MORE TRIBUTES to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong are coming from our Ministers during his final month as Singapore’s leader.
Desmond Lee: PM Lee hands over a better Singapore
Source: Desmond Lee / Facebook
“It has been my great privilege to serve under PM Lee’s leadership and stewardship of our country these past 11 years. During this time, I have had the opportunity to experience, first-hand, what PM Lee meant by the New Way Forward. Just last year, he announced the Standard-Plus-Prime model – to ensure that public housing in more choice locations remain affordable, while maintaining a good social mix and keeping the system fair,” said Minister for National Development Desmond Lee.
“He believed strongly in passing on to our children a better Singapore than we inherited and urged us to never stop re-imagining and building a Singapore that future generations can look forward to,” continued Minister Lee.
Ong Ye Kung: PM Lee gave me a SkillsFuture moment
Source: Ong Ye Kung / Facebook
Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung was PM Lee’s Personal Private Secretary (PPS) from 2002 to 2004. Those years were learning ones for Minister Ong.
“As my boss for several years, I learnt a lot from PM Lee by observing how he handles things and conducts meetings,” said Minister Ong.
“He also took time to teach me. Due to my Chinese language background, I could not write well in English then. It was a problem when you are PPS to the PM. PM Lee told me this was an area I needed to work on. On numerous occasions, he dictated how he would have made an announcement – with background, rationale and then the change – all in a few succinct sentences,” continued Minister Ong.
“That was a major ‘SkillsFuture moment’ for me. It is probably the skill that I most frequently use as a Minister.”
Josephine Teo: PM Lee went hands-on with tech solutions
Source: Josephine Teo / Facebook
Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo shared personal anecdotes about PM Lee’s approach to findings ways turn new technologies into new solutions.
“Last year, one of the biggest stars of the tech world visited Singapore and met PM LHL. This Istana conversation was like no other, not least because of how technical it got, but also because it ended with a demo. Among other things, PM wanted to know specifically how generative AI could improve the productivity of software development, and Sam Altman decided the best way to explain it was to show him,” she said.
“PM’s grasp of math, economics, science and technology often surprises his visitors, even though amongst staff we’ve gotten quite used to it. It helps our professional teams, to know that we have a leader who’s interested in their work, who understands its difficulties and believes in helping them get things right,” Minister Teo added.
Edwin Tong: PM Lee continues the Singapore Way
Source: Edwin Tong / Facebook
PM Lee will remain in the Cabinet as Senior Minister. For Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, this and the orderly transition of power beginning from PM Lee’s November announcement continues “the Singapore way”.
“Only the third change of Prime Minister we have had in our almost six-decade history. All previous transitions have taken place in peaceful circumstances. On each occasion, the outgoing Prime Minister remained in Cabinet, to cast a watchful eye and lend a steady hand,” said Minister Tong.
“All of this is ‘the Singapore way’, planned in advance, known to Singaporeans and supported by the whole of Government. This itself epitomises the socio-political stability which Singapore and Singaporeans have come to enjoy. It is something we have become accustomed to, but cannot ever take for granted,” continued Minister Tong.
Indranee Rajah: PM Lee steered us through
Source: Indranee Rajah / Facebook
Similarly, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah spoke of how leadership transition in Singapore is a little different from other countries — like his predecessors, PM Lee worked hard to find the person to replace him in working with Singaporeans to take the country forward.
“I have seen how PM Lee has worked tirelessly to keep the country safe, grow the economy, unite our society and steer us through many troubled waters and global crises, with courage, firmness, compassion and principle,” added Minister Indranee.
Tan See Leng: PM Lee guided his team towards the future
Source: The Straits Times© Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reproduced with permission.
“It has been the utmost honour and privilege to have been part of PM Lee Hsien Loong’s team. Thank you for the guidance and the opportunity to serve,” said Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng.
“I look forward to supporting DPM Lawrence Wong as we continue to build a better future for all Singaporeans,” he added.
