Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong may refer to the announced changes to his Cabinet as "part of continuing leadership renewal", but it sure looks like a children's playground round of musical chairs.
Lim Swee Say takes over Tan Chuan‐Jin's appointment of Minister for Manpower;
Tan Chuan‐Jin takes over Chan Chun Sing's appointment of Minister for Social and Family Development;
Chan Chun Sing takes over Lim Swee Say's appointment of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Same tired old trio playing scissors-paper-stone. Where is the renewal element, where are the fresh faces?
If anyone drew the short straw, the keechiu general seems to have lost big time. He ceded not only the Minister for Social and Family Development honours for what used to be aptly called Minister Without Portfolio (a.k.a. good for no particular field of specialty), he also had to surrender the Second Minister for Defence post to Lui Tuck Yew, poor guy already submerged way beyond his depth with the onerous Minister for Transport hat.
The big winner seems to be Masagos Zulkifli. Full Ministership means 24/7 Gurkha guards for his private residential security and a freshly minted millionaire. His prize is not just being another Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (anybody keeping score how many of those are already in the Prime Minister's Office?), but also Second Minister for the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Does that mean he is entitled to three million dollars?
Makes you want to watch the Amos Yee video again, particularly the last part about hoping for change, good change.
Lim Swee Say takes over Tan Chuan‐Jin's appointment of Minister for Manpower;
Tan Chuan‐Jin takes over Chan Chun Sing's appointment of Minister for Social and Family Development;
Chan Chun Sing takes over Lim Swee Say's appointment of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Same tired old trio playing scissors-paper-stone. Where is the renewal element, where are the fresh faces?
If anyone drew the short straw, the keechiu general seems to have lost big time. He ceded not only the Minister for Social and Family Development honours for what used to be aptly called Minister Without Portfolio (a.k.a. good for no particular field of specialty), he also had to surrender the Second Minister for Defence post to Lui Tuck Yew, poor guy already submerged way beyond his depth with the onerous Minister for Transport hat.
The big winner seems to be Masagos Zulkifli. Full Ministership means 24/7 Gurkha guards for his private residential security and a freshly minted millionaire. His prize is not just being another Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (anybody keeping score how many of those are already in the Prime Minister's Office?), but also Second Minister for the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Does that mean he is entitled to three million dollars?
Makes you want to watch the Amos Yee video again, particularly the last part about hoping for change, good change.
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| Just have to be right place, right time |