Choosing Lanes Lim Swee Say Decided to Serve the Unions

5 JANUARY 2007 40 cents http://www.ntuc.org.sg MICA (P) 129/12/2006 Choosing Lanes Lim Swee Say Decided To Serve The Unions BETWEEN the prospect of being fast tracked to become Minister of State and The starting point must be remaining in the National Trades Union concern for the welfare of the Congress to improve workers’ lives, Mr Lim Swee Say chose the latter. workers. The starting point can’t be “Swee Say came to NTUC when he the welfare of the company or the had to leave the Economic Development economy. If at the end of the day, Board to stand for elections,” said Mr Lim Boon Heng, Minister in the Prime you can’t serve the long-term interest Minister’s Offi ce, to NTUC This Week of the workforce, what’s the point at end-December 2006. of having economic development? “After a reasonable testing period in politics, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong Economic development is always the wanted to appoint Swee Say as MOS, and means to an end – the end being the stay with NTUC for some more time.” welfare of the worker. During that 1999 promotion exercise, Mr David Lim accepted his appointment Lim Swee Say as MOS for Defence, and Information & the Arts. “Swee Say said if he was appointed, for Trade and Industry on 3 June 1999. he could not speak up for workers in Ten years has passed since Mr Lim Parliament in the same way. So, he asked Swee Say joined politics; he was elected to stay longer in NTUC. I think he found Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar the mission to his liking. He won respect GRC on 2 January 1997. With nearly six when he declined appointment as MOS years of service with the labour movement, for a year,” recalled the immediate past Mr Lim Swee Say started 2007 as NTUC’s NTUC Secretary-General. new Secretary-General. “Yes, Swee Say understands that the key employable – a mission which he Mr Lim Swee Say indeed found his His move back to the labour movement task of Government is to make sure people continues to fulfi ll. mission in NTUC. became natural after it became quite clear have jobs. He spent the better part of his Upon returning to NTUC in August In an interview with The Straits Times that union leaders accepted him and his previous working life attracting investors to 2004, Mr Lim Swee Say said the position published on 8 January 1999, about two style of leadership. set up here, to create jobs for Singaporeans. of NTUC Secretary-General was not a years after he joined NTUC, he said: On 1 May 2004, Mr Goh announced He knows the competition, and what we given. “The starting point must be concern for in his May Day Rally speech that Mr need to do to secure investors. “The future is full of challenges. The the welfare of the workers. The starting Lim Swee Say would take over as labour “He also has his way of explaining issues more challenging it is, the more exciting point can’t be the welfare of the company chief in two to three years’ time. Mr Lim – with a combination of wit and humour. it can be if we all do the right things in or the economy. If at the end of the day, Boon Heng told the press afterwards that “He has already spent several years with the right manner with the right mindset. you can’t serve the long-term interest of his designated successor has the common the unions. So he knows he has to keep Teamwork is the key to our continuous the workforce, what’s the point of having touch; his name “came up constantly” in regular touch with grassroots unionists growth and progress. economic development? Economic during feedback sessions with grassroots – and he has been doing that.” “Please do not refer to me as the next development is always the means to an unionists”, making him the natural Mr Lim Swee Say takes the initiative to Sec-Gen. I am coming back to learn, to end – the end being the welfare of the choice. get to know and interact with the union serve and to contribute to the further worker.” “It is the labour movement that elects leaders albeit his tight schedule. He cares development of the labour movement He said he did not always feel this way, its leader. The NTUC Secretary-General to listen to the feedback and feels the pulse under the overall leadership of Mr Lim especially when he was with EDB to make is not appointed by the Government and of the ground of the labour movement. Boon Heng. Whether or not I will be the Singapore economy as competitive as foisted on the unions. If the candidate does This has made unionists appreciate his accepted as the next labour chief, let the possible. The turning point came when not have the confi dence and support of personal touch. His visits to the various labour movement assess and decide in two he was working on the Singapore-China the grassroots union leaders, he will not unions became more regular after his to three years’ time.” Suzhou Industrial Park software transfer be elected. return to NTUC in August 2004. From On 4 December 2006, the NTUC project, and listened to Singapore leaders “In the past two years, I have taken 24 January 2005 to 2 January 2007, he has Central Committee elected Mr Lim Swee explain their philosophy of nation building soundings of grassroots union leaders on visited 43 unions. He is scheduled to visit Say as the new labour chief. The labour – that economic development in the end who could be my successor. Based on such Singapore Teachers’ Union on 9 January. movement has spoken. was all about improving workers’ lives. a feedback, and on my assessment of the Besides learning more about the unions, Mr Lim Swee Say began this new “That’s when it actually hit me, all the candidates, I came to the conclusion that he took the opportunity to deliver and responsibility on 1 January 2007, with the things about social objectives. It became Mr Lim Swee Say is the best person.” explain NTUC messages to union leaders, 64 unions, 6 associations, 9 cooperatives so clear, so explicit.” Two and a half years on, Mr Lim Boon in particular, on Labour Movement 2011, and all the other entities of the NTUC Mr Lim Swee Say did eventually accept Heng was asked by Lianhe Zaobao at end- NTUC’s 5-year vision. Family behind him. his appointment as MOS and took up 2006 if Mr Lim Swee Say has the qualities Among his early responsibilities at Secretary-General Lim Swee Say, you offi ce in the Ministry for Communications to be the NTUC Secretary-General. Mr NTUC, SG Lim was bent on helping have our best wishes and support. and Information Technology; and Ministry Lim Boon Heng said: rank and fi le workers upgrade and remain Continued on Page 2 ● The Handover Page 4 ● Goodbye 2006, Hello 2007 Page 5 ● Rosy Time Ahead Possible With Robust Challenges Page 10 ● NNTUCtwTUCtw 55Jan07a.inddJan07a.indd 1 11/3/07/3/07 111:41:491:41:49 PPMM PProcessrocess CCyanyanPProcessrocess MMagentaagentaPProcessrocess YYellowellowPProcessrocess BBlacklack 2 5 JANUARY 2006 Continued from Page 1 Lim Swee Say In Brief He’s Mr SRP, Mr JRP Early 1980s NTUC 21 was the labour movement help workers achieve a better life. New skills today, better employability programme that dovetailed Singapore 21, “As we restructure the economy, the tomorrow. Member of Mr Lee Hsien Loong’s team to help NTUC set up computer presented by the People’s Action Party young and educated will be given the “Our role in NTUC is to raise workers’ appreciation and IT courses. as its platform for the 2 January 1997 best employment. Older workers, in their awareness of the changes that are taking General Election. The blueprint, proposed 30s or 40s, who may have missed out on place in the industry, to explain to 1996, 8 August by immediate past NTUC Secretary- educational opportunities… We must them the benefits of going through work to upgrade their skills so that they skills redevelopment and to create the Joined NTUC as Director of General Lim Boon Heng, was formulated Administration and Research Unit to to take the labour movement into the will not lose out,” said Mr Lim Swee Say opportunity for them to upgrade. look after productivity promotion, 21st Century. in November 1996. “We hope more workers will come skills development and computer Newly elected as Member of Parliament Then, at The Singapore Manual forward to join this programme because information system; appointed for Tanjong Pagar GRC, Mr Lim Swee and Mercantile Workers’ Union’s Basic we can only help those who are prepared Executive Secretary by Chemical Say was asked by the labour chief to Leadership Course on 13 November to help themselves. Industries Employees’ Union. head the NTUC 21 Committee to 1996, he said: “In the 1990s and beyond, “Working together in the true spirit promote the fi ve pillars of “Employability”, we must be able to produce more with of tripartite partnership, we can create a 1997, 2 January “Competitiveness”, “Healthy Body and less.” better future for our workers, young and Elected Member of Parliament for Healthy Mind”, “Care and Share” and He urged workers to improve their old, all included,” said Mr Lim Swee Say Tanjong Pagar GRC. “Strong Labour Movement”. technical skills, change their mindset and in a commentary on skills redevelopment It has been 10 years, and Mr Lim Swee be innovative in the use of our limited in NTUC News in June 1997.

Load more