Singapore GE2020: PAP candidate clarifies remarks on setting up institute

New PAP candidate Ng Ling Ling, who was criticised online for trying to take credit for setting up a training institute, clarified her remarks yesterday.

Ms Ng, 48, the former managing director of Community Chest, made the claim during candidate introductions at the People's Action Party headquarters last Thursday.

At the time, she said: "I set up the Social Service Training Institute (SSTI) and allocated funds to ensure that social service agencies can run critical programmes."

In a Facebook post yesterday, Ms Ng's former colleague Richard Giam said this was a "false claim", as the institute was set up by its founding director Tan Bee Heong.

Ms Ng joined the organisation later, he added.

Yesterday, Ms Ng confirmed that Ms Tan was indeed the director of SSTI.

In a Facebook post, Ms Ng said: "I was a member of her pioneer team. My role was to help operationalise the institute and ensure (its financial sustainability)."

The PAP new face, who is expected to be fielded in Ang Mo Kio GRC, added: "Work in the social service sector is a team effort.

"I had passionate colleagues who inspired me, and I am thankful for the mentorship of many during my journey in NCSS (National Council of Social Service), SSTI and the Community Chest."

SSTI was the training arm of NCSS. It is now known as the Social Service Institute.

Mr Giam, in his post on Ms Ng, said: "I cannot publicly claim that I set up a team when I was only one of the contributing members. It would be very misleading and deceptive."

He added that he reported to Ms Ng when she was at SSTI.

Speaking to The Straits Times, Ms Tan, who is now general manager of The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, said Ms Ng joined SSTI as one of the heads of department a few months after it was set up.

She added: "She helped to build it up. It was a team effort."

Commenting on Mr Giam's Facebook post, Mr Gerard Ee, the NCSS president at the time, called the remark a "mere Freudian slip" on Ms Ng's part.

Mr Ee, a former Nominated MP, said: "Ling Ling as assistant director, together with her team, contributed much to build up SSTI. It was a start-up and, with the efforts of Ling Ling and her team who supported Bee Heong, it grew rapidly."

He added: "I know Ling Ling personally and have watched her contributions in the social service sector over the last few decades. She has a heart for the community and always had a listening ear for the underprivileged.

"We in the social service sector get very attached to what we do and often we see the projects we get involved with as our baby. It happens to me too."

In comments to The Straits Times, Mr Giam, who is founding chief executive of fund-raising firm Rainmakerz, said he just wanted to rectify public perceptions and was glad Ms Ng had responded.

He said: "As she has clarified things, I think we should move on."