HSK comes from a humble background, Bukit Merah boy who thruout his career avoided informal ties with business circles and old vested interest. This runs odd with the PAP model where one trusted member of the vested interest would be part of the Cabinet. Lim Kim San was in the first cabinet and well known for his business acumen and its his sense in starting and delivering public housing on a commercial footing that set the tone and provided the assurance for the business establishment from bankers to developers to sink money into Singapore growth. He was followed by Tony Tan and then by another OCBC family member Teo Chee Hean, the current PM's high hand man.
On the commercial side of the ruling family you had Kwa Geok Choo whose father is also an OCBC old hand (you get the picture) who then handed it over to her niece Kwa Kim Li, both took turns as advisor to Redas and the property sector.
Ho Ching and the establishment share a deep chasm going back to days when the approach to acquire OUB was snubbed and Lien's wife handed it over to UOB. There is no love lost between these two. Her closest confidante went down in flames over the maid issue. She is alone and she is banking on LW.
Chan is an idiot, LW has potential but his middle class family and him have no link to the establishment. Closest is OYK, whose father in law is a billionaire developer who made his fortune via building HDB flats. It was no surprise that he was identified much earlier but WP's first GRC win delayed his progression immensely.
My sense is that a new minder if its not OKY for the old money will have to be identified sooner. And you cannot rule this country or any country without the old money and their deep investments.
On the commercial side of the ruling family you had Kwa Geok Choo whose father is also an OCBC old hand (you get the picture) who then handed it over to her niece Kwa Kim Li, both took turns as advisor to Redas and the property sector.
Ho Ching and the establishment share a deep chasm going back to days when the approach to acquire OUB was snubbed and Lien's wife handed it over to UOB. There is no love lost between these two. Her closest confidante went down in flames over the maid issue. She is alone and she is banking on LW.
Chan is an idiot, LW has potential but his middle class family and him have no link to the establishment. Closest is OYK, whose father in law is a billionaire developer who made his fortune via building HDB flats. It was no surprise that he was identified much earlier but WP's first GRC win delayed his progression immensely.
My sense is that a new minder if its not OKY for the old money will have to be identified sooner. And you cannot rule this country or any country without the old money and their deep investments.
