‘Waste of money!’: PAP Minister under fire for ‘showing off’ as he flies first class to Tokyo

SINGAPORE: Singapore Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has found himself in the eye of controversy, after a seemingly innocuous photo he posted on social media triggered accusations of “showing off” and potentially “wasting taxpayers’ money”.

Mr Ong took to Facebook this week and posted a photo of himself on board an aeroplane, pointing to a movie playing on the screen at his seat. He wrote, “On my way to Tokyo for the 31st Nikkei Forum on Future of Asia. Finally get to watch Avatar 3.”

While the photo was likely meant to serve as a snapshot of his travels or perhaps merely a glimpse into his entertainment tastes, attention quickly shifted away from the movie and towards the cabin in which he was seated.

A number of online commenters claimed the photograph suggested Mr Ong was travelling in a first-class cabin, with some sharing images of Singapore Airlines’ first-class seats and highlighting what they said were similarities with the minister’s surroundings. Some even asked whether Mr Ong was “showing off.”

Some netizens posted photos of what first-class cabins on board Singapore Airlines (SIA) planes look like, pointing out the similarities between the photos.

Others online asked if taxpayer monies were used to fund the flight ticket, calling it a waste of money since first-class tickets on SIA flights cost thousands.

According to Simple Flying, standard retail rates for a single long-haul SIA flight “routinely hover in the five-figure range.”

The aviation website reported that one passenger recently paid $13,980 for a standard point-to-point journey without using loyalty points or promotional discounts. On some routes, round-trip fares can climb to around $17,000, while one-way tickets may cost roughly $10,000.

Simple Flying noted that purchasing a ticket in the airline’s ultra-premium cabin “is a massive financial commitment that naturally limits the passenger roster to elite circles.”

While the class of travel booked for the trip or whether the ticket was paid for using public funds remains unclear, the image has fuelled criticism across multiple forums on social media.

Some netizens focused on the apparent contrast between the luxury associated with first-class travel and the financial pressures many Singaporeans are facing.

“Watching Avatar from First Class is very immersive. Both are set in a world most Singaporeans will never visit,” one commenter quipped.

Another wrote sarcastically, “Nice to fly first class. I need to up my tax so all ministers can benefit.”

A separate commenter said, “Waaah. First class? Would have respected you more if you flew economy,” while another added, “It’s no shame to fly business.”

Several users also joked about the photograph itself, with one asking, “Is your finger trying to tell us that you’re flying first class…” while another simply remarked, “1st class hehehe lucky boy.”

Quite a number of the questions online had to do with whether public funds had been used to cover the cost of the journey.

“Who paid for his plane ticket?” one commenter asked. Another wrote, “Wow, your seat very big and nice, sir…how much gov spend on it? Is it people $ that pay for the flight?”

Others were more direct in their criticism. “He is showing off, telling the public that he is flying 1st class on tax-payer fund,” one netizen commented, while another said, “Want to show off you taking first class.”

A separate commenter remarked, “So flying first class wasting taxpayers’ money. Very classy. Point finger some more. Champion.”

Others questioned the political judgment behind posting a photo that appeared to reveal the class of travel.

“He is not smart. If I were him, I will not post anything that identifies the cabin class that I am sitting,” one commenter wrote, “But at the end of the flight, I will walk to the galley and take photo with the crew to thank them for their wonderful service, which I will post on my social media.”

Some said Mr Ong may get a scolding from his bosses, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, for inadvertently advancing the perception that the ruling party elite are “out of touch” with ordinary Singaporeans.

Comparing Mr Ong to his colleagues, one netizen said, “How can he make such a misstep when every minister trying to outdo each other in pretending to be humble.”

Another commenter posed a tongue-in-cheek question about first-class perks, writing: “A question: first class passenger get free-flow champagne, right? If yes, could they just request to free-flow champagne and distribute that to economy class passengers?”

Referring to the victory the ruling party saw at the polls last year, a commenter wrote: “PAP’s reply to any critics – ‘See, we are so humble, we could have flew on private jets!’’ 65% – nodded heads and said yes yes yes we agreed!!!”