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SINGAPORE: Former Senior Minister of State Mr Ch’ng Jit Koon handed away on Friday afternoon (1 Mar) on the age of 90.
Mr Ch’ng’s journey into the realm of politics started unexpectedly when an opportunity assembly with founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on the anniversary celebrations of the then-Affiliation of Nantah Graduates altered the course of his life.
Mr Ch’ng, who served because the affiliation’s appearing president, caught the eye of Mr Lee. Deeming him match for the Ministry of Overseas Affairs, Mr Lee deployed him on a stunning three-month posting to the United Nations, earlier than fielding him among the many first batch of Individuals’s Motion Get together (PAP) candidates within the 1968 basic election.
He was MP in Tiong Bahru, Bukit Merah and Tanjong Pagar at completely different factors over nearly three a long time, in addition to Senior Minister of State for Group Improvement.
Mr Ch’ng performed a major function in connecting authorities leaders to the Chinese language floor and his pioneering initiative of ministerial walkabouts, aimed toward fostering a direct hyperlink between leaders and the folks, continues to be a follow embraced by the federal government in the present day.
Mr Ch’ng additionally labored carefully with Mr Lee and even performed Meet-The-Individuals periods for the late former PM.
In a 1994 interview, Mr Lee stated of Mr Ch’ng: “He’s completely first-rate… He places folks comfortable. They’ll inform him all their issues. They’ll inform him all their hopes. He’s sympathetic, he listens to them.”
Mr Lee added, “However he provides me hard-headed recommendation.”
Mr Ch’ng retired from politics in 1996. 20 years later, in 2016, he obtained the Distinguished Service Order for his service.
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