GE2025: 1-to-1 with Gan Kim Yong: On his deployment to Punggol

AsiaOne

[Part 1] In the first of this 5-part interview, DPM Gan Kim Yong speaks to AsiaOne on what went down behind his redeployment from Chua Chu Kang to Punggol, and the process that went on behind the scenes.

Transcript

00:00As Prime Minister explained briefly,

00:05Senior Minister Teo Che-Yen has decided to step down after this term.

00:09And therefore, we will need to send someone to Ponggong to stand as the anchor minister.

00:15And of course, there are many options, many alternatives.

00:18Prime Minister having considered all possibilities,

00:22they decided that we need a strong candidate to be here.

00:27So that not only he is able to anchor Ponggong GRC,

00:32but also to provide support and guidance to the rest of GRC's PAP team on the eastern side.

00:39He himself is on the western side,

00:42and Senior Mr Lee is generally in the central cordon.

00:46For me, then I am here to help to anchor the eastern group of our teams.

00:53So I think that is his consideration.

00:56So he asked me whether I would agree to be deployed in the Ponggong.

01:02Of course, I think to leave Chow Chukang, to relocate myself to Ponggong,

01:06it's difficult for me.

01:08But I have to consider all the important factors,

01:11including providing guidance to the eastern teams that are in the eastern area.

01:17So I think that, on balance, I decided that I would take up the Prime Minister's suggestion to be redeployed.

01:25Do you have to consider various options?

01:28No, it was a process.

01:30We considered various options.

01:32I was one of the options.

01:34So when he talked to me, I didn't agree immediately,

01:37because I need to decide, I need to evaluate, I need to assess the impact on Chow Chukang,

01:43and the impact on Ponggong, whether I can add value.

01:47And of course, for Chow Chukang, I also told the Prime Minister,

01:50I do need a strong replacement so that I can continue to make sure that Chow Chukang is looked after.

01:56And for Ponggong, I also had a discussion, long discussion with Senior Minister Teo,

02:02who has been here for a long time.

02:04He had a lot of insights into this constituency.

02:09So he shared with me the various aspects of Ponggong, the people, our team here,

02:15and the issues that are involved.

02:17So I think, on balance, at the end, I decided I will take up the suggestion to be relocated here.

02:26Of course, no election is guaranteed.

02:29As you enter into any election, there's always a possibility of losing,

02:33and we must take this possibility seriously.

02:36But as I said earlier, our focus is not to calculate what are our chances,

02:41how many percent assurance do I have.

02:44Our focus really is in serving the residents.

02:56So that we might not be continuing to subscribe to our power of the team.

03:05So a person today brings the election into a session while enjoying without planning.

03:09So that we can draw up theourage tomb's

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