TR EMERITUS

Ong Ye Kung at the Woodlands bazaar with grassroots leaders in Sembawang GRC (Photo ST). PAP appears to be moving defeated PAP candidate Ong Ye Kung from Aljunied GRC to Sembawang GRC in an attempt to increase Ong's chances of getting into the Parliament. Ong was part of the PAP team including former PAP ministers, George Yeo and Cynthia Phua, contesting in Aljunied GRC in 2011 GE. The PAP team lost miserably to WP, garnering only 45% votes. In contrast, the PAP team in Sembwang GRC, anchored by Minister Khaw Boon Wan, won, scoring 64%. The PAP team in Sembwang GRC in 2011 GE included: Khaw Boon Wan Hawazi Daipi Ellen Lee Ong Teng Koon Vikram Nair The media reported today (6 Jul) that Minister Khaw had invited Ong to help out in Sembawang GRC a few weeks ago. Ong attended his first public grassroots event in Woodlands yesterday (5 Jul). MP Hawazi Daipi confirmed that Ong will join in at his Marsiling Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS) soon. Ong told the media yesterday of his intention to stand in the next GE. He said, "Never have I ever announced that I'm stepping out of politics. So if there is an opportunity to contest, to participate, I will." Ong said that his move was a party decision, "We join parties, we are subject to team rules, we have to be part of the team. It's like I play football, and the manager decides where I play." He said his Kaki Bukit ward in Aljunied GRC had new leaders, and added that he realised it might be time for him to move on as well. Ong Ye Kung's journey in politics Ong was a high-flying civil servant who quit to join the NTUC in 2008, ahead of 2011 GE. He later became the deputy secretary-general, the number 2 man in NTUC after Lim Swee Say. In an article published by the Straits Times on 1 Jun 2012, Ong described his failed political outing in 2011 as his biggest professional setback to date. Reflecting on his loss in GE, he cited the lyrics to Clarkson’s ‘What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger’ and a quote from the former world heavyweight champion, ‘Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come out with an extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.’ He told the Straits Times then, “I don’t regret running. It was an experience of a lifetime.” The only pity, he said, was that he had to resign from his 18-year Administrative Service career to go into politics. Ong was a PSC scholar who went on to study at the London School of Economics before entering the civil service. Even though he might have lost, he said, “You can serve and make a difference without being in politics, and being in politics does not necessarily mean you are making a difference.” Three months after the interview, he resigned from NTUC in Sep 2012 ('NTUC number 2 man Ong Ye Kung resigns'). In a statement, NTUC said Ong resigned "to pursue other career interests". On his Facebook page, he wrote: "It has been a great privilege to serve in the public service and in the Labour Movement for the past 20 years... I look forward to embark on a new challenge and to step up to a new learning curve. Championing Singapore, and the interest of working people, will always be close to my heart." Ong eventually went to join Keppel Corporation. He is currently part of the senior management of Keppel Corporation, Director of Group Strategy & Development [Link]. In an interview with the media in Jan last year [Link], he said that going to Keppel was a "career transition for me". He described joining Keppel as a "personal career move", noting that he had never been in the private sector before, and said that one of Keppel's main draws was its international competitiveness. "I have always admired Keppel as an internationally competitive company, and look forward to contributing to the team," he said. Would joining a new GRC enhance Ong's chance of getting into Parliament? What do you think?    Read More →

Old private flats in Joo Chiat Pledge 20% of your asset: I can empathize S L Dai situation of having to look after her 75-year-old mother and 80-year-old father. However I do not agree with her on “There is no option of selling this house as long as both my parents are still alive. This house was bought by my grandfather, and it means a lot to them.” She must decide between livelihood and sentimental value. She can’t be a burden to the society yet want to maintain her asset rich “sentimental value” If she is allowed to have the best of both worlds, then all those asset rich and cash poor also can do the same. Is it fair to those who has to contribute to this MediShield Life. It can’t be a system that asking those poor to keep paying for those “asset rich and cash poor” on such scheme while they are hatching on the properties price. Let me suggest that for those “asset rich cash poor” to enjoy the plan, you are to pledge 20% of your asset value to this pool. Then you have to keep your “sentimental value” asset and at the same time include into this MediShield Life plan. Like see how many thumb down for this suggestion, and you will see how many of those greedy ones who want the best of both world. * * * * * * * Bad gov: In the first place, why do those who have no income need to be involved in this compulsory scheme. Say if I had been working hard for last 40 years. I am now 60 and retired. I am living in a landed property which I bought cheaply during financial crisis. It is well furnished and I am living in my dream home and retiring in good environment. My savings is enough for myself and I do not need social assistance as I am frugal. Suddenly gov introduced such a scheme and I have to sell my dream home and downgrade my living standard? Or I am forced out of retirement to get a job maybe as a cleaner in order to continue to pay this greedy gov? Then the middle class and below, cannot retire anymore in sg. All the problems start in a country because of a bad gov. * * * * * * * Senior Citizen: May I ask what about those that are ‘Cash Rich’ but still choose to stay in HDB? Should they still be enjoying the ‘free rides’ on this unfair way of measuring wealth. I am not saying that HDB DWELLERS should not enjoy this benefit (because I am also a HDB dweller) BUT they should not just blindly based on property type. They should also pegged it to income tax so that our tax-payers’ money can be put to better use. I have know of cases where those disabled who are staying in Charity Homes were also deprived of their benefits just because their address is a landed property (i.e, address of the Charity Home).   * Comments appeared in: Medishield Life: No subsidy for asset-rich, cash-poor    Read More →

Leong Sze Hian Budget cash surplus $25.3b? According to Department of Statistics’ Monthly Digest of Statistics, June 2014 – the Budget cash surplus for FY2012 was $25.3 billion. Revised downwards from $36.1b? This is we believe a downward revision from the figure of $36.1 billion that was shown in the Monthly Digest of Statistics of about a year ago (which we can no longer find on the Internet). Why took so long? Although there is a footnote explaining that the figure has been revised in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) fiscal reporting guidelines of 2006 versus the 2001 guidelines – why did it take so long to do the revision until only now? Budget statement surplus $3.9b? The above are of course a far cry from the $3.9 billion Budget surplus reported in the Budget statement.   S Y Lee and Leong Sze Hian  Read More →