B2 SINGAPORE | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2021 | Weather SINGAPORE 24/33ºC FAIR Mrs Lim Hwee Hua left politics in 2011 and has since advised on projects ranging from e-learning and waste management to power generation and healthcare investments. Her book (above) explores what it means for governments to stay disciplined amid technological disruption and populist Fair and occasionally windy. pressures. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG the people with us.” OUTLOOK In what was dubbed a crisis elec- tion last year, the PAP won 61.24 Tuesday: Fair per cent of the votes, an 8.7 percent- Wednesday: Late afternoon age point swing from its 69.9 per thundery showers cent share in the 2015 polls. The opposition won a second GRC – in Sengkang – and its presence in Parliament almost doubled to 10 AIR QUALITY elected MPs. As Covid-19 ravaged the econ- PSI omy, Singaporeans were worried – 51-56 (Moderate) Lim Hwee Hua puts passion even fearful – about their liveli- 24-hour reading as of 7pm yesterday hoods. This may have manifested in bolder statements or actions among voters, noted Mrs Lim. But whether the opposition can for public policy on paper gain further inroads, she added, de- pends on whether it performs re- sponsibly and credibly. “Gone are the days when it was quite clear to people that some opposition mem- bers were just not very electable. Rise Rise India to power generation in In last week’s Budget speech, “A lot now depends on their per- 3.01pm Book drawing on her experience in govt and Bangladesh to healthcare invest- Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee formance and values – whether 7.16am ments in Australia. Keat said the Government is ex- they engender a sense of service Set Set business is latest feather in ex-minister’s cap The latest feather in her cap is a pected to draw on $53.7 billion and what constructive contribu- 7.21pm 2.39am book, Government In Business: from past reserves for Covid-19 sup- tions they can bring to the debate, Grace Ho She left politics 10 years ago after Leading Or Lagging?, launched port measures in 2020 and 2021. It or whether they are just in there to the People’s Action Party (PAP) last week. Drawing on her experi- will also issue up to $90 billion in oppose for the sake of opposing.” Senior Political Correspondent team in Aljunied GRC, which she ence in government and business, new bonds under the proposed TIDES was a part of, lost to the Workers’ it is peppered with case studies Significant Infrastructure Govern- BREAKING GENDER BARRIERS Party in the 2011 General Election. from around the world on the chal- ment Loan Act to fund major long- Today: 5.22am (2.3m), Halfway through describing her The former minister in the lenges of governing and regulating term infrastructure projects. One highly visible result of 1.45pm (1m), 9.45pm (2.1m). current role, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua is Prime Minister’s Office and sec- amid rapid change. The bond issuance, said Mrs Lim, GE2020 was more women in Par- stumped. The seventh of nine chil- ond minister for finance and trans- The 61-year-old attributes her is timely because of infrastruc- liament. Of the 93 seats for elected Tomorrow: 1.50am (1.9m), dren who grew up in a Singapore port went on to various positions diverse portfolio to a conscious de- ture’s two key features: It is neces- MPs, 27 – or 29 per cent – went to 7.09am (2.2m), 2.52pm (0.9m), Improvement Trust flat and rose in private equity, financial and cision she made after 2011 not to sary for growth, and it grows al- women, compared with 21 out of 10.26pm (2.3m). to become the first woman Cabi- maritime services. Projects she take up a full-time post, but partici- most exponentially in cost. 89 seats after the 2015 polls, and net minister wears so many hats has advised on range from e-learn- pate in multiple projects on a part- The bonds would also engender a just four seats two decades ago. that she has lost count of them. ing and waste management in time basis. Even so, her work has sense of ownership among Singa- This is a whisker away from the not strayed far from the twin pas- poreans who buy them, she added. 30 per cent target set by Mrs Lim sions which ruled her public life – “One cannot leave it for too long, when she chaired the PAP Singapore and public policy. so I’m glad we have provided for Women’s Wing in the 2000s. “That’s where my conviction is (the bond issuance). And because There are three women minis- – anything that plays on Singa- of our self-imposed rule of not bor- ters today: Ms Grace Fu, Mrs pore’s attributes which have been rowing too much, we have to do it Josephine Teo and Ms Indranee built over the years,” she said. in a way that every government of Rajah. A key hurdle, said Mrs Lim, the day has to bear the liabilities.” is getting women to even enter- BUDGETING LONG TERM tain the possibility of entering POLITICAL CHALLENGES politics; another is the uneven In her book, Mrs Lim explores load that married working women what it means for governments to Mrs Lim began her political career bear in terms of responsibilities at stay disciplined amid technologi- in 1997, after being elected as an home and work. cal disruption and populist pres- MP for Marine Parade GRC. She Mrs Lim welcomes moves such sures. This year’s Budget, she said, became deputy Speaker in 2002, as the Government’s ongoing re- is an example of why this discipline the first woman to hold the post, view of women’s issues and upcom- – together with a long-term per- and then Singapore’s first woman ing White Paper on the topic, spective and whole-of-govern- minister in 2009. adding that employers can do more ment approach – is so important. Does she think politics has be- to allow flexible work arrange- “What better illustration of come more difficult to navigate? ments (FWA). “Before Covid-19, ‘saving for a rainy day’ can one There are certainly challenges to many organisations found it quite want?” she said. “Before Covid-19, do with process and flexibility, she hard. They felt they were losing there were all these questions: said, but there is nothing intrinsi- control, and that FWA meant peo- Why can we only spend half of the cally right or wrong about it. ple were not working,” she said. investment income? What is the “The ability to react very quickly “It would be extremely helpful point of saving for future genera- in the past was there, but today, to women if FWA can be applied tions? Who knows whether we’ll it’s a question mark,” she added. as widely as possible. It has a cas- ever get to spend it? But without “The population is different. cading effect because if you can that ammunition, it would have People are more educated; they get women to take on more re- been impossible for the Govern- want that engagement, they want sponsibilities in the economy and ment to do all the things that it did. to be convinced and consulted. society, then becoming an MP is a “That to me is the strongest mes- Everything that we want to do, more natural thing.” sage – the virtue of long-term plan- we have to consider quite care- ning and thinking.” fully and make sure that we bring [email protected] Whole-of-society response against extremism FROM B1 are not swayed by radical and wellness education to become extremist views. more discerning and aware of level of education and a shallower On the education front, school online disinformation, so that understanding of things, which teachers work with parents and they can verify the credibility of makes them susceptible to the wider community to instil online content and information propaganda online, he said. values in students, and ensure sources. Psychological reasons are a that those vulnerable to the Counsellors also play an factor as well, he added, such as influence of extremist important mentoring role, and discontentment with their propaganda are detected early so MHA has been conducting surroundings and lack of a sense that they can be helped. workshops for school counsellors of belonging, which can push “If there are concerns that a since 2016 to train them to young people down a slippery student has been influenced by sensitise students to online slope of radicalisation. extremist propaganda, schools threats and deepen students’ ISD said an inability to think work closely with the Ministry of understanding of terrorist critically also plays a part as it can Home Affairs (MHA) to closely ideologies, as well as to spot affect how one perceives certain monitor and provide counselling tell-tale signs of radicalisation. world events or developments. support to the student. Our school Such efforts to prevent young But the battle against counsellors work closely with people from being led astray must extremism for young hearts and teachers to look out for students be augmented with positive peer minds is not lost, and a who show signs of distress and influence, given the life stage they whole-of-society response has possible radicalisation,” said a are at, said experts. been mounted involving Ministry of Education Said Mr Faizal: “Youth are in a workshops on the threat of online spokesman.