Chan Chun Sing: 'I do my best at the task I'm given'

DEALING WITH DETRACTORS

When his children read nasty comments about him, they often question why he has to be a public servant.

For example, when people make fun of ministerial pay, Mr Chan said his kids' likely response would be: "Why don't I return you the million dollars and you return us our father?"

It is tough facing such scrutiny, he said.

But his family has matured and knows there's a purpose behind what he does.

He said: "There must be some things that keep us going (like) this country. You can't be in this because of money. As much as people like to think that ministers earn a lot of money, my mother would say: You qian dou mei ming hua. (Translation: You have money but no life to spend it.)"

MR LEE KUAN YEW

As they were MPs for Tanjong Pagar GRC, Mr Chan was often seen physically helping Mr Lee during grassroots events.

Among the topics Mr Lee would bring up: How residents were doing, if something could be done better, what's the situation in Singapore, around the region and in the world.

Seeing the residents' tremendous respect for the frail Mr Lee was very touching, Mr Chan recalled.

"They would say he's old, (we shouldn't) trouble him. (That's why) as the younger generation, it made us very determined to do our best so he wouldn't worry about the constituency or the country... (But) Mr Lee being Mr Lee, (he) would always think about the country and the residents without rest."

MEET-THE-PEOPLE SESSIONS

The contrast can be surreal, said Mr Chan.

For example, at one table, there would be an uncle who is down and out, asking for help to supplement his income.

Then there would be a newly married couple at the next table, asking why they couldn't get the housing grant they wanted as their combined monthly income breaches the limit.

He said: "Their needs are so different, their expectations are so different... You dig deep and ask: How to help them given the finite resources?'"

THE VOTER'S CHOICE

Every election is about choosing leaders for the country for the next lap and having people focus on that.

And Mr Chan doesn't think it's a conflict, in terms of having to choose the best talent versus having to choose someone you like.

He said: "We always hope that the majority will be able to take the perspective that elections are about the future of the country, (the) choice of leadership, (who's best) to take the country forward and not just about who may seem more likable and popular.

"You cannot just be likable and popular without having the correct values, right? Leaders need to be everything, but you cannot be everything to everyone and (have) no substance."

How would you sum up the four years that you've been in office?

I think can write a book (about the experiences) already.

Looking back at the four years in office, were there any highlights or best moments that you can pinpoint?

I think too many people are too anxious to judge their accomplishments. I hope I don't belong to that category.

You never know. You try your best, you do your best, you work and you go by what you believe in. How you turn out, you never know.

Were there any adjustments your family made now that you're in the public eye?

The pressure on my daughter, 14, is tremendous.

She faces the usual pressure that ministers' children face: If she does well, people will say that she's a minister's daughter so she's expected to do well.

If she gets a special assignment, people will think that the teachers favour her because she's the minister's daughter.

On the other hand, if she doesn't do well, people will laugh at her and go "minister's daughter also like that".

She shares her views but people say "Ai, you're just pro-Government" to whatever she says... So she's also very cham (Hokkien for poor thing). She has to deal with this at a young age.

Has she spoken to you about the pressures she faces? What do you tell her?

Stay strong. We all have to learn to handle this together.

Sometimes she will get angry when she reads about things that people write about her father.

It's been tough on her, to not only handle the pressure but also the comments (that) other people make about her father.

As a young girl, she will ask "Why does my father have to go through this? Why do we have to go through this?"

In 2011, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said you were one of the five potential office-holders who were pretty much thrown into the deep end. Now you see new faces who will go through perhaps what you went through. Any advice for these candidates, including those in your Tanjong Pagar team?

I think they'll be alright because their hearts are in the correct place.

They're not in this for fame or for glory. I've known both (assistant manager) Joan (Pereira) and (former Assistant Police Commissioner) Melvin (Yong) for quite long and I'm very proud to have them on the team.

First and foremost, they care about the residents, they care about the country. I think that will put them in good stead.

There will be difficult moments - as we all will have. I think they will do well because their hearts are true and they have been consistent in their deeds.

You've been flamed and called many names. As cyberspace evolves, how do you ensure your voice is heard online?

I think "ensure" is too strong a word.

No matter how you try, there will be people who interpret what you do differently so it goes back to your core values again: If you do it with a real heart, sooner or later, time will be the best judge.

During hustings, some candidates may criticise unpopular government policies without offering alternatives or solutions. How do you reconcile the likelihood that voters may only see what's presented then and not the work (you or your team do) behind the scenes?

That will always be a challenge, whether it's in Singapore or overseas.

Especially now in the current political and media environment, it will always be such a challenge.

That's why I always tell people that I'm not ideologically weathered to any form of government: One-party system, two-party system, multi-party system. All of them have their own strengths and weaknesses.

Common to all of them, the challenge is the issue of how do you bring forth good leaders? Leaders whose hearts are in the correct place, leaders who are competent, committed and willing to work as a cohesive team.

What do you do when people recognise you?

I don't think that ministers are very recognisable. When I go on trains with my son, no one comes up and asks: "Eh, are you the minister?"

When I'm on the bus, 90 per cent of people will be too busy playing with their iPhones or iPads.

Half of those who look up probably won't recognise (me), the other half will be convinced that they saw wrongly. So nobody bothers and life goes on.

People have this romantic illusion that ministers get chauffeured around, have servants waiting on them. The reality is that the minister also has to buy toilet paper, buy vegetables, buy food, buy eggs... But people choose what they want to believe.

So those who see me eat at a hawker stall and (who) probably don't eat at hawker stalls themselves would say: "See la, wayang, elections coming, go hawker stall."

If I eat at a restaurant, they'll say: "Atas (Malay for posh) ah, go restaurant and eat."

So (I say) just be yourself.