‘I thought he wanted to focus on Jalan Kayu’: Some Singaporeans react to Ng Chee Meng’s appointment

SINGAPORE: After Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s announcement on July 22 (Wednesday) of the reshuffling of his cabinet, some Singaporeans reacted with surprise that Ng Chee Meng had been appointed as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Mr Ng, the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress, had previously held the post from 2018 to 2020, and before that, had been Education Minister and Second Minister for Transport.

However, in the General Election of 2020, he and the People’s Action Party team were defeated by the WP slate at Sengkang GRC.

In May 2025, after he was elected as Member of Parliament for Jalan Kayu SMC in a very close contest with the Workers’ Party’s Andre Low, Mr Ng said in a statement that he had asked Prime Minister Lawrence Wong not to assign him to any position in government.

“Over the next five years, I will focus on my duties as the MP in Jalan Kayu and my role as Secretary-General of NTUC. The needs of my residents and all Singaporean workers are my priorities. Hence, I have asked the Prime Minister not to assign me any position in government. PM has agreed to consider this.

My heart will always be for Singapore and Singaporeans, and I will continue to serve to the best of my abilities,” he said.

As this was widely reported on at the time, a number of Singaporeans expressed surprise at Mr Ng’s appointment.

“That was fast, what happened to telling PM he wants to work the ground and refusing to take up a portfolio?” a Facebook user asked.

“Didn’t he say he didn’t want to be a Minister?” a netizen wondered.

“He went back on his words!” another wrote.

“I thought he said he didn’t want a ministerial job,” one commented.

“Ehhh, I thought he said that he don’t want to be minister just be MP to serve his ppl if I’m not wrong,” added another.

One wrote that they were “not surprised even though he talked big after elections wanting to focus on engaging residents.”

On Reddit, a user on the platform asked, “So what now – he’s not going to focus on his duties as the MP in Jalan Kayu and role as Sec-Gen of NTUC?”

Another echoed these sentiments, writing, “Why this time never turn down? I thought he said he want to focus on serving Jalan Kayu people?”

Perhaps in anticipation of questions that could, and did, arise, PM Wong addressed the issue when he announced the new appointments, saying of Mr Ng: “After the last General Election, Chee Meng asked to focus on his responsibilities in NTUC and Jalan Kayu. In the last year, he has worked hard in Jalan Kayu and settled in there. Now, jobs and workforce transformation are among the Government’s highest priorities. And there is important work ahead for both the Government and NTUC, as we help our workers navigate these changes. So I have asked Chee Meng to return to Cabinet. He will strengthen the Government team as we tackle the challenges ahead.” 

On his part, Mr Ng wrote, “I am humbled by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s invitation to serve in Cabinet and accept it with a deep sense of responsibility.

My commitments remain unchanged: to serve residents in Jalan Kayu together with the capable team that has come together in the past year; and in an AI-disrupted world, champion better wages, welfare and work prospects for workers of all collars in Singapore.” /TISG

Read also: Ng Chee Meng asks PM Wong to exclude him from government role in new leadership lineup