GE2025: Labour chief Ng Chee Meng plans to draw on NTUC experience to help Jalan Kayu residents
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Mr Ng Chee Meng said he is looking into innovative ways to reach out to younger workers, especially those under 35.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
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SINGAPORE - Labour chief Ng Chee Meng plans to tap his experience working with the unions and drawing up creative solutions for workers when it comes to helping Jalan Kayu residents with their job concerns.
His work as National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general also means he can make policy ideas more accessible to workers on the ground, he added.
Mr Ng, 56, who is facing off against Workers’ Party candidate Andre Low
“Maybe with that dose of age, of having seen different things, I am able to translate fresh ideas into real possibilities,” he said. For instance, Mr Ng was involved in helping private-hire drivers get Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions.
Speaking to The Straits Times at a coffee shop in the Jalan Kayu area, Mr Ng fielded questions on his political experience, his plans for the district should he be elected, and the ups and downs of NTUC life.
One key issue he raised is how young residents have concerns about job security, and the long wait for Build-to-Order (BTO) flats. Residents of all ages are also concerned about the rising cost of living, he added.
Meanwhile, the elderly struggle with municipal issues like needing more lifts and sheltered walkways, he said.
Asked what he can bring to the table, Mr Ng said: “On the NTUC side, I have experience running a big organisation, understanding the macro picture and translating what matters to the residents. I think that will be a key value-add.
“If you really want to go for jobs upskilling, what will be the most relevant to a resident? What are the things that are practical to your profession... I can definitely bring that to Jalan Kayu.”
He added that one of the most important things he has learnt at NTUC is “matching head and heart” in policymaking, and making trade-offs.
“If I’m all head in making policies and don’t know what’s happening on the ground, then we are not really fulfilling the mandate the people have given to us. If I’m all heart on the ground, I could be destroying the system... with unsustainable policies,” he said.
For instance, there is a need to maintain the delicate balance between supporting the local workforce and bringing in foreign labour, he said.
“If we reject foreigners, our economy will collapse, but it’s about how we can trust, build on foundations... and always make sure that when there is success, there is always an element for the workers to share,” he said.
He was also asked about NTUC’s aborted Income-Allianz deal
Mr Ng said he had already addressed the issue at a Jalan Kayu rally
The Government halted the deal in October 2024 after questions were raised about Income’s ability to continue its social mission after the sale.
In his rally speech, Mr Ng said he has initiated a review in NTUC Enterprise – the parent entity of Income – so “we can learn the right lessons humbly”.
“In NTUC, we will do our best, and sometimes, I’m sorry that it is not good enough, but... we will do better.”
Mr Ng also said he has learnt lessons from his 2020 election loss, when the WP won Sengkang GRC.
He said: “The most important one is the humility that one learns over 10 years in political service. You do your best, and really listen more and more.”
As for WP chief Pritam Singh’s remarks about the labour movement becoming a “guaranteed trampoline” for losing PAP candidates, he said: “I very much prefer fair, respectful contests. At the end of it, after the election period, we must come back together regardless, so that we can position Singapore to face challenges.”
Will Mr Ng remain in the labour movement if he is returned to Parliament? He said: “I’d be happy to, if Prime Minister Lawrence Wong deploys me in the labour movement, but I can’t tell exactly... But whatever I do, I will make sure I get the blessings from those in the unions.”
Still, he will continue to push for policies that will help workers, Mr Ng said. “Our basic philosophy is, a good job is the best way to ensure that you can cope with any costs, because if you have real wage growth, it means you are beating inflation.”
His message to Jalan Kayu residents is a simple one, he added.
“I hope through the interactions, they will see me, not so much from my professional life, but see me as a person, as part of their community.”
Sue-Ann Tan is a business correspondent at The Straits Times covering capital markets and sustainable finance.
