As the 2nd Assistant-Secretary General of the People's Action Party (PAP), Chan Chun Sing was in charge of introducing a new batch of candidates for the upcoming general election.

On June 26, he presented four new candidates for the public gaze. Chan seemed easy-going and relaxed, and took the time to introduce each candidate with a personal connection.

For example, he mentioned that he got to know Mariam Jaafar during their work on the Future Economy Council, and thanked Chan Hui Yuh for serving in the PAP branch in Serangoon.

Premature to start trying to claim credit or success

Chan also held a doorstop session after the press conference, and fielded Mothership's question:

"How you would compare the 2020 crop of new candidates with the 2011 and 2015 crop? Will we see a 'famous five' like in 2011, and will we see potential ministers from this crop?"

Chan chuckled, and replied:

"I think at this point in time we'll just introduce, I think it's premature to do any such comparisons. Even for the 2011 and 2015 batches, I think it's premature for us to start trying to claim credit or success."

He said that he held the belief that for everyone involved in this line of work, taking care of the country and residents, only history will tell whether they have done well.

Some work takes years to see results

He cited his own work at the Ministry of Social and Family Development, and said that he faced questions about whether he thought he had helped poor people enough, or done enough for a family in need.

Chan said his answer was that the families helped by the MSF had children who would take 15 - 20 years to grow up, and only then would we know whether he had done well. He said:

"But we all hope that we have done the right thing. Give these underprivileged children the best chance to succeed in life. And when they turn out to be good citizens, contributing to society.

Then I think we can look back and say that perhaps some of the things that we have done, have contributed in some small way to their upbringing and they have turned out to be good citizens, they have turned out to be able to realise their potential. So these are long term projects."

Not about comparing candidates, but what they do together

Chan compared this to running a country, by putting in place a "system and structure" to give businesses and workers a chance to succeed. He added that "success" should be measured in the long term, and said he shared the following with all the candidates standing for election in 2020:

"Never, never be too anxious to claim success, but always be the first one to take responsibility, to take Singapore forward. And if we can have that kind of mindset, I think we will have the right set of people."

Finally, addressing the question directly, Chan said that it wasn't a matter of comparing different batches of candidates.

Instead, it was about different batches of people coming together to serve with a common purpose, to perform as a team for the good of Singapore.

Chan also said a phrase that was made famous by High School Musical when he said, "We're all in this together."

Top image from PAP.