Motorbikes, National Day and an ex-hockey player’s tribute to NS: What politicians are up to this week

SINGAPORE - The Straits Times looks at what politicians, and the politically related, are up to in this weekly series.

In this edition, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s turn on a motorbike is still being talked about, National Day continues to bring residents and MPs together, and a former hockey player pays tribute to national service.

Look out for the latest edition of the series every Friday, and check out past ones here. 

In a Facebook post on Monday (Aug 15), labour chief Ng Chee Meng – grinning, and decked out in biking gear – noted how he does not have a Class 2 licence and cannot ride a Royal Enfield Classic 500 motorcycle.

“However, my trusty ‘kah tak chia’ is not too bad either. I get lots of exercise commuting and making friends along the way,” he added, using the Hokkien phrase for bicycle.

He was, of course, referring to news of Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong riding a motorcycle as part of a convoy to raise funds for the Children’s Cancer Foundation on Sunday.

Later in the week, Mr Wong told radio station Love 97.2 FM that learning to ride a motorcycle while studying in the United States was the most rebellious thing he did in his younger days.

He kept it from his mother, a primary school teacher. Mr Wong, who is also Finance Minister, holds Class 2, 2A and 2B licences. 

He finally told her about it when he returned to Singapore, he said, adding that he was thankful she did not make a fuss. 

He stopped riding when he came back, except for a period when he rode a scooter to work when he was a civil servant.

Singapore held its first full-scale National Day Parade in three years on Aug 9 to much fanfare, but smaller heartland celebrations continued through the weekend.

Opposition parties took the opportunity to thank their supporters. The Workers’ Party (WP) organised a dinner in Hougang last Saturday, attended by more than 1,400 residents, supporters and members of the public.

Ms Nicole Seah, who contested East Coast GRC as part of the WP slate in the 2020 General Election, said people have asked her about plans for East Coast.

The ruling People’s Action Party team led by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat had won a narrow victory in the GRC against the WP at the last election. 

In a Facebook post, Ms Seah said the WP’s ongoing activities there include house visits, market walkabouts, food distribution and community initiatives such as free haircuts. 

More East Coast residents have started to volunteer with the party since 2020, she added. 

“Areas in East Coast used to be cold and unwilling to engage, but the sheer number of active, persistent and diligent volunteers amid the lack of fanfare or benefits have helped us to pave the way for future elections,” she said.

On the same night, the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) held its own National Day dinner attended by 400 people, including leaders of other opposition parties, such as Singapore Democratic Party chairman Paul Tambyah, and Mr Lim Tean, who founded Peoples Voice party.

“It was a high-energy event and a great occasion to get together as a party since the last one three years ago,” said PSP secretary-general Francis Yuen.

PAP MPs also held National Day celebrations in their constituencies.

Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok) posted about a night of singing and K-pop dancing, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) wrote about a dinner for 900 residents, while Ms Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang GRC) shared news about a carnival in the newly upgraded Woodlands North Plaza. It comes complete with a bouncy castle in the shape of Singapore’s iconic dragon playground.

The end of the National Day Parade also meant a breather for Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang), who had led the PAP and PAP Community Foundation marching contingent.

In a Facebook post, Mr Yip said he spent 17 Saturdays over four months training under the sun for the Aug 9 bash.

“For an MP, this meant less time for constituency work and meeting with residents.
And as a dad, this meant less time with family,” he said.

“But through it all, I would say that it was definitely worth the experience. Being part of the parade is a chance of a lifetime!”

Having to choose between training for a sport and serving NS is something that many Singaporean sportsmen face, including Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC). 

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the former national hockey player shared how he was offered the chance to play for the SAF Sports Association during NS when he enlisted as a 19-year-old nearly 30 years ago. 

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament said he declined the offer, and later joined the 163 Squadron in the air force where he served as an air defence artillery officer operating missile defence systems. 

“I resumed playing hockey for Singapore after I concluded NS and continued with the beautiful sport up to the age of 30. Just like in NS, I made many lifelong friends on the hockey pitch,” he said.

“But the principle in my mind has never changed – defence of Singapore first, sport second. I would decide the same way all over again – in NS, it is soldier first; sport can wait.”

Singapore commemorates 55 years of NS this year. 

Mr de Souza also attached a photo showing his parents proudly affixing his officer rank epaulettes on his shoulders 25 years ago.

His father, Timothy James de Souza, graduated with the first batch of pilots from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) in 1968, and would go on to be a pioneer in the RSAF Black Knights, its aerobatics team.