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East Coast Plan unveiled
- Thread starter A Singaporean
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from straitstimes.com:
DPM Heng joins Muslim residents for virtual breaking of fast, urges them to get vaccinated
SINGAPORE - For Ms Sabrina Chong Abdullah and her family, Hari Raya Puasa will be a socially-distanced affair, with home-cooked meals, Zoom calls with relatives, and a drive around the heartlands to top off the day.
The home baker, 44, is playing it safe this year as Covid-19 measures have been tightened for the next two weeks until May 14 to tackle the rising number of community cases. Hari Raya Puasa falls on May 13.
"My family already has seven people, so visiting other homes will be difficult. I'm not getting my kids' hopes up, and they are sad because they will collect fewer green packets this year," said the Bedok Reservoir View resident, who has five children aged five to 15.
In a virtual session on Sunday evening (May 2), Ms Sabrina's family was among some 100 Muslim families who broke fast with the East Coast GRC MPs, led by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.
Mr Heng was joined by Minister Maliki Osman, Minister of State Tan Kiat How, and MPs Jessica Tan and Cheryl Chan at Siglap Community Centre, where they delivered Ramadan well-wishes to the residents via Zoom.
Citing the recent Tan Tock Seng Hospital cluster that has grown to 27 cases, while Covid-19 continues surging in other parts of the world, Mr Heng said: "The situation is actually getting bad. And it's very important that we continue to keep up our vigilance."
He urged the residents to get vaccinated against Covid-19, which the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore has said is permissible.
"I hope that for all of you who have not been vaccinated, when your turn comes, please do so because it is a way to protect ourselves and protect other people," Mr Heng said.
He added that some who are vaccinated may still be infected, but the vaccine protects people from severe disease.
Before the virtual event, organised by the East Coast GRC Malay Activity Executive Committees, volunteers delivered bento meals and Hari Raya cookies to the 100 families.
During the virtual chat, Ustazah Kalthom Isa, a freelance religious teacher, shared about the significance of Ramadan, and also encouraged the residents to stay healthy and get vaccinated when their chance comes.
Siglap resident Abu Talib Jaffar, 65, said he and his wife, 55, are planning to get the jab after the month of Ramadan.
Said the operations personnel, who joined the event: "I've already registered for the vaccine, but will wait till after the fasting month in case there are side effects or flu that will render me unable to fast."
On Sunday, the Hindu Endowments Board distributed 100,000 dates to Muslim voluntary welfare organisation Jamiyah Singapore, and six mosques - Angullia Mosque, Abdul Gafoor Mosque, Ba'alwie Mosque, Jamae Chulia Mosque, Moulana Mohamed Ali Mosque, and Al-Abrar Mosque.
The dates will be distributed to congregants who visit the mosques for prayers.
DPM Heng joins Muslim residents for virtual breaking of fast, urges them to get vaccinated
SINGAPORE - For Ms Sabrina Chong Abdullah and her family, Hari Raya Puasa will be a socially-distanced affair, with home-cooked meals, Zoom calls with relatives, and a drive around the heartlands to top off the day.
The home baker, 44, is playing it safe this year as Covid-19 measures have been tightened for the next two weeks until May 14 to tackle the rising number of community cases. Hari Raya Puasa falls on May 13.
"My family already has seven people, so visiting other homes will be difficult. I'm not getting my kids' hopes up, and they are sad because they will collect fewer green packets this year," said the Bedok Reservoir View resident, who has five children aged five to 15.
In a virtual session on Sunday evening (May 2), Ms Sabrina's family was among some 100 Muslim families who broke fast with the East Coast GRC MPs, led by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.
Mr Heng was joined by Minister Maliki Osman, Minister of State Tan Kiat How, and MPs Jessica Tan and Cheryl Chan at Siglap Community Centre, where they delivered Ramadan well-wishes to the residents via Zoom.
Citing the recent Tan Tock Seng Hospital cluster that has grown to 27 cases, while Covid-19 continues surging in other parts of the world, Mr Heng said: "The situation is actually getting bad. And it's very important that we continue to keep up our vigilance."
He urged the residents to get vaccinated against Covid-19, which the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore has said is permissible.
"I hope that for all of you who have not been vaccinated, when your turn comes, please do so because it is a way to protect ourselves and protect other people," Mr Heng said.
He added that some who are vaccinated may still be infected, but the vaccine protects people from severe disease.
Before the virtual event, organised by the East Coast GRC Malay Activity Executive Committees, volunteers delivered bento meals and Hari Raya cookies to the 100 families.
During the virtual chat, Ustazah Kalthom Isa, a freelance religious teacher, shared about the significance of Ramadan, and also encouraged the residents to stay healthy and get vaccinated when their chance comes.
Siglap resident Abu Talib Jaffar, 65, said he and his wife, 55, are planning to get the jab after the month of Ramadan.
Said the operations personnel, who joined the event: "I've already registered for the vaccine, but will wait till after the fasting month in case there are side effects or flu that will render me unable to fast."
On Sunday, the Hindu Endowments Board distributed 100,000 dates to Muslim voluntary welfare organisation Jamiyah Singapore, and six mosques - Angullia Mosque, Abdul Gafoor Mosque, Ba'alwie Mosque, Jamae Chulia Mosque, Moulana Mohamed Ali Mosque, and Al-Abrar Mosque.
The dates will be distributed to congregants who visit the mosques for prayers.
- Joined
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- 113
from straitstimes.com:
Innovation is a key pillar of Singapore's economic transformation: DPM Heng
SINGAPORE - Singapore is committed to investing in innovation and research and development, as it must adapt even faster in a complex post-pandemic world, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Tuesday (May 4).
He was speaking at the launch of iLab 2021, a three-day virtual innovation festival organised by American consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble (P&G), in partnership with the Economic Development Board (EDB).
"How well we can innovate will determine whether we can emerge stronger in a post-Covid-19 world. This is why innovation is a key pillar of our economic transformation," he said.
The innovation festival brings together local and regional start-ups to develop technology solutions for P&G to tackle challenges in advertising, retail and supply chain.
These three areas represent the evolving consumer and retail needs, transforming media ecosystems and changes in supply chain, P&G said in a media statement.
Some 100 start-ups were assessed before the festival and the top 27 were shortlisted to showcase their technology solutions.
At least 15 projects will be selected to partner with P&G for pilots, each with a minimum investment $30,000 from P&G.
"Singapore is home to one of the strongest and most vibrant innovation ecosystems in the region, with a diverse pool of talent constantly striving for new ideas and solutions to solve future challenges," said Mr Magesvaran Suranjan, P&G president for the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa.
He added that the company wants to leverage Singapore as the innovation hub for the firm and the industry, leading digital transformation and powering innovation across all aspects of its business.
DPM Heng said the Government is also redoubling its efforts to strengthen the start-up eco-system here, with a move last year to enhance the mentorship, funding and support for budding entrepreneurs.
"We are growing the momentum of corporate venturing in Singapore. EDB is partnering large corporates to create new ventures, by deploying experienced officers to co-develop new ideas and providing risk sharing capital," he added.
Singapore is investing $25 billion in research, innovation and enterprise over the next five years.
This will go towards initiatives such as growing a scientific base for firms to tap on, investing in growth areas like the digital economy and better aligning research and development with industry transformation efforts.
"All these are part of our efforts to build Singapore as a global Asia node of innovation, technology and enterprise," he said.
"In the last few decades, the Asian region has grown significantly and therefore Singapore is very well-positioned to be... linking the world to Asia and Asia to the world.
"I also believe that technology, innovation and enterprise will be the future - to not only solve many of the major challenges that the world is facing, but also to ensure that we can continue to achieve sustainable economic development."
US embassy charge d'affaires Rafik Mansour added in an opening address: "Just as we have done for more than half a century now, the United States will continue working with Singapore to strengthen our mutual economic interests and people-to-people ties."
He noted that the characteristics of Singapore's start-up ecosystem include government leadership, strong university networks, global linkages, industry specialisation and substantial investment activity.
He also encouraged participating entrepreneurs in the festival to expand beyond their borders and look to open markets like the US.
One of the start-ups chosen for the festival was AiChat, a firm that offers a chatbot powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to help retailers automate their online marketing and sales processes. The bot engages consumers by answering their questions and educating them about products.
Co-founder and chief executive Kester Poh said: "This reduces manpower and also drives the return on investment for the firms in their marketing and sales efforts.
"Moving forward, we will research further into AI tech for a more personalised experience."
Innovation is a key pillar of Singapore's economic transformation: DPM Heng
SINGAPORE - Singapore is committed to investing in innovation and research and development, as it must adapt even faster in a complex post-pandemic world, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Tuesday (May 4).
He was speaking at the launch of iLab 2021, a three-day virtual innovation festival organised by American consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble (P&G), in partnership with the Economic Development Board (EDB).
"How well we can innovate will determine whether we can emerge stronger in a post-Covid-19 world. This is why innovation is a key pillar of our economic transformation," he said.
The innovation festival brings together local and regional start-ups to develop technology solutions for P&G to tackle challenges in advertising, retail and supply chain.
These three areas represent the evolving consumer and retail needs, transforming media ecosystems and changes in supply chain, P&G said in a media statement.
Some 100 start-ups were assessed before the festival and the top 27 were shortlisted to showcase their technology solutions.
At least 15 projects will be selected to partner with P&G for pilots, each with a minimum investment $30,000 from P&G.
"Singapore is home to one of the strongest and most vibrant innovation ecosystems in the region, with a diverse pool of talent constantly striving for new ideas and solutions to solve future challenges," said Mr Magesvaran Suranjan, P&G president for the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa.
He added that the company wants to leverage Singapore as the innovation hub for the firm and the industry, leading digital transformation and powering innovation across all aspects of its business.
DPM Heng said the Government is also redoubling its efforts to strengthen the start-up eco-system here, with a move last year to enhance the mentorship, funding and support for budding entrepreneurs.
"We are growing the momentum of corporate venturing in Singapore. EDB is partnering large corporates to create new ventures, by deploying experienced officers to co-develop new ideas and providing risk sharing capital," he added.
Singapore is investing $25 billion in research, innovation and enterprise over the next five years.
This will go towards initiatives such as growing a scientific base for firms to tap on, investing in growth areas like the digital economy and better aligning research and development with industry transformation efforts.
"All these are part of our efforts to build Singapore as a global Asia node of innovation, technology and enterprise," he said.
"In the last few decades, the Asian region has grown significantly and therefore Singapore is very well-positioned to be... linking the world to Asia and Asia to the world.
"I also believe that technology, innovation and enterprise will be the future - to not only solve many of the major challenges that the world is facing, but also to ensure that we can continue to achieve sustainable economic development."
US embassy charge d'affaires Rafik Mansour added in an opening address: "Just as we have done for more than half a century now, the United States will continue working with Singapore to strengthen our mutual economic interests and people-to-people ties."
He noted that the characteristics of Singapore's start-up ecosystem include government leadership, strong university networks, global linkages, industry specialisation and substantial investment activity.
He also encouraged participating entrepreneurs in the festival to expand beyond their borders and look to open markets like the US.
One of the start-ups chosen for the festival was AiChat, a firm that offers a chatbot powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to help retailers automate their online marketing and sales processes. The bot engages consumers by answering their questions and educating them about products.
Co-founder and chief executive Kester Poh said: "This reduces manpower and also drives the return on investment for the firms in their marketing and sales efforts.
"Moving forward, we will research further into AI tech for a more personalised experience."
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2008
- Messages
- 89,008
- Points
- 113
from channelnewsasia.com:
‘Hiccup’ in political transition: ESM Goh commends DPM Heng’s ‘selflessness’ in stepping aside as 4G leader
SINGAPORE: Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said on Friday (May 7) that he commends Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat for his “self-sacrifice” in stepping aside as leader of the 4G or fourth-generation leadership team.
At the launch of a second volume of his biography titled Standing Tall, Mr Goh said that there has been a “hiccup” in the political transition in Singapore but that it was “part of the process”.
“There were also hiccups before the Old Guard passed on the baton to the 2G. I recounted them in my first volume, Tall Order,” said the former Prime Minister.
“I commend DPM Heng Swee Keat for his self-sacrifice in stepping aside as leader of the 4G. It takes courage and selflessness to do this when one is only a step away from being prime minister.
“He has put the interests of Singapore first, like a good leader should.”
Mr Heng, 60, said in April that he would remove himself as next-in-line to be prime minister, a surprise to many and a setback for succession plans. He cited his age as one of the reasons, and said that a younger leader with a “longer runway” should take over.
The 4G leaders, comprising Cabinet ministers and senior cadres of the People’s Action Party (PAP), will choose a leader from among themselves and asked for more time to do so.
The frontrunners for the post are seen to be Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing, Education Minister Lawrence Wong and Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung.
All three were given new posts in a Cabinet reshuffle last month.
Mr Goh said on Friday that the process of “orderly political transition” continues, and advised the 4G leaders to work closely as a team.
“Show confidence and leadership as a group. Hone your political skills and prepare yourselves to take over the reins from the 3G. Deliberate carefully who amongst you should be the leader, and band together to support the leader once a decision is made,” he said.
Mr Goh also appealed to Singaporeans to give the 4G team some time to decide on their “primus inter pares” - first among equals - as it is an important decision for Singapore’s future.
“The leader so chosen will have to lead his peers like the captain of a soccer team. They will have to work together to produce the best results for the people, just as a soccer team has to click to win matches for its fans,” he said.
“The whole must always be greater than the sum of its parts.”
Mr Goh said that his objective in publishing his biography was to encourage Singaporeans to serve their country.
"I do not believe that good leaders will automatically emerge in a democracy nor that the whims of elections can guarantee a slate of the best to govern the country," he said.
"For democracy to work, ours anyway, we must offer the best candidates possible for the people to choose."
The former Prime Minister emphasised that “carefully managed” political succession is the “hallmark” of Singapore politics, and that it has given the country “political predictability, stability and good governments”.
“In 2065, will the world write about the miracle of a Singapore Century of stability, growth and prosperity? Or will they use us as a case study of how an outstanding nation became an ordinary country like any other, or worse, a failed state?” he asked.
“Singapore is a city state, not a big country. If able people fail to step out into the political arena or if we do not signal strong support for good leaders, Singapore’s drop will be more precipitous than its rise.”
Standing Tall was written by former journalist with The Straits Times Peh Shing Huei, who is a partner at content agency The Nutgraf. It comes after the first volume of Mr Goh’s biography titled Tall Order, and recounts Mr Goh’s years as Singapore’s prime minister from 1990 to 2004.
The book launch on Friday was attended by several leaders from Mr Goh’s era whom he thanked for being a part of his team.
“I want to thank in particular my colleagues who had served with me – Tony Tan, Jayakumar, Wong Kan Seng, Dhanabalan and others who are here today, as well as those who are not,” said Mr Goh. “Let me add that Ong Teng Cheong was an invaluable member of my team.”
There were three former deputy prime ministers in attendance - former President Tony Tan, Professor S Jayakumar and Mr Wong Kan Seng. Mr S Dhanabalan was a Cabinet minister for a number of ministries during his time in the Government.
Mr Ong Teng Cheong was also a deputy prime minister and Singapore's first elected President. He died in 2002.
“We might have had different points of view but once a decision was made, all of us rallied behind it. We trusted each other. We worked as a team, with members looking out for one another. We had a shared sense of purpose. We were united. Without this team, I would not have succeeded as Prime Minister,” said Mr Goh.
He also thanked his successor, current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, for being an “indispensable member” of his Cabinet.
“One day, you have to write the sequel to my story and to the Singapore Story of Lee Kuan Yew,” said Mr Goh.
‘Hiccup’ in political transition: ESM Goh commends DPM Heng’s ‘selflessness’ in stepping aside as 4G leader
SINGAPORE: Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said on Friday (May 7) that he commends Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat for his “self-sacrifice” in stepping aside as leader of the 4G or fourth-generation leadership team.
At the launch of a second volume of his biography titled Standing Tall, Mr Goh said that there has been a “hiccup” in the political transition in Singapore but that it was “part of the process”.
“There were also hiccups before the Old Guard passed on the baton to the 2G. I recounted them in my first volume, Tall Order,” said the former Prime Minister.
“I commend DPM Heng Swee Keat for his self-sacrifice in stepping aside as leader of the 4G. It takes courage and selflessness to do this when one is only a step away from being prime minister.
“He has put the interests of Singapore first, like a good leader should.”
Mr Heng, 60, said in April that he would remove himself as next-in-line to be prime minister, a surprise to many and a setback for succession plans. He cited his age as one of the reasons, and said that a younger leader with a “longer runway” should take over.
The 4G leaders, comprising Cabinet ministers and senior cadres of the People’s Action Party (PAP), will choose a leader from among themselves and asked for more time to do so.
The frontrunners for the post are seen to be Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing, Education Minister Lawrence Wong and Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung.
All three were given new posts in a Cabinet reshuffle last month.
Mr Goh said on Friday that the process of “orderly political transition” continues, and advised the 4G leaders to work closely as a team.
“Show confidence and leadership as a group. Hone your political skills and prepare yourselves to take over the reins from the 3G. Deliberate carefully who amongst you should be the leader, and band together to support the leader once a decision is made,” he said.
Mr Goh also appealed to Singaporeans to give the 4G team some time to decide on their “primus inter pares” - first among equals - as it is an important decision for Singapore’s future.
“The leader so chosen will have to lead his peers like the captain of a soccer team. They will have to work together to produce the best results for the people, just as a soccer team has to click to win matches for its fans,” he said.
“The whole must always be greater than the sum of its parts.”
Mr Goh said that his objective in publishing his biography was to encourage Singaporeans to serve their country.
"I do not believe that good leaders will automatically emerge in a democracy nor that the whims of elections can guarantee a slate of the best to govern the country," he said.
"For democracy to work, ours anyway, we must offer the best candidates possible for the people to choose."
The former Prime Minister emphasised that “carefully managed” political succession is the “hallmark” of Singapore politics, and that it has given the country “political predictability, stability and good governments”.
“In 2065, will the world write about the miracle of a Singapore Century of stability, growth and prosperity? Or will they use us as a case study of how an outstanding nation became an ordinary country like any other, or worse, a failed state?” he asked.
“Singapore is a city state, not a big country. If able people fail to step out into the political arena or if we do not signal strong support for good leaders, Singapore’s drop will be more precipitous than its rise.”
Standing Tall was written by former journalist with The Straits Times Peh Shing Huei, who is a partner at content agency The Nutgraf. It comes after the first volume of Mr Goh’s biography titled Tall Order, and recounts Mr Goh’s years as Singapore’s prime minister from 1990 to 2004.
The book launch on Friday was attended by several leaders from Mr Goh’s era whom he thanked for being a part of his team.
“I want to thank in particular my colleagues who had served with me – Tony Tan, Jayakumar, Wong Kan Seng, Dhanabalan and others who are here today, as well as those who are not,” said Mr Goh. “Let me add that Ong Teng Cheong was an invaluable member of my team.”
There were three former deputy prime ministers in attendance - former President Tony Tan, Professor S Jayakumar and Mr Wong Kan Seng. Mr S Dhanabalan was a Cabinet minister for a number of ministries during his time in the Government.
Mr Ong Teng Cheong was also a deputy prime minister and Singapore's first elected President. He died in 2002.
“We might have had different points of view but once a decision was made, all of us rallied behind it. We trusted each other. We worked as a team, with members looking out for one another. We had a shared sense of purpose. We were united. Without this team, I would not have succeeded as Prime Minister,” said Mr Goh.
He also thanked his successor, current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, for being an “indispensable member” of his Cabinet.
“One day, you have to write the sequel to my story and to the Singapore Story of Lee Kuan Yew,” said Mr Goh.
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2008
- Messages
- 89,008
- Points
- 113
from theindependent.sg:
DPM Heng receives NTUC’s May Day Medal of Honour
Singapore—He may have bowed out of contention from being the country’s next Prime Minister, but Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat’s efforts to ensure the country’s economic health during the pandemic have not gone unnoticed or unrewarded.
On Wednesday (Apr 29), at the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) May Day Awards, he was given the Medal of Honour, the highest of all the awards given.
The NTUC conferred the award on Mr Heng for playing “an instrumental role in ensuring that our economy continues to provide a thriving environment for our businesses and generate good jobs for our workers”.
In all, 143 union leaders, tripartite partners and workers were given May Day Awards this year “for their contributions in either advancing workers’ interests or being role models at workplaces,” NTUC said.
Aside from being Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Heng is also the Finance Minister and the Co-ordinating Minister for Economic Policies.
From May 15, however, he will be replaced at the helm of the Ministry of Finance by outgoing Education Minister Lawrence Wong.
DPM Heng received his award from NTUC President Mary Liew and NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng at Downtown East. The event was also live-streamed over Zoom.
In a Facebook post, Mr Ng wrote of the latest Medal of Honor awardee, “I know DPM Heng’s tireless efforts to run our economy in #COVID19 and at the same time, take care of our workers. His commitment to workers, determination to advance our brand of tripartism, and unwavering support for our Labour Movement makes him truly our Brother-in-Arms. Thank you for standing in solidarity with our workers!”
On her part, Ms Liew acknowledged the difficulties of last year, noting how “much uncertainty and anxiety” the nation faced. However, she added that “the true spirit of tripartism” prevailed, as the Government, union leaders, and employers came together to minimise the fallout from the pandemic on workers.
“Honouring them at our NTUC May Day Awards is a befitting tribute to all the hard work put in to protecting and caring for our workers, both in good times and bad,” she said.
This was echoed by Mr Heng. He said that he is “deeply humbled to receive the May Day Medal of Honour award today. When I accepted the award, I did so on behalf of all our tripartite partners. We were able to make a difference to the lives of our workers, because of the strong tripartite partnership between the Government, unions and businesses in Singapore.”
Very few Singaporeans have received the Medal of Honour. Its recipients include Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and former Minister Khaw Boon Wan.
Among the other May Day awardees last night was Chee Hong Tat, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Transport. Mr Chee received the Distinguished Service award.
The NTUC said, “Mr Chee dedicated his award to the late Nachiappan RK Sinniah, the Former Emeritus General Secretary of the Union of Power and Gas Employees. Mr Nachiappan was also posthumously conferred the Comrade of Labour (Star) (Bar) award.”
Mr Heng also said that the award would “serve as a constant reminder that the welfare of our workers and their families will always be at the heart of what we do. Let me also congratulate the other 142 May Day award recipients. By putting our hearts and minds together, we can adapt, grow and emerge stronger in the post-Covid world.”
DPM Heng receives NTUC’s May Day Medal of Honour
Singapore—He may have bowed out of contention from being the country’s next Prime Minister, but Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat’s efforts to ensure the country’s economic health during the pandemic have not gone unnoticed or unrewarded.
On Wednesday (Apr 29), at the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) May Day Awards, he was given the Medal of Honour, the highest of all the awards given.
The NTUC conferred the award on Mr Heng for playing “an instrumental role in ensuring that our economy continues to provide a thriving environment for our businesses and generate good jobs for our workers”.
In all, 143 union leaders, tripartite partners and workers were given May Day Awards this year “for their contributions in either advancing workers’ interests or being role models at workplaces,” NTUC said.
Aside from being Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Heng is also the Finance Minister and the Co-ordinating Minister for Economic Policies.
From May 15, however, he will be replaced at the helm of the Ministry of Finance by outgoing Education Minister Lawrence Wong.
DPM Heng received his award from NTUC President Mary Liew and NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng at Downtown East. The event was also live-streamed over Zoom.
In a Facebook post, Mr Ng wrote of the latest Medal of Honor awardee, “I know DPM Heng’s tireless efforts to run our economy in #COVID19 and at the same time, take care of our workers. His commitment to workers, determination to advance our brand of tripartism, and unwavering support for our Labour Movement makes him truly our Brother-in-Arms. Thank you for standing in solidarity with our workers!”
On her part, Ms Liew acknowledged the difficulties of last year, noting how “much uncertainty and anxiety” the nation faced. However, she added that “the true spirit of tripartism” prevailed, as the Government, union leaders, and employers came together to minimise the fallout from the pandemic on workers.
“Honouring them at our NTUC May Day Awards is a befitting tribute to all the hard work put in to protecting and caring for our workers, both in good times and bad,” she said.
This was echoed by Mr Heng. He said that he is “deeply humbled to receive the May Day Medal of Honour award today. When I accepted the award, I did so on behalf of all our tripartite partners. We were able to make a difference to the lives of our workers, because of the strong tripartite partnership between the Government, unions and businesses in Singapore.”
Very few Singaporeans have received the Medal of Honour. Its recipients include Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and former Minister Khaw Boon Wan.
Among the other May Day awardees last night was Chee Hong Tat, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Transport. Mr Chee received the Distinguished Service award.
The NTUC said, “Mr Chee dedicated his award to the late Nachiappan RK Sinniah, the Former Emeritus General Secretary of the Union of Power and Gas Employees. Mr Nachiappan was also posthumously conferred the Comrade of Labour (Star) (Bar) award.”
Mr Heng also said that the award would “serve as a constant reminder that the welfare of our workers and their families will always be at the heart of what we do. Let me also congratulate the other 142 May Day award recipients. By putting our hearts and minds together, we can adapt, grow and emerge stronger in the post-Covid world.”
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2008
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- 113
Singaporeans can save on travel. PAP bring the world to SG. Just open your door is China. Travel to work is India. Go makan is Malaysia. Go hospital is flipping.
Now travel bubbles including with HK are all in limbo.
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- Jul 14, 2008
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- 89,008
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- 113
Deities. Chinks pray to deities when they want good fortune, of course must show sincerity no?
Sincerity is the bedrock of an honest interaction.
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2008
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- 89,008
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- 113
Deities. Chinks pray to deities when they want good fortune, of course must show sincerity no?
Sincerity is the benchmark for honesty.
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2008
- Messages
- 89,008
- Points
- 113
from straitstimes.com:
Parliament passes law on borrowing to fund national infrastructure
SINGAPORE - As Singapore embarks on a "generational upgrade" in its infrastructure over the next 15 years, Parliament on Monday (May 10) passed a new law that allows the Government to borrow to smooth out the hump expected in development spending.
Singapore has not borrowed to pay for such expenditure since the 1990s, and in making the case for the Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Act (Singa) on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat stressed that only infrastructure projects that are nationally significant and will benefit many generations will be funded this way.
"Borrowing is not revenue. It must be eventually repaid by future taxpayers. If we borrow for all infrastructure projects, even the smaller ones, we will leave our children to shoulder the bigger stream of debt repayments, and it will not be prudent, especially in view of a maturing economy and slower growth rates," he told Parliament.
Other infrastructure required will continue to be built, he added, with money for it coming out of the Government's recurring revenue.
With major highways, the Cross Island and Jurong Region MRT lines and climate adaptation structures in the works, Singapore expects a hump in development expenditure yearly of around 5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), higher than the baseline of 3.7 per cent.
The new law allows the Government to borrow up to $90 billion to pay for such infrastructure provided that it lasts for at least 50 years. The annual interest threshold of such borrowings also cannot exceed $5 billion, and each project funded under the law must be sizeable and cost at least $4 billion.
Many of the 15 MPs who spoke during the debate asked how the numbers were arrived at.
DPM Heng said $90 billion is approximately 20 per cent of today's GDP, and is lower than the borrowing limit of 40 per cent of prevailing GDP allowed under older laws. But in the next five years, the Government is likely to use less than $30 billion of the limit, he added.
As for the minimum price tag of $4 billion - a sum exceeding the typical $1 to $2 billion spent on healthcare infrastructure and $1.3 billion spent on building the Sports Hub - it was meant to ensure prudence, so that only projects with greater inter-generational benefits can qualify, he added in response to Mr Xie Yao Quan (Jurong GRC) and Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang GRC).
"Borrowing should be anchored by our over-arching guiding values of prudence, discipline and equity. And in fact, a key reason... for borrowing is also about inter-generational equity, said DPM Heng.
On how the Government will guard against an increase in interest rates unfairly burdening future generations, a topic many MPs brought up, Mr Heng said the borrowing costs will be averaged out, since payment for infrastructure typically stretches across time.
He added that depreciation of the assets will also be done via the straight line depreciation method, in which the value of an asset is reduced gradually over its useful life, so that each generation contributes an equal share towards it.
Workers' Party MPs Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) and Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC) said the notion of infrastructure should not be limited to physical structures and facilities, and should also include "soft infrastructure" like human capital.
Associate Professor Lim suggested borrowings under Singa be used to finance smaller class sizes for language and maths classes, or for more teaching aides. He cited studies that found investments in secondary education can produce more gains than equal investments in infrastructure.
"When we say that we want to invest in hard infrastructure but not soft infrastructure, it seems like we're only willing to offer the terms of favourable interest rates for physical capital and not human capital," said Prof Lim.
"That's like saying that 'we think it's equally important to educate both our son and our daughter, but... we'll finance ah boy's schooling, ah girl you go work so that you can pay for your school fees'."
In response, DPM Heng said that such recurrent spending has always been funded through the Government's annual budget, and should continue to be so.
He added that investing on human capital through spending on education and healthcare is something the Government has been doing and will continue to do. He also said if clear lines are not drawn in defining infrastructure, almost anything can be said to qualify.
"You can argue that everything that a country needs to get itself working would qualify. Just coin some nice name and call it soft infrastructure," he said, citing how anything from defence, to cybersecurity, health care, education and social spending could be described as "soft infrastructure" spending.
He added that more than 30 per cent of expenditure each year goes to education and healthcare, and if Singapore borrows to fund such spending, debt burden will go up over time and future generations will end up paying the price.
Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast GRC) asked how much "fiscal room" Singa will create for the Government, and DPM Heng said it would lower annual average development expenditure from 5 per cent of GDP to about 4.2 per cent of GDP over the next decade.
This works out to around $4 billion a year, based on current GDP.
Without Singa, this amount would have to be raised through taxes, or equivalent spending would have to be cut, said the DPM.
He added that while Singa has negated the need for a steep increase in taxes over the next few years, the Goods and Services Tax would still have to be raised as planned to pay for increased health care and social spending due to structural changes.
Nominated MP Hoon Hian Teck, an economist, said Singapore would need the capacity to raise revenue through raising taxes, if it is to maintain fiscal sustainability and remain credit worthy. Otherwise, Singapore's credit rating could be affected, and it would have an effect on all kinds of borrowing, even by businesses.
DPM Heng assured MPs that Parliament will get to carefully scrutinise any proposed infrastructure plans through the budget process, and will play a vital role in ensuring only worthwhile investments pass muster to be financed through Singa.
He said Singa was a fair and efficient approach that would allow each generation to pay for its share, and also let Singapore take advantage of favourable interest rates at present.
Parliament passes law on borrowing to fund national infrastructure
SINGAPORE - As Singapore embarks on a "generational upgrade" in its infrastructure over the next 15 years, Parliament on Monday (May 10) passed a new law that allows the Government to borrow to smooth out the hump expected in development spending.
Singapore has not borrowed to pay for such expenditure since the 1990s, and in making the case for the Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Act (Singa) on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat stressed that only infrastructure projects that are nationally significant and will benefit many generations will be funded this way.
"Borrowing is not revenue. It must be eventually repaid by future taxpayers. If we borrow for all infrastructure projects, even the smaller ones, we will leave our children to shoulder the bigger stream of debt repayments, and it will not be prudent, especially in view of a maturing economy and slower growth rates," he told Parliament.
Other infrastructure required will continue to be built, he added, with money for it coming out of the Government's recurring revenue.
With major highways, the Cross Island and Jurong Region MRT lines and climate adaptation structures in the works, Singapore expects a hump in development expenditure yearly of around 5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), higher than the baseline of 3.7 per cent.
The new law allows the Government to borrow up to $90 billion to pay for such infrastructure provided that it lasts for at least 50 years. The annual interest threshold of such borrowings also cannot exceed $5 billion, and each project funded under the law must be sizeable and cost at least $4 billion.
Many of the 15 MPs who spoke during the debate asked how the numbers were arrived at.
DPM Heng said $90 billion is approximately 20 per cent of today's GDP, and is lower than the borrowing limit of 40 per cent of prevailing GDP allowed under older laws. But in the next five years, the Government is likely to use less than $30 billion of the limit, he added.
As for the minimum price tag of $4 billion - a sum exceeding the typical $1 to $2 billion spent on healthcare infrastructure and $1.3 billion spent on building the Sports Hub - it was meant to ensure prudence, so that only projects with greater inter-generational benefits can qualify, he added in response to Mr Xie Yao Quan (Jurong GRC) and Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang GRC).
"Borrowing should be anchored by our over-arching guiding values of prudence, discipline and equity. And in fact, a key reason... for borrowing is also about inter-generational equity, said DPM Heng.
On how the Government will guard against an increase in interest rates unfairly burdening future generations, a topic many MPs brought up, Mr Heng said the borrowing costs will be averaged out, since payment for infrastructure typically stretches across time.
He added that depreciation of the assets will also be done via the straight line depreciation method, in which the value of an asset is reduced gradually over its useful life, so that each generation contributes an equal share towards it.
Workers' Party MPs Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) and Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC) said the notion of infrastructure should not be limited to physical structures and facilities, and should also include "soft infrastructure" like human capital.
Associate Professor Lim suggested borrowings under Singa be used to finance smaller class sizes for language and maths classes, or for more teaching aides. He cited studies that found investments in secondary education can produce more gains than equal investments in infrastructure.
"When we say that we want to invest in hard infrastructure but not soft infrastructure, it seems like we're only willing to offer the terms of favourable interest rates for physical capital and not human capital," said Prof Lim.
"That's like saying that 'we think it's equally important to educate both our son and our daughter, but... we'll finance ah boy's schooling, ah girl you go work so that you can pay for your school fees'."
In response, DPM Heng said that such recurrent spending has always been funded through the Government's annual budget, and should continue to be so.
He added that investing on human capital through spending on education and healthcare is something the Government has been doing and will continue to do. He also said if clear lines are not drawn in defining infrastructure, almost anything can be said to qualify.
"You can argue that everything that a country needs to get itself working would qualify. Just coin some nice name and call it soft infrastructure," he said, citing how anything from defence, to cybersecurity, health care, education and social spending could be described as "soft infrastructure" spending.
He added that more than 30 per cent of expenditure each year goes to education and healthcare, and if Singapore borrows to fund such spending, debt burden will go up over time and future generations will end up paying the price.
Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast GRC) asked how much "fiscal room" Singa will create for the Government, and DPM Heng said it would lower annual average development expenditure from 5 per cent of GDP to about 4.2 per cent of GDP over the next decade.
This works out to around $4 billion a year, based on current GDP.
Without Singa, this amount would have to be raised through taxes, or equivalent spending would have to be cut, said the DPM.
He added that while Singa has negated the need for a steep increase in taxes over the next few years, the Goods and Services Tax would still have to be raised as planned to pay for increased health care and social spending due to structural changes.
Nominated MP Hoon Hian Teck, an economist, said Singapore would need the capacity to raise revenue through raising taxes, if it is to maintain fiscal sustainability and remain credit worthy. Otherwise, Singapore's credit rating could be affected, and it would have an effect on all kinds of borrowing, even by businesses.
DPM Heng assured MPs that Parliament will get to carefully scrutinise any proposed infrastructure plans through the budget process, and will play a vital role in ensuring only worthwhile investments pass muster to be financed through Singa.
He said Singa was a fair and efficient approach that would allow each generation to pay for its share, and also let Singapore take advantage of favourable interest rates at present.
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from straitstimes.com:
NCMP Leong Mun Wai takes issue with need to borrow, draws strong rebuttal from DPM Heng Swee Keat
SINGAPORE - Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai on Monday (May 10) asserted the Government had put out an inaccurate narrative on why there was a need to borrow to finance significant infrastructure.
The Progress Singapore Party member charged during the debate on the Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Act (Singa) Bill that this would not be necessary if the Government had not decided to "classify some (fiscal resources) into revenue, some not into revenue".
His remarks drew a strong rebuttal from Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, who said the Government follows international standards in its accounting.
"It is not my classification or the Ministry of Finance's classification that this constitutes revenue available for spending, this does not... So please do not confuse the public that the government arbitrarily decides on what can be spent and what cannot be spent. This is a very serious allegation, which I hope you'll take back," said DPM Heng.
Mr Leong had said "inter-generational equity is not an accurate description of the purpose of the Singa scheme".
He added that the current generation of Singaporeans has had to shoulder a disproportionate amount of the burden because the Government had always front loaded infrastructure, "parked a disproportionate amount of current fiscal resources into the national reserves", and made people pay for their own retirement and healthcare costs.
Refuting this, DPM Heng said national expenditure on healthcare had grown from 35 per cent in 2011 to 46 per cent in 2018, and that more than half of Singapore's workers do not pay income tax. "If Mr Leong would like to make a contribution to policy making in this chamber, please be rigorous, come here with fresh insights on new facts, bring this to the House for debate. Please do not reread and reread your old script."
The debate went back and forth, with Mr Leong leaping up several times before he was called by Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and asked to sit down. When he spoke, Mr Leong said DPM Heng had been unprofessional for suggesting he needed to "go back and do more homework and be more rigorous".
The NCMP's actions also prompted DPM Heng to say: "I hope that you listen carefully... I'm speaking and you're looking into your phone. You know, I hope that you have the courtesy to at least listen when I am trying so hard to address you."
NCMP Leong Mun Wai takes issue with need to borrow, draws strong rebuttal from DPM Heng Swee Keat
SINGAPORE - Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai on Monday (May 10) asserted the Government had put out an inaccurate narrative on why there was a need to borrow to finance significant infrastructure.
The Progress Singapore Party member charged during the debate on the Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Act (Singa) Bill that this would not be necessary if the Government had not decided to "classify some (fiscal resources) into revenue, some not into revenue".
His remarks drew a strong rebuttal from Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, who said the Government follows international standards in its accounting.
"It is not my classification or the Ministry of Finance's classification that this constitutes revenue available for spending, this does not... So please do not confuse the public that the government arbitrarily decides on what can be spent and what cannot be spent. This is a very serious allegation, which I hope you'll take back," said DPM Heng.
Mr Leong had said "inter-generational equity is not an accurate description of the purpose of the Singa scheme".
He added that the current generation of Singaporeans has had to shoulder a disproportionate amount of the burden because the Government had always front loaded infrastructure, "parked a disproportionate amount of current fiscal resources into the national reserves", and made people pay for their own retirement and healthcare costs.
Refuting this, DPM Heng said national expenditure on healthcare had grown from 35 per cent in 2011 to 46 per cent in 2018, and that more than half of Singapore's workers do not pay income tax. "If Mr Leong would like to make a contribution to policy making in this chamber, please be rigorous, come here with fresh insights on new facts, bring this to the House for debate. Please do not reread and reread your old script."
The debate went back and forth, with Mr Leong leaping up several times before he was called by Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and asked to sit down. When he spoke, Mr Leong said DPM Heng had been unprofessional for suggesting he needed to "go back and do more homework and be more rigorous".
The NCMP's actions also prompted DPM Heng to say: "I hope that you listen carefully... I'm speaking and you're looking into your phone. You know, I hope that you have the courtesy to at least listen when I am trying so hard to address you."
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from msn.com:
International Nurses Day: Heng Swee Keat asks S’poreans to continue showing support
Singapore — Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat paid tribute to the nurses on International Nurses Day, celebrated on Wednesday (May 12).
© The Independent Singapore
He acknowledged their service and sacrifice in the battle against Covid-19.
“The tireless dedication and commitment of our nurses and other healthcare professionals have been our greatest asset in this fight,” he said in a statement.
The nurses deserve our gratitude and encouragement, he added, noting how many individuals have shown them support. He was also glad that many citizens have called out instances of discrimination against nurses.
He urged Singaporeans to continue showing their appreciation for the nurses, even if only with a simple word of thanks or encouragement.
He also asked Singaporeans to share about moments when nurses had helped them and their families.
© The Independent Singapore Photo: Facebook/ Heng Swee Keat
“To our nurses, thank you for all you do to keep Singapore safe. You have made all the difference, and we are behind you on this journey. And to the nurses all over the world, thank you for your lifesaving efforts and personal sacrifices in this global pandemic.” he wrote, thanking them for their dedication and service.
International Nurses Day: Heng Swee Keat asks S’poreans to continue showing support
Singapore — Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat paid tribute to the nurses on International Nurses Day, celebrated on Wednesday (May 12).
© The Independent Singapore
He acknowledged their service and sacrifice in the battle against Covid-19.
“The tireless dedication and commitment of our nurses and other healthcare professionals have been our greatest asset in this fight,” he said in a statement.
The nurses deserve our gratitude and encouragement, he added, noting how many individuals have shown them support. He was also glad that many citizens have called out instances of discrimination against nurses.
He urged Singaporeans to continue showing their appreciation for the nurses, even if only with a simple word of thanks or encouragement.
He also asked Singaporeans to share about moments when nurses had helped them and their families.
© The Independent Singapore Photo: Facebook/ Heng Swee Keat
“To our nurses, thank you for all you do to keep Singapore safe. You have made all the difference, and we are behind you on this journey. And to the nurses all over the world, thank you for your lifesaving efforts and personal sacrifices in this global pandemic.” he wrote, thanking them for their dedication and service.
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Singaporeans can save on travel. PAP bring the world to SG. Just open your door is China. Travel to work is India. Go makan is Malaysia. Go hospital is flipping.
It appears that the travel bubble between HK and SG will take place despite new covid cases.
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Singaporeans can save on travel. PAP bring the world to SG. Just open your door is China. Travel to work is India. Go makan is Malaysia. Go hospital is flipping.
Travel bubble between SG and HK has been suspended again. They keep flip flopping.
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Singaporeans can save on travel. PAP bring the world to SG. Just open your door is China. Travel to work is India. Go makan is Malaysia. Go hospital is flipping.
This is what HK government had to say about travel bubble:
“The Singapore minister has told me that there might be a high chance that the bubble arrangement may not be able to resume under the agreed mechanism,” Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau said in a press conference Friday.
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Singaporeans can save on travel. PAP bring the world to SG. Just open your door is China. Travel to work is India. Go makan is Malaysia. Go hospital is flipping.
Even if the travel bubble is suspended, it is good that it was discussed.
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from straitstimes.com:
SINGAPORE - Singapore's resources may be limited, but its opportunities are endless - this is the gist of a message engraved in a black leather briefcase that Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat has carried with him to 10 Budgets over six years.
It is one he believes the Finance Ministry (MOF) has demonstrated time and again.
Mr Heng, who steps down as Finance Minister on Saturday, recounted in a Facebook post on Friday how the bag - commissioned by his daughter from a local leather craftsman - has come to hold more than just each year's Budget statement.
"Each time I open the bag and see that message, I am determined that while we must work within the reality of our limited resources, this need not and will not hold us back from recognising, seizing, and creating opportunities for our people," he wrote. "I am also reminded of my duty to my children's generation and generations to come."
He added that the briefcase is not the well-worn one he uses for everyday work. Every Budget season, the black bag is dusted off and polished before transporting the Budget statement to Parliament House. The message in it, inscribed on a metal plate, is a reminder that his daughter believed to be important.
Her exact words: Our resources may be limited, but our opportunities are endless.
MOF has shown the power and truth of these words again and again, Mr Heng wrote.
He recounted how in 2016 - a year which marked Singapore's 50th Budget, and also Mr Heng's maiden Budget speech - the country set its mind to caring more for the vulnerable elderly, made taxes more progressive and laid the groundwork for industry transformation that will help Singapore recover from the pandemic today.
Last year, the Government also rolled out five Budgets, racing against time to implement support for companies and people.
"Each time, MOF showed that though our resources are limited, our opportunities are not. Our opportunities are of our making," Mr Heng said, adding that his ministry's officers have stewarded the country's fiscal resources, made extraordinary contributions in fighting the pandemic and cared for him and his family.
In his farewell message to MOF staff, Mr Heng stressed that public servants must grow the reserves of Singapore's greatest resource - the strength and spirit of its people.
He said they must never forget their duty to safeguard Singapore's resources, and urged them to make time for themselves and their families.
"My black bag will not carry any more Budget statements, but it will always hold this belief to break past our limits and focus on our opportunities," he wrote.
Several other ministers also penned their thoughts on their moves following the Cabinet reshuffle, which was announced earlier this month.
In a letter to his colleagues at the Education Ministry (MOE), Mr Lawrence Wong spoke of how he benefited from feedback and insights gleaned from interacting with students and teachers.
"Sometimes after turning over a stone, we may find there are good reasons to put it back in place," he wrote. "But we should continue to pick up the stone again for a close look from time to time, as our circumstances change."
His one regret, he added, is that he had not had the chance to meet many people in person before departing to helm the Finance Ministry, given that a large part of the time was spent operating remotely.
Mr Ong Ye Kung, who leaves the Transport Ministry (MOT) for the Health Ministry, spoke of his "short but meaningful homecoming", as MOT was where he started his public service career.
The day after he joined the ministry, he visited Changi Airport, knowing that this would be his key preoccupation. On Friday - his final day at MOT - he went there again to speak to workers on the frontlines.
"They know they are in harm's way. But I see in them resilience, sense of duty, and pride," Mr Ong said, adding that this spirit is reflected in all transport workers whom he has gotten to know.
Limited resources, endless opportunities for S'pore: DPM Heng bids farewell to Finance Ministry
SINGAPORE - Singapore's resources may be limited, but its opportunities are endless - this is the gist of a message engraved in a black leather briefcase that Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat has carried with him to 10 Budgets over six years.
It is one he believes the Finance Ministry (MOF) has demonstrated time and again.
Mr Heng, who steps down as Finance Minister on Saturday, recounted in a Facebook post on Friday how the bag - commissioned by his daughter from a local leather craftsman - has come to hold more than just each year's Budget statement.
"Each time I open the bag and see that message, I am determined that while we must work within the reality of our limited resources, this need not and will not hold us back from recognising, seizing, and creating opportunities for our people," he wrote. "I am also reminded of my duty to my children's generation and generations to come."
He added that the briefcase is not the well-worn one he uses for everyday work. Every Budget season, the black bag is dusted off and polished before transporting the Budget statement to Parliament House. The message in it, inscribed on a metal plate, is a reminder that his daughter believed to be important.
Her exact words: Our resources may be limited, but our opportunities are endless.
MOF has shown the power and truth of these words again and again, Mr Heng wrote.
He recounted how in 2016 - a year which marked Singapore's 50th Budget, and also Mr Heng's maiden Budget speech - the country set its mind to caring more for the vulnerable elderly, made taxes more progressive and laid the groundwork for industry transformation that will help Singapore recover from the pandemic today.
Last year, the Government also rolled out five Budgets, racing against time to implement support for companies and people.
"Each time, MOF showed that though our resources are limited, our opportunities are not. Our opportunities are of our making," Mr Heng said, adding that his ministry's officers have stewarded the country's fiscal resources, made extraordinary contributions in fighting the pandemic and cared for him and his family.
In his farewell message to MOF staff, Mr Heng stressed that public servants must grow the reserves of Singapore's greatest resource - the strength and spirit of its people.
He said they must never forget their duty to safeguard Singapore's resources, and urged them to make time for themselves and their families.
"My black bag will not carry any more Budget statements, but it will always hold this belief to break past our limits and focus on our opportunities," he wrote.
Several other ministers also penned their thoughts on their moves following the Cabinet reshuffle, which was announced earlier this month.
In a letter to his colleagues at the Education Ministry (MOE), Mr Lawrence Wong spoke of how he benefited from feedback and insights gleaned from interacting with students and teachers.
"Sometimes after turning over a stone, we may find there are good reasons to put it back in place," he wrote. "But we should continue to pick up the stone again for a close look from time to time, as our circumstances change."
His one regret, he added, is that he had not had the chance to meet many people in person before departing to helm the Finance Ministry, given that a large part of the time was spent operating remotely.
Mr Ong Ye Kung, who leaves the Transport Ministry (MOT) for the Health Ministry, spoke of his "short but meaningful homecoming", as MOT was where he started his public service career.
The day after he joined the ministry, he visited Changi Airport, knowing that this would be his key preoccupation. On Friday - his final day at MOT - he went there again to speak to workers on the frontlines.
"They know they are in harm's way. But I see in them resilience, sense of duty, and pride," Mr Ong said, adding that this spirit is reflected in all transport workers whom he has gotten to know.
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