Petition to drop Ng Chee Meng from Cabinet gains close to 10,000 signatures
An online petition calling for Ng Chee Meng to be excluded from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s new Cabinet has garnered around 9,900 signatures since it launched on Monday (5 May), gaining rapid traction among Singaporeans online.
The petition cites Mr Ng’s recent track record, alleged lack of transparency, and the controversial NTUC-Alianz deal as reasons to block his return to Cabinet, despite his successful General Election (GE2025) bid.
Petition argues Cabinet role not guaranteed despite MP win
While acknowledging that Mr Ng’s status as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Jalan Kayu SMC cannot be reversed, the petition stresses that a Cabinet position is not automatic and should be carefully scrutinised.
Mr Ng won his seat with just 51.47% of the vote, a narrow margin that the petition claims signals waning public confidence.
The petition asserted that the slim win was “likely due to his lack of credibility, accountability and/or his incompetence”.
Source: Ng Chee Meng on Facebook
NTUC-Allianz controversy reignited
The petition also drags up Mr Ng’s role in the NTUC-Allianz saga, where, as NTUC Secretary-General, he supported a proposal to sell a majority stake in Income Insurance to the foreign insurer Allianz.
The deal, which included a Capital Extraction Plan, was not made public and sparked backlash from former NTUC leaders and opposition MPs.
Although the government ultimately stepped in to block the deal, the petition alleges Mr Ng either lacked full knowledge of the terms or knowingly backed a deal that could have compromised Income’s social mission.
Adding to the backlash are unresolved claims about Mr Ng’s past conduct during his tenure at the Ministry of Education (MOE), as well as a circulated photo with Su Haijin, one of the individuals arrested in the S$3 billion money laundering case.
Netizens rally behind petition
The petition has struck a nerve online. Netizens on Reddit and other social media platforms have been actively sharing the petition, with many expressing frustration and disbelief at Mr Ng’s potential reappointment.
One netizen thanked the organisers who started the petition, calling them a “hero”.
Source: Reddit
Another commenter said the petition sends a clear signal against appointing him to a major government role.
Source: Reddit
One Redditor called Mr Ng the “most unlikeable candidate ever”, adding that excluding him from the Cabinet wasn’t enough.
Source: Reddit
One commenter jokingly referred to the General Election itself as the “original petition”, suggesting the public had already made their stance clear.
Source: Reddit
Ng Chee Meng responds to NTUC-Allianz deal at Jalan Kayu rally
At a PAP rally on 27 Apr, Mr Ng addressed the NTUC-Allianz controversy head-on, saying the labour movement had assessed the deal as “reasonable”.
He pointed out that Income Insurance’s market share had plummeted from 20% to 6% over the past decade, and the proposed deal was seen as a way to revitalise the company and protect policyholders.
Source: Ng Chee Meng on Facebook
Mr Ng added that a stronger Income would allow the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) to further its social mission beyond just insurance.
He stated that NTUC couldn’t have predicted the law change, but they respected and accepted the Government’s decision.
“In NTUC, we will do our best, and sometimes, I’m sorry that it is not good enough, but…we will do better.”
Also read: ‘Gross’: Redditors slam Ng Chee Meng’s Jalan Kayu SMC win, call voters ‘clueless’ over Income deal
‘Gross’: Redditors slam Ng Chee Meng’s Jalan Kayu SMC win, call voters ‘clueless’ over Income deal
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Featured image adapted from change.org.
