The candidates: PAP

Ability to see many perspectives

Mr Henry Kwek, one of the candidates for Nee Soon GRC, speaking to the media. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN

Henry Kwek, 39

Occupation: Executive director of an investment, trading and management consulting company

Family: Married

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and Masters of Science in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University

Hobbies: Reading, sports, exploring different cultures

Why politics?

Because I feel Singapore is at a crossroads. On the one hand, we're going into the future with resources former generations could only dream of.

On the other hand, we face a lot of significant challenges, like an ageing population and uncertainty on the global economic front.

How can our society deal with the promises and the challenges? It is important that future generations come forward to be of service.

Why you?

I have a combination of public-sector and private-sector experience, as well as a few years in the grassroots. I think I see things from different sides and that would be useful.

What issues will you focus on?

If the the global economy continues to deteriorate, we must step in quickly because jobs are at risk. One possible way is to launch a cost-cutting committee to look at all the cost factors businesses face.

A second policy is about motorcycle costs. There's room for us to apply what we've done for cars to motorcycles; to distinguish between the average motorcycles used by many Singaporeans, and the Harley Davidsons.

Favourite spot in Singapore?

Casuarina prata shop, which I've been going to from a very young age. I also particularly love the prawn mee in Mayflower hawker centre and the chwee kueh in Sembawang Hills hawker centre.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 27, 2015, with the headline Ability to see many perspectives. Subscribe