Speaking up for down-trodden Singaporeans
Mr Roy Ngerng. Photo: Raj Nadarajan
SINGAPORE — Having gained prominence for speaking up on issues related to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) system, blogger Roy Ngerng hopes to get a seat in Parliament to speak up for “down-trodden Singaporeans” such as the elderly who have to work into their old age.
Arguing that the CPF system is not adequate for Singaporeans, the 34-year-old blogger said he wants to ask for greater transparency and accountability on the system.
“A responsible government is a government that ensures (people) have enough funds in the CPF to retire ... No one can be a check on themselves. We will be a check for the people,” Mr Ngerng said, referring to Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong’s comment earlier this week that the PAP government was its “own check”.
Another group of Singaporeans he wants to help, said Mr Ngerng, are low-income patients he has encountered while working in a hospital, who have stopped tapping Medifund because of cumbersome application processes.
“Singapore is one of the richest (countries) in the world by national wealth. So, it does not make sense that there are so many low-income Singaporeans who cannot retire today,” he said.
Mr Ngerng, who had been found by the High Court to have defamed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong over one of his blog posts on the CPF system, said he saw no issue about being pitted against Mr Lee in Ang Mo Kio.
“We are taking this fight very seriously. We do respect the Prime Minister for what he has done ... But, we want the voters to have a fair chance in selecting people whom they think can represent them,” he added.
Mr Ngerng, who was officially accepted as a member of the Reform Party this month, said the party’s team has “shown track record”. “What is unique about this team is that we have spoken up for Singaporeans over the past few years ... We do not believe in waiting for things to change, we believe in changing things,” he said.
Roy Ngerng, 34
Socio-political blogger
FACT FILE:
• Degree in Sociology from the National University of Singapore
• Former healthcare worker at Tan Tock Seng Hospital
• Former civil servant at Health Promotion Board, where he was named Employee of the Year
HE SAID: “I believe that we have a responsibility to speak up for Singaporeans ... to ensure that the poor, the elderly and the weakest members of society are protected.”
