I understand that he was told nearly 6 mths ago that he won't be having a tier 1 ministry as he had a number of issues hanging on his head. Lily Neo affair, Lim Bee Wah affair, Al Jazeera affair, etc. Although the the decision to host YOG was a cabinet decision to help Ng Ser Miang, he stuffed it up on the ticket and empty stadium issues and the signing of the media contract but not the budget.
In 2006 he took over as the strategy confidante of LHL shortly after the nominations were announced after Ng Eng Hen stuffed it up on WP manifesto and Sylvia lim and now bottom of the heap. Imagine his schoolmate Lui from acting and straight to Tier 1 Ministry. Even Gan outstripped him.
actually i think vivian is darn happy he did not get transport...this ministry is v much a poison chalice...saying that i agree that it appears that he has been sidelined...probably pitched for MFA n MOH...but got garbage n piss/shit newater instead...i wld not be surprised if vivian leaves the cabinet by the end of the term either pull or push...funnily enuff i bumped into him n his family over the weekend n he sure looked relaxed n quite happy...so i think he has reconciled himself to the latest political dynamics...probably helped by his charming attractive wife...cant believe she has had 4 children n still looks so good!...
tharman is indeed a performer...also strikes me as a teflon man as well...appears to hv learnt well fm his dad in this regard who i gather was savvy n shrewd when he was a prof at local medical faculty...
shan safe pair of hands
iswaran...u r rt progress appears slow...actually tot he had missed the boat...
yr last pt is indeed curious n interesting...in fact i recall this issue was raised by that johnny chap at the old SBF...