's make arousing rally speech which left much to be desire where he literally "beg" the diminutive and dispassionate crowd to chant his name.
Mr Teo's LKY91 Tribute to Mr Lee Kuan Yew draws flak online
Instead of using his brain juice to improve trade and promote industry growth, Mr Teo dedicated a workout he had just completed and named it “LKY91″, as a tribute to the elderly statesman. His tribute however, did not go down well online with many who felt that the ‘tribute’ was “distasteful” and "Shallow". It drew so much flak that he deleted the post soon after.
Mr Lim Swee Say- Minister for Manpower
Lim Swee Say (13 July 1954) is currently the Minister for Manpower, he was previously a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Secretary-General of NTUC. A MP since 1996, Mr Lim has made very nominal contribution to manpower policies and improve the Singapore core in our workforce. In 2014, Lim appeared on Singapore's Mediacorp Channel 8 episode "Hear Me Out" to share why as the Minister of Manpower, he was against the implementation of the minimum wage policy proposed by Workers' Party Gerald Giam in Parliament to help the lowest income workers.
CPF - Can See Cannot Touch
Mr Lim made his infamous speech about feeling so rich every month when he see his CPF statement draw the ire of many online netizens since CPF is untouchable and can only be drawn down in old age. He preach that the best way for Singaporeans to prepare for retirement is to use less of their Central Provident Fund (CPF) money when they are young so they have enough to cover inflation when they get old.
CPF - Can See Cannot Touch
Mr Lim made his infamous speech about feeling so rich every month when he see his CPF statement draw the ire of many online netizens since CPF is untouchable and can only be drawn down in old age. He preach that the best way for Singaporeans to prepare for retirement is to use less of their Central Provident Fund (CPF) money when they are young so they have enough to cover inflation when they get old.
Famous Quote: Better, Betterer, Betterest
If you’re the best today, strive to be better. If you’re better today, strive to be ‘betterer’ and if you’re ‘betterer’ today, strive to be ‘betterest’ so that over time, Singapore’s service standards can just keep getting better, ‘betterer’ and ‘betterest’.
Lim Swee Say slammed by netizens for his “Zorro” outfit
If you’re the best today, strive to be better. If you’re better today, strive to be ‘betterer’ and if you’re ‘betterer’ today, strive to be ‘betterest’ so that over time, Singapore’s service standards can just keep getting better, ‘betterer’ and ‘betterest’.
Lim Swee Say slammed by netizens for his “Zorro” outfit
Mr Lim's minute of fame came when he don a Zorro outfit at Singhealth’s Nurses’ Day. Then a Minister without portfolio, Mr Lim was slammed by irate netizens for the “Zorro” outfit which personify him as a Hero. Netizens commented " Zorro robs the rich to give to the poor, Zuobo (do nothing) in Hokkien robs the poor to give to the rich.”
Mr Lim always up the game - Latest Quote Just in
Lawrence Wong - Minister, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth
Mr Lawrence Wong (18 December 1972) is currently the Minister, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and 2nd Minister, Ministry of Communications and Information. He was previously a Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Information, Communications & the Arts.
Against the call from the Election Department to have a clean and policy focus election, Mr Lawrence Wong sprang a scheming character assassination on nation TV against the Sec-General of SDP, Dr Chee Soon Juan about an incident that has happened 20 years ago. Lawrence Wong strong choice of words, condescending posture and demanding tone did not go down well with many viewers, who commented that the move was low ball and uncalled for.
Vivian Balakrishnan - Minister for Environment and Water Resources
Vivian Balakrishnan (25 Jan 1961) is the Singapore Minister for Environment and Water Resources and has previously held appointments as the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and as the Second Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, and Trade and Industry. He is the anchor MP representing the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Once termed by former PM Goh Chok as one of the "super-seven", Vivian's impressive list of slip-ups across all his portfolios is as long as mum's shopping list. Once said to be on a “speedboat for greater things”, he instead seems to have fallen off the boat.
So What could be the reason?
One of his main Achilles heels is his public gaffes and his streak of controlled impatience and authoritarianism in him…
- In 2002, he labelled the Malaysian Media as “wild animals”, which was an unprecedented comment made by any Singaporean Ministers.”
- In 2009, then Second Minister for Mica, he made an explicit threat to those in cyberspace who was inflaming him that “Anonymity in cyberspace is an illusion…..if need be, we can identify you, and if we have to, we will be prepared to prosecute you.” Ironically, the very next month (March 2009), his MICA portfolio was removed from him
- At the height of his emotional streak, during a debate on bar top dancing, he exclaimed “If you want to dance, some of us will fall off that bar-top. Some people will die as a result and blood will be shed for liberalising bar-top dancing....”
- In 2007, when he was Minister for MCYS, Dr Lily Neo asked in Parliament for a small increase in Public Assistance for the needy who might have fall into the cracks, Vivian callously retorted with what is now his classic comeback line “How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?”. Needless to say, it caused a public outcry
- Whilst penny pinching over food vouchers for the poor, Vivian then head of Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) burst the budget of Youth Olympics by a COOL Quarter Billion Dollars of our hard earn money, from the original budget of S$104 million, the final bill came in a S$387 million. That is S$283,000,000.00 overspent, yet he remains defiant, insisting that his team "did not overspend or waste or squander" and that it was due to the fact that it was the first time that he had to plan for such a big event with no other model for reference.
- During the same period, the issue of homeless Singaporeans camping out in public parks apparently caught his ministry unawares. Vivian's ministry immediately work with the police – but in a most condescending and threatening manner where police officers increase patrolling of these areas, threaten campers with fines, ordering them to remove themselves from the parks immediately without any alternative shelter or solution.
- In Dec 2011, heavy downpour led to extensive flooding in parts of orchard road including Liat Towers, the underpass between Lucky Plaza and Ngee Ann City. PUB, a Stat Board under his portfolio issued a statement that there was no flood but rather "Ponding" of water in some contained areas along orchard road. After a public backlash, Minister Vivian issued an official statement, stating that PUB's usage of the word "Ponding" to describe several incidents of flooding at Liat Towers was inappropriate.
- Just last month, he coined yet another infamous quote when ask about the high ministerial salary, he crudely retorted "Only rich or corrupt people work for free.” Minister Vivian’s comment was aimed at Opposition candidates who are volunteering without getting a single cents, and in some cases, having to fork out from their own pocket. His comment unsurprisingly came across as extremely hurtful and insulting to the thousands of volunteers who do not draw a single cent from serving the people including grassroots from his Peoples' Association. Going by Minister Vivian’s logic, no poor or middle class Singaporean should stand for elections because they might be "corrupted".
Just like many of you, we were surprised that Vivian is standing for GE 2015, since he is not expected to be able to handle any heavyweight portfolios. Has he accept his fate to remain in a lightweight capacity, given that he may have lofty ambitions?
There are indeed 50 shades of white, the great, the good and the hmm..... as for now, amongst the current crop of MPs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan performance has been ONE huge disappointment, so much so that there are Tribute videos on social media to personify him
Next Read >> How AIM-AHPETC Affects Your Life and Your Town Council
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