Singapore — Ministers Vivian Balakrishnan and Tan See Leng were compared to the likes of Beow Tan after commenting that Raffles Institution “must be a lousy school” as NCMP Leong Mun Wai was from there.
Beow Tan, or ‘Hwa Chong Lady’ is infamous for a viral video in April showing her belittling strangers she assumed were Malay while telling them that she was from the elite Hwa Chong Institution.
“It’s not coincidental, I was from Hwa Chong, I’m not that stupid,” Catherine Beow Tan said, referring to her being confined in the same area as a group of passengers she assumed comprised of Malays.
During Sept 14’s Parliamentary session, the ministers, presumably Vivian Balakrishnan, Tan See Leng were heard saying:
Minister A: “He’s illiterate. Seriously, how did he get into RI?”
Minister B: “Must have been a lousy school. I’m from Monk’s Hill.”
The comments came after Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Leong Mun Wai
spoke about the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Singapore and India, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).
RI refers to Raffles Institution, where Mr Leong studied in the 1970s, while Dr Tan studied at Monk’s Hill Secondary School. Dr Balakrishnan received his early education at Anglo-Chinese School.
In the wake of this, netizens circulated a clip of Dr Balakrishnan speaking at the inaugural GE2020 ‘live’ debate where candidates from People’s Action Party (PAP), Workers’ Party (WP), Progress Singapore Party (PSP) and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) had to field questions on their policy positions.
One of the questions raised was how the parties would improve social mobility and help Singaporeans who feel they’ve been left behind.
He added: “We don’t believe in class warfare. We don’t believe in sucking it to the rich. We believe in lifting, especially the less well-off, the most vulnerable in order to achieve equality of opportunity that you’re aiming for.
“For schools, it’s not a question of brand name or otherwise. It’s a question of making every school a good school. And not as a slogan, but looking at the real investments which we put in the school.”
Dr Balakrishnan also said that “every neighbourhood school of ours is a school that we can be very proud of anywhere”.
Dr Balakrishnan also said that “every neighbourhood school of ours is a school that we can be very proud of anywhere”.“I’ll take on any country’s schools as far as we’re concerned”, he said.
His comments at the debate were juxtaposed with the comments made after Mr Leong spoke in Parliament, with many netizens calling out Dr Balakrishnan and Dr Tan for their hypocrisy. /TISG
Read related: PAP ministers heard mocking Leong Mun Wai: “He’s illiterate, seriously, how did he get into RI?”
https://theindependent.sg/pap-ministerss-heard-mocking-leong-mun-wai-hes-illiterate-seriously-how-did-he-get-into-ri/