With the publication of outgoing labour chief Lim Swee Say's last May Day message, a new chapter with Minister Chan Chun Sing is on the horizon.
And with Chan being thrown in the deep end (mind you, before becoming labour chief in 2007, Lim had two years of experience as a Deputy Secretary General), some people are probably concerned that Chan has too little time (3.5 months to be exact) to learn the ropes.
But with Lim already in ORD mood, the next couple of days will be the best time for Chan to learn some last minute things.
1. Have a better dress sense.
From skinnies to...
Pleats stop.
Too striking.
Source: Straits Times screenshot
2. Be a wordsmith
Famous for discovering words like "futurise", "betterer", "betterest" to convey messages to the everyday man, Lim Swee Say is the doyen of the English language.
Even as a parting shot, Lim coined "tripartise".
Swee'>
Say's last meeting with NTUC Central Committee. While the team will miss his leadership, we are also glad that we...
4. Explain the big picture using relatable scenarios
Lim once explained why employers should still set up shop in Singapore with this poetic scenario:
"I don’t think businesses should (keep) going west, keep chasing after sunsets, keep going for lower-cost locations. Eventually you’ll end up with darkness.”
5. Be so quotable that the media cannot ignore you.
Chan will need phrases and quotes as talked about and discussed as "cheaper, better, faster", "upturn the downturn" and "better, betterer, betterest." If he can make "kee qiu" viral, a kick-ass quote isn't that far away.
6. Develop strong knees.
Lim said that his successor's heart is in the right place. His knees, however, need to be in the right places too.
Want to know why knees are important?
They are useful during photo opportunities.
As a former military man, Chan's knees must be strong and sturdy. Lim was quoted in The Straits Times:
"His office is just next to mine... most of the time I don't see him in his office, he's on the ground all the time."
Must be out training his knees with all the legwork he's been doing.
7. Be faithful to the workers.
This is, without a shadow of a doubt, the single most important attribute that any labour chief must have. If he can be faithful to an inanimate object, the signs are certainly looking good.
Happiness'>
- found new replacement strap for buckle which broke :)
April 28, 06:19 PM 
514 Chai Chee Lane 03-16, Singapore 469029 
Source: Straits Times screenshot
