MPs sad to lose a champion for the vulnerable
SINGAPORE — While Members of Parliament (MPs) were surprised by Social and Family Development Minister Tan Chuan-Jin’s nomination as Speaker of Parliament and also sad to lose a champion for the vulnerable, they felt that he was the best choice for the role.
SINGAPORE — While Members of Parliament (MPs) were surprised by Social and Family Development Minister Tan Chuan-Jin’s nomination as Speaker of Parliament and also sad to lose a champion for the vulnerable, they felt that he was the best choice for the role.
The People’s Action Party (PAP) MPs and ministers who commented on the move yesterday also rejected suggestions that becoming Speaker would diminish Mr Tan’s role as a key member of the fourth-generation leadership.
In a Facebook post, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, said that while Mr Tan, a fellow MP in the Marine Parade GRC, is the “best person for the job”, this means “losing a good, compassionate Minister for Social and Family Development”.
While he will resign as minister, Mr Tan will oversee SG Cares, a national movement to nudge Singaporeans to help the less fortunate, and will be appointed adviser to the National Council of Social Service, among other things, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday.
Speaking to reporters, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing, when asked if the move was a demotion for Mr Tan, said: “We never considered it in that perspective. We’ve always considered ourselves as a team.”
Mr Chan said members of the political leadership team play different roles at various points, with the common purpose of serving Singapore based on their strengths, and regardless of the position they are in.
“From what I know of Chuan-Jin, that has been his passion all his life. He’ll continue to serve Singapore and Singaporeans to the best of his abilities,” he added.
Asked to respond to comments that the move meant Mr Tan had dropped out of the core group of the fourth-generation leadership, Mr Chan said the Government did not “see it in that way”.
“When duty calls, we’ll perform different roles in different capacities,” he stressed.
MP Tin Pei Ling (MacPherson) said Mr Tan has what it takes to be a good Speaker. “He’s a very righteous (and) fair person ... He also has a good sense of humour. So I’m sure that’ll help to soften some of the impact when we’ve difficult debates,” she said.
Given Mr Tan’s “big heart” for the vulnerable, it “would have been great” if he stayed in the Social and Family Development Ministry (MSF), said Ms Tin. However, she is also hopeful that Mr Tan’s successor, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Desmond Lee, will do well in boosting the social-service sector and helping the underprivileged.
Tampines GRC MP Desmond Choo said Mr Tan is one who listens to a diversity of voices and cares deeply about issues.
Mr Choo’s first reaction was that the country would “lose a very good Minister for Social and Family Development”, but he also “could not have thought of a better person to be the Speaker”.
Mr Lee, who will relinquish his roles in the Prime Minister’s Office and as Second Home Affairs Minister, said he has “very big shoes to fill” at MSF.
“I hope to meet up with our frontline social workers and community partners to hear from them first-hand the challenges that they face and the needs that they see in the community,” Mr Lee wrote on Facebook.
Fellow Cabinet minister Josephine Teo, who will take over as Second Home Affairs Minister, said the new post will be “a stretch assignment”, as none of her previous postings were security-related.
However, she noted that the ministry is “ably helmed” by Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, who is assisted by Parliamentary Secretary Amrin Amin. “Together with the Home Team agencies, we will continue to make sure Singaporeans’ security interests are well-served,” Mrs Teo said.