What would the Ministers do if they weren’t Ministers?
We see them on the TV, we read about them and they lead us.
But have we ever wondered what they could have been if they weren’t our leaders?
MustShareNews take a look at what 9 Ministers could be if they weren’t Ministers.
1. Lee Hsien Loong
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What Minister is he?
Prime Minister
What could he be?
A coding programmer, and a really good one at that.
Earlier this year (4 May), PM Lee uploaded a photo of a Sudoku solver that he had coded on his Facebook.
Yes, PM Lee actually codes in his free time.
The code can be seen below, it will probably be too ‘cheem’ for you to understand, just take a glance.
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Two computing professors from local universities commented that the code is “well structured” and “well written.”
Impressive ain’t it?
2. Chan Chun Sing
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What Minister is he?
Minister in Prime Minister’s Office
Secretary General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC)
What could he be?
A motivational speaker.
When Minister Chan was first unveiled as a new candidate for the PAP in Tanjong Pagar, he was already a very witty and engaging speaker.
He was so engaging, that during the 2011 General Election Rally, he earned the nickname “kee chiu” which means “to raise hand” in Hokkien, in reference to his continuous engagement with the audience during his speeches.
Kee Chiu!!!!!!
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Here’s an illustration of Minister Chan ‘speaking ability:
Bonus: Minister Chan’s Dance
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3. Tan Chuan Jin
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What Minister is he?
Minister for Social and Family Development
What could he be?
A photographer, and a pretty professional one at that.
We took a look at some of Minister Tan’s photos on his Facebook, and we got to say that he’s a pretty good photographer.
I mean, just take a look at some of his glorious photos —
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You can view more of Minister Tan’s portfolio here.
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4. K. Shanmugam
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What Minister is he?
Minister for Law
Minister for Foreign Affairs
What could he be?
An animal rights activist.
Minister Shanmugam simply loves animals, especially dogs.
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Aside from his Ministerial duties, he is also very active in promoting the welfare of animals. He attended numerous local events, promoting the awareness of animal rights.
I hope SMU Animal Day will continue, and help raise awareness and promote animal welfare amongst Singaporeans.
– K Shanmugam
Not convinced? Minister Shanmugam once cared for a missing dog while waiting for the Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD) organisation and had look for its owners as well.
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More of Minister Shanmugam’s visit to animal’s right events and his dog rescuing heroics can be found here.
5. Lawrence Wong
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What Minister is he?
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth
What could he be?
A guitarist.
Minister Wong often sings for public grassroot events around Singapore.
He sang at the 2012 New Year Countdown at Boon Lay.
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He jams with Jeremy Monteiro.
We’re gonna say that Jeremy looks pretty impressed in the video.
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Bonus: Minister Wong swaying with Minister Lui
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6. Tharman Shanmugaratnam
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SourceWhat Minister is he?
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Finance
What could he be?
An international officer.
Well, he could have led the world, if not Singapore.
Apart from being the Finance Minister, Minister Shanmugaratnam is also the Chairman of the Policy Advisory Committee in the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
That’s right, the IMF.
Not everyone gets to sit shoulder to shoulder with Christine Lagarde.
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In 2013, he was also awarded the Best Finance Minister of 2013.
Minister Shanmugaratnam’s clear understanding of finance and economics places him among in the ranks of potential international leaders.
Earlier this year, he dismantled a speaker in a “friendly” debate, presenting his articulation skills, you can watch it here.
7. Lim Swee Say
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What Minister is he?
Minister for Manpower
What could he be?
A marketing executive — seriously.
Prior to his current appointment as the Minister for Manpower, Minister Lim was the Secretary General of the NTUC from 2007-2015.
His tenure was marked with various songs and slogans in efforts to market and promote the NTUC.
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Ok, we know they’re not very good marketing strategies, but surely the effort counts.
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8. Vivian Balakrishnan
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What Minister is he?
Minister for Environment and Water Resources
What could he be?
A coding programmer. Yes, same as PM Lee.
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Roughly a week after PM Lee released his Sudoku Code solver, Minister Balakrishnan translated PM Lee’s code from C++ to Javascript.
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The translated Soduku solver by Minister Balakrishnan can be found here, and it still works.
Geek fans rejoice, for Singapore is ruled by geeks!
9. Gan Kim Yong
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What Minister is he?
Minister for Health
What could he be?
A religious figure
He may be better known as the Minister who threatened jail time for people who don’t pay their MediSave.
Incidentally, he is also a religious man, serving the Chen Li Presbyterian Church as an elder.
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Minister Gan’s religious stance was amplified during the Integrated Casino Resort Debate.
As one of the more vocal opponents of the casino because of his religious background, Minister Gan questioned the success of the casino, and if alternatives could be considered.
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Can’t get enough?
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BONUS NON-MINISTER 10. Baey Yam Keng
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What Minister is he?
Baey Yam Keng is not a Minister.
He is currently a full-time Member of Parliament for the Tampines GRC.
What could he be?
A power blogger.
He is a massive fitness geek,
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…a selfie master,
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…a foodie,
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…and a traveller.
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Click here to follow Baey Yam Keng and his adventures!
Some can sing, some can dance, our Ministers can both!
Well… not really, but they can be pretty multi-talented in their own personal interest.
Our image of our Ministers are confined largely to the newspaper and news channel. It’s easy to forget that they are just like us, they too have hobbies, non-political interests and talents that they could actually make a career of!
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With references from The Straits Times, EuroMoney, Yawning Bread
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