SINGAPORE: Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew will not stand for
re-election in the coming General Election, despite attempts by
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and several Cabinet ministers to get
him to stay in office.
In an exchange of letters between Mr Lui and Mr Lee that was
released to the media, the Transport Minister wrote: “It is with
deep regret that I confirm my decision not to stand in the coming
General Election.
“I broached this subject with you early this year. You and
several senior members of the Cabinet tried hard to persuade me to
change my mind. You reminded me that the responsibility of
Government was a collective one, and no minister carried difficult
problems like public transport alone.
“I deeply appreciate the reassurance and support. But having
thought the matter over carefully, I have decided that I should
stand by my original decision. I thank you for the unstinting
support you have personally given to the Ministry of Transport and
me.”
Expenditure on new buses and trains and the expansion of the
rail network, airport and port are “higher than ever before and
will continue to rise”, wrote Mr Lui, adding that the injection of
more capacity on the bus and train network has started to ease
congestion.
Mr Lui Tuck Yew speaking to SMRT bus captains at Yishun
Interchange in 2012. (File photo: TODAY)
Among the changes he made: The introduction of the Bus Service
Enhancement Programme to add more routes and reduce waiting times;
the introduction of new trains, with the total fleet expanding by
almost half over the coming four years; and the growth of the
Downtown Line, with Stage 1 having opened in December 2013 and the
entire line set to be completed by 2017.
“As for reliability, train delays and withdrawals across all
lines have been reduced,” Mr Lui wrote in the letter dated Aug
11.
However, he acknowledged facing some “setbacks” in his time in
office. “Large-scale or prolonged disruptions still happen more
frequently than acceptable,” he wrote.
Mr Lui’s time in office was marked by a series of MRT network
disruptions, including a slew of breakdowns on the North South Line
in December 2011, as well as the simultaneous disruption of both
the North South and East West Lines in July this year.
To address these issues, the ministry has embarked on major
upgrades, strengthened maintenance practices and identified areas
that need systematic renewal – measures which “will allow our
problems to be progressively dealt with and resolved”, Mr Lui
said.
“I have put my utmost into fulfilling my responsibilities. I
thank you for letting me know your intention to reappoint me as a
Cabinet Minister if I was to be re-elected at the coming General
Election,” wrote the Transport Minister.
“But the General Election also provides an opportunity for me to
step back from politics without causing any major disruption to
Government at the end of its term. You are also bringing in new
potential office holders to strengthen the Cabinet.”
“WE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS”
The Prime Minister, in response, said that while he and others
in Cabinet felt that Mr Lui had more to contribute, both in
transport and in other areas of government, he would “reluctantly
accept” Mr Lui’s decision.
“I am disappointed I did not succeed in changing your mind,” Mr
Lee wrote in his letter.
“You have done very good work as Minister for Transport. When I
asked you to helm the Ministry of Transport in 2011, we both knew
you had a very difficult job, but you did not hesitate to take up
the challenge.
“There were urgent things to be done, especially expanding and
improving the public transport system. Public expectations were
high. You put your heart and soul into the task. As a result, we
made significant progress over the last four years.”
Mr Lui Tuck Yew inspecting a new Circle Line train earlier this
month. (Photo: TODAY)
He also noted that the outcome of many of the policies and major
projects put in place under Mr Lui’s watch “will only be seen in
the coming years, and will make a lasting difference to the public
transport system”.
“The job is not yet complete, as we are reminded from time to
time when train services break down. But despite these incidents, I
am confident that we are heading in the right direction, to get the
public transport system that Singaporeans deserve,” wrote Mr
Lee.
“Your role in setting policies, implementing major projects and
supervising the operation of the public transport network has
contributed critically to this process. You have put in place many
improvements whose benefit will be seen only in the coming years,
and which will make a lasting difference to the public transport
system.”
Mr Lee said he had tried to persuade the Transport Minister to
run for a third term in Parliament.
“My senior colleagues share my view that you have more to
contribute, both in transport and in other areas of government. We
discussed the matter with you several times, but could not persuade
you to continue. So I have no choice but to accept your decision
not to stand for election again,” wrote the Prime Minister.
“YOU SERVED WITH DISTINCTION”
Mr Lui was a Singapore Armed Forces overseas scholar who rose to
become Chief of Navy in 1999. A year later, he was awarded the
Public Administration Medal (Gold, Military). The Rear Admiral left
the SAF in 2003 to take on positions as Chief Executive Officer of
the Maritime and Port Authority and later the CEO of the Housing
and Development Board.
He entered Parliament in 2006 as MP in Tanjong Pagar GRC,
helming the Moulmein ward, which would in 2011 be absorbed into the
newly-formed Moulmein-Kallang GRC. Mr Lui was Senior Minister of
State at the Ministry of Education and Acting Minister for was then
known as the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
before he was appointed Minister for Transport and Second Minister
for Foreign Affairs following the 2011 polls.
He would subsequently relinquish the latter position, and in
2015 was named Second Minister for Defence, an appointment he held
with his Transport portfolio.
“You served with distinction and dedication in all your
postings. You will be missed,” Mr Lee wrote in his letter to Mr
Lui.
“I would like to thank you for all that you have done for my
team and for Singapore over the last decade. I wish you all the
best in your future endeavours, and look forward to your continuing
contributions, in other roles, towards our nation building beyond
SG50.”
“HE SERVED WITH COMMITMENT, COMPASSION AND CONCERN”
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who like Mr Lui was a
Rear-Admiral and Chief of Navy before moving into politics, said he
tried to persuade Mr Lui to stay in office – just as he had
persuaded him to enter politics in the first place.
“I have known Tuck Yew for more than thirty years, since he was
a young officer. He has served with honour and distinction, and has
brought commitment, an analytical mind, and compassion and concern
for people to every responsibility he has undertaken,” said Mr
Teo.
“I encouraged him to serve in politics as these are important
qualities for leaders.
“As the Minister for Transport since 2011, he has put all his
energy into improving our transport system. The programmes he
implemented have begun to show results and will in time improve our
transport system significantly.
“I spoke to Tuck Yew to ask him to continue as we need people
who are committed to serving Singaporeans, and prepared to tackle
difficult issues and resolve them. I was not able to change his
mind.”
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/transport-minister-lui/2042822.html
Hopefully we can see further improvements when the next man
takes the wheel.
