Singapore — In a recent Facebook post, NTUC head Ng Chee Meng showed a photo of himself in a shirt with the People’s Action Party insignia pinned on top of the NTUC logo,.
This did not go over well with many netizens.
Photo: FB screengrab/ngcheemeng
Mr Ng, who has served as secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress since 2018, was the Member of Parliament for Punggol North from 2015 to 2020. In 2020, he and three other PAP members lost Sengkang GRC to the Workers Party.
He wrote, “Indeed, NTUC Singapore has been the symbiotic partner of the PAP to enable workers towards better lives. Our core purposes are the same and wearing the logos this morning reminded me of service to country and to fellow Singaporeans.”
Netizens commenting on his post seemed to find the link between the PAP and NTUC problematic.
“I’m not comfortable with a union so closely linked to the government. It works now because we have good people; but it’s susceptible to abuse,” wrote one, who added, “I prefer a union independent and able to act on the worker’s interest.”
“It’s a trade union. Therefore it should not be partial to any political party,” a netizen commented.
Another wrote, “So sad to see union being politicize(d) by an ex- Minister…”
Others seemed surprised that Mr Ng was talking about the close connection between PAP and NTUC so openly.
A netizen commented, “What a shame to be associated with a political party, how neutral will the union be when they represent workers??”
“Unions should be fiercely independent,” opined another.
One netizen questioned whether the close association would “create the wrong impression.”
“It’s a trade union. Therefore it should not be partial to any political party,” a netizen commented.
