[SINGAPORE] Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said it was regrettable that the opposition Workers’ Party (WP) has continued to make “negative attacks” on Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who helms the People’s Action Party (PAP) team in Punggol GRC.
“I’m disappointed that the WP would make such negative attacks on someone who is spending so much time tackling national issues, trying to make things better, who has done so much for Singapore and continues to do so much for Singapore,” PM Wong told reporters at a walkabout at One Punggol.
Flanked by the Punggol GRC candidates, PM Wong called on voters in that constituency to “reject these kinds of negative politics”, adding that the WP has a “cavalier and irresponsible approach” towards the livelihood and well-being of all Singaporeans.
The prime minister was responding to WP chief Pritam Singh’s speculation that DPM Gan might not have planned to run in GE2025.
At the WP’s rally on Monday, Singh noted that DPM Gan was not elected into the PAP’s latest Central Executive Committee (CEC), and asked if he had planned to retire ahead of this election.
Singh drew a comparison with then-DPM Heng Swee Keat, who left Tampines GRC to contest in East Coast GRC in GE2020, but has now chosen to step down from politics this election.
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On Tuesday, PM Wong said: “Not being a member of the CEC is an irrelevant point, because Gan Kim Yong is a key member of my team. He’s my deputy.”
DPM Gan had decided not to run in the CEC elections in order to allow for renewal of the party, he added.
“But he’s still a key member of my Cabinet, of my team in government, and hopefully in the next Cabinet – anchoring, shouldering key responsibilities which are so critical during this period.”
PM Wong said the comparison with former DPM Heng was not relevant, because the latter’s health issues were a factor in his decision to step down.
At the same doorstop interview, DPM Gan also clarified his role in the controversial Income-Allianz deal. He said that when the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) saw the proposal in July, the focus was the main transfer of ownership in Income.
His clarification comes following WP candidate Harpreet Singh’s call to respond to an open letter by former NTUC Income chief Tan Suee Chieh. In the social media post, Singh had questioned DPM Gan’s role in the deal as chairman of MAS.
DPM Gan said that the S$2.2 billion stake sale was the key transaction for which MAS had to ensure that liquidity and capital adequacy requirements were met.
If Allianz wanted to withdraw capital from Income subsequently, there are “steps and processes in place” to ensure Income still has adequate capital to meet all of MAS’ requirements, he added.
Noting that the WP “had all the opportunities” to raise questions about the deal in Parliament, he added: “I’m surprised that they reiterate these questions.”
PM Wong reiterated that the government had stopped the deal, with DPM Gan playing an important role.
Said PM Wong: “Tan Suee Chieh himself credits me and the government for doing it. But actually he shouldn’t be crediting me, he should be crediting Gan Kim Yong and MAS.”
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