Teo Ser Luck takes over from Vivian Balakrishnan, who delivers
rousing challenge By Zakir Hussain
Mr Teo, 40, takes over from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, 47, Minister
of Community Development, Youth and Sports.
The new appointment, made at the Young PAP (YP) convention
yesterday, marks the first time the entire 31-member leadership of
YP has been drawn from the post-independence generation.
Assisting Mr Teo, who is with the Ministry of Community
Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and the Ministry of Transport,
are two vice-chairmen: MPs Zaqy Mohamad, 34, and Christopher de
Souza, 32.
Mr Teo was previously YP's vice-chairman, alongside MP Josephine
Teo, 40, who is stepping down to make way for the younger
generation.
Yesterday, he outlined three key objectives for the 22-year-old
YP he leads.
They are: Continue to recruit and retain members; develop a
strategy to engage youth through new media; and have members be
aware of current issues so they can explain policies to their
peers.
Mr Teo also paid tribute to Dr Balakrishnan for giving younger
members opportunities to prove themselves, and for introducing
elections for several posts in the YP leadership in 2004.
'He established YP's position in the party and public as well,'
he said.
'I have a very big pair of shoes to fill, and I cannot do it
alone,' he told 300 YP members at the NTUC Centre.
'I have to do it with everyone at branch level, at the
exco.'
The new 31-member exco appointed yesterday includes 15 new
faces.
It also includes two Young NTUC leaders, as a sign of the
symbiotic relationship between the PAP and the labour movement.
A new post of YP organising secretary was created to give
non-MPs more leadership opportunities.
Medical officer Tan Wu Meng, 33, was elected as the first
organising secretary.
In an off-the-cuff 30-minute speech to members, Dr Balakrishnan
dwelt at length on the five key values the PAP stood for:
multiracialism, meritocracy, honest government, a self-reliant
people and a fair and just society.
He reminded them that the PAP first entered Parliament as an
opposition party 54 years ago, before taking over in 1959.
'By next year, we would have been in power for 50 years. Fifty
years from now, will we still be in power? Will we continue to grow
this place...or will we become tired, incompetent, corrupt and
soft?'
He added: 'Can the PAP continue to win elections for the next 50
years? If we do, that will be a political feat that has never been
achieved anywhere in this world.'
He noted that there were three ways elections could be won: have
an auction and promise handouts that might not be able to stretch
over 50 years; offer change and enthuse people about something that
will not last long; and the PAP way.
'We are trying to build...a fair and just society, for the long
term,' he said.
Dr Balakrishnan also identified four things the PAP must deliver
to win over the people: opportunities to succeed in life; fairness;
security of the country; and freedom to act within limits.
'Ask yourself, and we should ask others this when we are
campaigning: Who is going to look after your long-term interests,
your assets, your hopes, your dreams?' he said.
