WP MP Kenneth Tiong has favourite PAP MPs but declines to name them as not to jeopardise their position
SINGAPORE: In an episode of Walid J Abdullah’s Teh Tarik podcast from earlier this week, Workers’ Party Member of Parliament Kenneth Tiong was asked some interesting questions, including who his favourite MP is from the ruling People’s Action Party.
Mr Tiong’s first answer was Goh Keng Swee, Singapore’s first Finance Minister, whom he had already mentioned as his favourite politician in Singapore of all time. So Prof Walid pushed him a bit, clarifying that he meant Mr Tiong’s favourite among current PAP MPs.
“I’ll pass on that,” Mr Tiong said. “I do have favourites, but I don’t want to jeopardise his or her position.”
In the interview, which can be viewed on Prof Walid’s Instagram account here, the discussions ranged from “stupid” questions in Parliament, the perception of Mr Tiong as “the Leong Mun Wai” of the current Parliament, and the MP’s favourite politician of all time, US President Richard Nixon.
The MP described the former president as “the last liberal politician” and noted how he had established the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970, the National Cancer Act the following year, and opened the US doors to China.
“Only Nixon could go to China,” Prof Walid replied.
As for the comparison to Mr Leong, Mr Tiong answered that he respected the former Non-Constituency MP from Progress Singapore Party, but noted that Mr Leong’s focus on foreign manpower in Singapore was different from his.
“I think I am the first coming of myself, rather than the second coming of Leong Mun Wai, if I can put it that way,” he said.
As for being too aggressive to the point that some Singaporeans find him off-putting, the MP said, “I want to be robust.”
A robust exchange in Parliament brings out the best in both opposition and PAP MPs, he opined, though he added that the exchange of views needs to remain respectful. If he plays a part in this type of healthy discussion, he believes it’s healthy for politics in Singapore.
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In the rapid-fire section of the interview, Prof Walid asked Mr Tiong for the number of GRCs he believes the WP will win in the next election.
The MP laughed and said he would let the audience tell him the answer.
Again, Prof Walid pressed and asked him what his target is.
Mr Tiong laughed again and simply said, “The target is more.” /TISG