Ravi Menon, the managing director of Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Singapore’s longest-serving central bank chief, said he is not entering politics.

The latest confirmation from the man himself that he will not be a politician after retiring as central banker came during an interview with Bloomberg News on Oct. 27.

When pressed by the interviewer if a run for political office can be ruled out when he steps down at the end of 2023, the 59-year-old said: “Oh, you can.”

This is a departure from the route that some of his predecessors took.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and the late Richard Hu went on to become finance ministers after their central bank stints.

Menon also spoke about his retirement plans:

“I’m only at the stage of figuring out what I’m interested in, and where I want to make a contribution. I’ve always had an interest in innovation and technology, in social inclusion, in climate action and sustainability. I hope to do something in these areas.”

This latest insistence that a foray into politics is not on the cards is not new.

Menon previously expressed, in 2021, his lack of interest in joining politics.

The Singapore general election is slated to be held by November 2025, but it could also be held earlier.

Menon also talked about other topics, including the latest S$2.8 billion money laundering case in Singapore and how it has affected the country's reputation.

He said: “There is no financial centre that is 100 per cent clean, so that cannot be the standard. But who actually looks for dirt and sweeps it away decisively? And I think we’ve done well on this."

“When you find dirt in your house, you then ask: Well, are there other corners that are not swept? So we are making a more thorough sweep,” he added.

Top photo via MAS