60 cents | MICA (P) 142/09/2010 25 15February aPrIL 2011 2011 UBudget Care Fund Lim Boon Heng Says IsGoogies Halfway There p5 Bye To Political Stage But NTUC Links Will Remain We respect Boon Heng a lot because he is not only an outstanding leader, but also a “selfless leader. He always gives his best in serving the workers and people. At the same time, he also does his best to nurture his successors and next generation of leaders. In the Labour Movement, he guided me and made me his successor as Secretary-General of NTUC when he was only 58-years- old. And now, as the Chairman of PAP, he is retiring early to make way for younger leaders to step forward. It shows how much he cares for the success and progress of Singapore, not just the present, but also the future.” NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say Minister Lim Boon Heng (left), Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam (centre) and NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Halimah Yacob (right) after winning Jurong GRC in 2006. By Marcus Lin urious political pundits finally got the answer.a fter more than 30 stand for the presidential election due later this year, Minister Lim said years of public service, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and categorically “I do not wish to be President” and that his future plans anchor Minister for Jurong GrC Lim boon Heng, 63, will call it are more modest. a day at the end of this electoral term. He broke the news at the Importantly, he said the PaP has found a slate of very good launch of the Jurong Town Council's five-year concept master candidates who meet the standards, thus allowing him to “retire, plan on 10 april 2011. pleased that we have a new team in place that will serve the people of CThere was talk that he would stand for another term in the coming Jurong and yuhua well”. General election in Jurong GrC or elsewhere as his work rate did not Though he says he now has more time for family, gardening and indicate imminent retirement. His announcement has put paid to such reading, he won’t be turning his back on the Labour Movement and speculation. simply disappear into the woodwork. amongst other things, he is Minister Lim was first elected People'sa ction Party (PaP) Member Chairman of the NTuC Social enterprises Development Council, of Parliament for Kebun baru in 1980. He joined NTuC in 1981 and was Chairman of NTuC LearningHub Pte Ltd, and Chairman of NTuC NTuC Secretary-General from 1993 until resigning at the end of 2006 eldercare Co-operative Ltd. whereby the NTuC Central Committee unanimously elected current He is also advisor to eMSeu, HSeu, MIWu, SIaSu, SMOu, Secretary-General Lim Swee Say. SOS and Sube and Trustee to MIWu and SMOu. Minister Lim revealed that he offered to step down before the 2006 General election, but Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong persuaded him See Page 2 to carry on. asked whether his retirement will pave the way for him to wo veteran Members of Parliament with Labour roots, Mrs yu-Foo yee Shoon First Woman NTUC who is MP for Holland-bukit Timah GrC and Minister of State, Ministry of Chairman And Community Development, youth & Sports as well as Mr Ong ah Heng who is MP for Nee Soon Central, have announced that they will not be contesting in the coming ‘Kopitiam MP’ Retire General election. T See Page 2 2 workingfor • inclusivegrowth From Page 1 Lim Boon Heng Says Bye To Political Stage Fellow Jurong GrC MP and comrade NTuC Deputy Secretary-General Secretary-General when I joined the NTuC, and I continue to serve with Halimah yacob said: "It is difficult to do justice to Minister Lim in just him on aging issues at the Prime Minister’s Office. a few sentences for his vast contributions. In Jurong GrC, I have “I benefited immensely from his example, guidance and benefitted from his leadership style, which had allowed us to grow our encouragement over the years. I particularly like his quiet and calm own strengths but with the comfort of knowing that he will always be approach to getting things done. It exemplifies for me a good model of there at any time we needed help. servant leadership. I wish brother boon Heng a happy retirement from “He is a man of deep convictions, that was why he continues to politics." anguish over the casino issue, and is well regarded among residents added NTuC Central Committee member and AUPe advisor Teo and grassroots leaders. I am glad that he will continue to contribute in yock Ngee: “He is also a very compassionate leader who has always different ways to the causes that he believes in." been very helpful to our fellow unionists and unions in times of need. and NTuC Deputy Secretary-General Heng Chee How said: "I look he would prefer to do it in a quiet way.” up to brother Lim boon Heng as my teacher and mentor. He was the From Page 1 First Woman NTUC Chairman And ‘Kopitiam MP’ Retire rs yu-Foo joined NTuC in 1971 as a Senior Industrial relations Officer and became the first woman Chairman of the NTuC Central Committee in 1979. She said that as a woman, she has an interest in Mencouraging more female participation in the Labour Movement. She was active in unions’ membership drives, women’s activities and child-care services in the NTuC. She entered politics in 1984 at the age of 34 and won as a PaP candidate in yuhua. She said then: “The nature of an MP’s job and what I do now is the same. It is actually an extension of my work - to work with the grassroots, to explain Government policies to the people and to relay the problems. The difference is that as an MP, the scope is wider.” Mrs yu-Foo was also the first woman to be appointed Mayor in Singapore when she was made Mayor of bukit Timah CDC in 2001. Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon (left) at a NTUC First Campus event. Mr Ong ah Heng, so-called the `Kopitiam MP’ because of how he mixes easily with working class people, joined the NTuC in 1980 and was executive Secretary of the National Transport Workers’ union from 1981 until 2006. He was also NTuC Central Committee member, NTuC assistant Secretary-General, NTuC administration and research unit Director and NTuC Care and Share Director. Mr Ong was already a veteran grassroots leader in Nee Soon Central when he stood for elections there as a PaP candidate in 1997 and won. He has retained his seat ever since. He told NTuC News in 1996: “I owe a lot to the meritocratic system. There are very few countries where you could start as a construction worker and end up with a master’s degree. It is right that I repay society by involving myself in community work - in the Labour Movement and in other grassroots organisations.” Mr Ong Ah Heng (left) during his NTUC days. inclusivegrowth • workingfor 3 Scrutinise Carefully, Choose Wisely he eighth and final batch of new candidates - beyond the tea sessions and features will be in place to contain costs, and not People’s action Party candidates for interviews. go the same way as has been the case in other the coming General elections were “How have the Opposition parties assessed countries that adopt national insurance? introduced at the PaP HQ on 14 their new 'prized catches'? The public deserves “What is the health outcome, compared april 2011. altogether, 24 have been to know. The public also needs to have the to what we have achieved, at much lower named. opportunity to scrutinise them, just as they are spending? What will public transport fares be like TDuring the introduction of the seventh batch scrutinising our new candidates. Otherwise how in a nationalised public transport system, and on 11 april 2011, PaP Chairman and Minister in can voters make considered choices? who will pay the bill? and are the waiting times Prime Minister’s Office Limb oon Heng said: “I see that some of the Opposition parties shorter than in our case? “During the coming General elections we have unveiled their manifestos. This is good. “and how will a Workers' Party government will see a number of old war-horses among The voters need to examine them carefully. For pay for these additional costs? We will release the Opposition camp, and new faces. These example, how much will the Workers' Party's our manifesto for public scrutiny soon. Let us new faces have popped up almost at the last programmes cost? How much will the small scrutinise carefully the candidates being offered moment. Do we know enough about them? I class sizes in our schools cost? How much will for the general election, and let us scrutinise have briefly mentioned how we assess possible the medical insurance proposal cost, and what carefully the manifestos of each of the parties.” On 11 April 2011, Alex Yam became the seventh new PAP Labour MP candidate introduced for the coming General Election. Alex Yam Ziming, 30, is Head Secretary of the Citizens’ Consultative Committee. My five years in the (Strategies & Planning/youth From 2010 to 2011, he helped Mr yeo Cheow Labour Movement has Lab) of young NTuC which Tong in yew Tee and worked closely with the local he joined in 2006 as a pioneer grassroots organisations. He served on both the allowed me to gain a deep member of the youth unit.