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Lui lauded for ‘straight-talking and principled’ approach to issues

SINGAPORE — Permanent Secretary (Transport) Pang Kin Keong yesterday (Aug 12) paid a tribute to Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew at the Ministry of Transport’s (MOT) SG50 gala dinner, saying he and his MOT colleagues were surprised by Mr Lui’s announcement that he was leaving politics, and it had left them feeling “subdued”.

Mr Lui Tuck Yew (centre) at the Ministry of Transport’s SG50 gala dinner. Photo: Ernest Chua

Mr Lui Tuck Yew (centre) at the Ministry of Transport’s SG50 gala dinner. Photo: Ernest Chua

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SINGAPORE — Permanent Secretary (Transport) Pang Kin Keong yesterday (Aug 12) paid a tribute to Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew at the Ministry of Transport’s (MOT) SG50 gala dinner, saying he and his MOT colleagues were surprised by Mr Lui’s announcement that he was leaving politics, and it had left them feeling “subdued”.

In his unplanned speech — Mr Pang said he was not supposed to give one at the dinner — he noted that under Mr Lui’s leadership, the public transport situation has clearly turned around since 2011, and Singapore will pick the fruits of the foundations that the minister has laid in the next few years.

“Crowding has been considerably reduced, wait times for trains and buses shortened. And even though there are still more large-scale train disruptions than acceptable ... the incontrovertible fact is that overall train reliability has seen continuous and marked improvement,” Mr Pang told Mr Lui and about 900 guests from the transport sector during a dinner held to honour its pioneers at Raffles City Convention Centre.

Mr Pang also lauded Mr Lui’s “direct, straight-talking and principled” approach to issues, adding that the minister’s “consistent, decisive and clear” directions made working under him “infinitely easier”.

“We also appreciate the respect and friendliness with which you treat all of us. You are prepared to listen to and accept our arguments, regardless of whether the arguments come from senior staff at the table or junior staff at the back of the meeting room ... You show your appreciation and compliments readily, when deserved, and we all know there is no better way to motivate staff,” said Mr Pang.

He noted that the maritime and aviation communities also appreciated having Mr Lui at the helm, since the minister has also made significant contributions in these areas.

Some of the projects which Mr Lui has been involved with include Jewel at Changi Airport, Terminal 4, Runway 3 and Terminal 5, as well as Tuas Container Terminal for the port of Singapore.

“Many companies have said to MPA (Maritime Port Authority of Singapore) that they are fortunate to have a minister who listens and take an active interest in what they are doing,” Mr Pang said.

“Likewise, the aviation community appreciates your deep interest in the challenges that the air hub and airlines face, and your personal interest in the well-being and safety of airport workers in particular.”

In his response to Mr Pang’s speech, Mr Lui noted that major achievements must never be attributed to a single individual.

“It’s because of a team - a team of different people, different abilities, different temperaments, different skills all coming together... And it is people past, present, and those in time to come who will continue to lead us forward,” said Mr Lui.

Acknowledging the contributions of many pioneers in the industry, Mr Lui emphasised that at the core of Singapore’s achievements in becoming a world-class transport hub is its people.

For example, it was the late Mr Sim Kee Boon, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Communications in the 1970s, who was behind the construction of Changi Airport, and was also “most instrumental” in helping to make it a world-class airport, Mr Lui said.

He also singled out another pioneer, 79-year-old Thambiah Ramasamy, a principal engineering assistant with the Land Transport Authority, and its longest-serving staff with more than 60 years of service under his belt.

Mr Ramasamy’s long career saw him involved in several key projects, such as the construction of Nicoll Highway, the PIE and ECP. He was also part of the team that put up the first ERP gantry.

Mr Lui said: “The achievements are the outcome of the belief and hard work of generations of Singaporeans, and it started with a special generation, our pioneer generation ... Without these trailblazers and their everything-is-possible spirit, we would have not our world-class airport, seaport or land transport system.”

Also at the gala dinner was Captain Kenneth Toft, 78, a retiree with over 45 years’ of experience in the aviation sector.

In a separate interview with TODAY, Capt Toft recounted his career starting from his experience as a cadet pilot, rising to become chief pilot in the Singapore Airlines (SIA) and also involved in other areas like management, flight testing and training.

One of the highlights of his career, Capt Toft said, was helping SIA to put together a committee that included representatives from other airlines to configure the cockpit of the Boeing 747-400 - Singapore’s first long-haul aircraft that could fly to London non-stop.

“I’m one of the luckiest people on earth, because when I went into aviation, I have achieved everything that I wanted, even my wildest fantasies and more,” he said.

Of Singapore’s success as an aviation hub, Capt Toft said: “...Singapore will always be a hub because of one reason and one reason only - because everything works. Fuel is there, quality of fuel is good, runways are good. As long as we don’t lose our focus and maintain that (standard), I think it’s good.”

 

 

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