Animal rights activist and founder of the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society Singapore (ACRES) Louis Ng, announced on Facebook on Oct. 20, 2014, that he has joined the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).

The 36-year-old said he is currently serving in the Kembangan-Chai Chee constituency under Marine Parade GRC and will be working under Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin.

His decision to join a political party was one he had given "serious thought for some time" and said he had "seen that things can change when we work from within", having worked with Members of Parliament and the government in his animal activism work.

In an interview with The Straits Times Supper Club exactly a year ago on Oct. 19, 2013, Ng already showed signs that he was destined to be in the political realm.

Here are some of the question and answers from the interview where he made it clear that the current regime in Singapore does not like confrontation and he is accommodating of that fact:

Q: How does this approach inform Acres' interactions with the Government? Do you think it's also because the Government doesn't want people to confront them too much?

I think quite clearly they are (like that). The Government doesn't like confrontation, they are more into collaboration and partnerships. Obviously that is a very fair approach, but what Acres tries to do differently is that we do criticise the Government, but we always offer an alternative.

One example is the wildlife rescues we do. It was reported in the media, someone called (the police) about a python on the road. And the police responded by killing the python.

Yes, we could have gone on record and say, "It's really bad, the police don't know what they're doing. Why would you kill a non-venomous animal that would probably go away?"

Or we could approach them and say, "Acres is here, we have the expertise on how to handle pythons, we understand you have limited resources, so let us help you handle the pythons." Which is what is happening now. When you call the police for wildlife rescue they now forward the call to Acres.

So there is now a win-win. The police can focus on proper crime issues, Acres can help the animal, and the animal benefits because we run on a no-kill policy.

The other approach, which is to just keep slamming the police... I think that always backfires, where you push the Government to one corner and you idealistically expect them to change. I don't think it's realistic at this point.

Ng also had to deflect criticism that he is selling out by working so closely with the government:

Q: Some might see your approach as "selling out". How would you respond to such criticism?

In all fairness I have had that feedback. I do help out with (Law and Foreign Affairs) Minister K Shanmugam, he's seen at a lot of our events, a lot of people have said, "You are selling out, you are now with the Government."

I now sit on a lot of government-formed committees on animal welfare, and sometimes I do defend the Government's policies. Is that a sell-out? I don't think so. Because I do openly criticise when I feel I personally don't agree with it.

The key is how we approach the issue and how we can try to collaborate to form a win-win solution. If we always form a very combative, very negative approach, then it's human instinct to be defensive. But if we can achieve a state where we can criticise and yet sit down at the same table and talk it out and find a solution, then that obviously is ideal.

Click on picture below to read his Supper Club interview:

Top photo via

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