If one could use chocolate ice cream to describe the quote-worthy, word-coining ex-NTUC chief Lim Swee Say, then his successor Minister Chan Chun Sing could jolly well be just vanilla.

For he's plain and common - just like you and me.

The answers the 45-year-old labour chief gave to Chinese radio station 95.8fm and iWeekly - the Chinese equivalent of entertainment weekly 8 Days - were so Singaporean, it seemed like both media outlets were talking to the average Singaporean dude.

Serious.

1. He had his fair share of part time jobs when he was younger.

Chan used to have three part-time jobs: producing caps for chicken essence bottles, which only got him a few cents per cap; tutoring primary school kids, which he said was more relaxing but not an easy job; and as a Scout, which only got him $10 after a full day of work.

2. He knows Singaporeans are hard to please.

"For instance, if she (his daughter) does well in her studies, others will say “Aiyah, that’s because she’s the daughter of a minister.” But if she does poorly, they’ll say “Wah! Even daughters of ministers receive bad scores.”

The truism is too damn high.

3. He's a mummy's boy.

The labour chief ended up in the army, which was his second choice in his university scholarship application.

But his mother reminded him that he's the only child and flying is dangerous, and being on firm ground is safer. So he ended up in the army for 20 years because his mum said so.

4. He also feels the pain of car ownership in Singapore.

"I don’t need to prove myself through the car I drive, or the clothes I wear. I have never in my life bought a new car, not because I cannot afford it, but simply because the moment you drive a car out of the showroom, that’s a depreciation of about $20,000… and what for?"

5. He digs his Wuxia (martial arts) novels

"I fashion myself to be a modern-day Zhang Wu Ji (protagonist in a martial arts novel), picking up new skills everywhere I go."

6. Like most bros, he also gets it from the bae.

"I am not the romantic sort to have a special place to frequent. It’s quite embarrassing sometimes, my wife will say, oh, we used to paktor here. But it’s almost like I have amnesia, and when I ask her got meh? I inevitably kena scolded. Hah!"

7. He's so common that he's not on the cover

Because i-Weekly knows that a 45-year-old man wearing an old casio watch won't sell. True story.

Nope. Still doesn't look like Chan.

Top photo from Chan Chin Sing's Facebook page

If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest updates.