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Tin Pei Ling

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In this Chinese name, the family name is Tin.
The Honourable
Tin Pei Ling
陈佩玲
Tin in 2021
Member of Parliament
for MacPherson SMC
Assumed office
11 September 2015
Preceded byMatthias Yao (PAP)
Majority11,506 (43.48%)
Member of Parliament
for Marine Parade GRC
(MacPherson)
In office
7 May 2011 – 24 August 2015
Preceded byMatthias Yao (PAP)
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born (1983-12-23) 23 December 1983 (age 40)[1]
Singapore
Political partyPeople's Action Party
SpouseNg How Yue
Children2
Alma materNational University of Singapore (BSocSci)
University of Chicago (MBA)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • businesswoman

Tin Pei Ling (Chinese: 陈佩玲; pinyin: Chén Pèilíng; born 23 December 1983)[1] is a Singaporean politician and businesswoman. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing MacPherson SMC since 2015 and previously the MacPherson division of Marine Parade GRC between 2011 and 2015.[2][3]

Tin was the PAP's youngest candidate during the 2011 general election.[4]

Early life and education

Tin's father operated a coffeeshop in Ghim Moh while her mother was a housewife.[5]

She attended Crescent Girls' School and Hwa Chong Junior College before graduating from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree with honours in psychology.[6][5]

From 2013 to 2015, Tin did a Master of Business Administration with University of Chicago Booth School of Business.[7]

Tin's father was involved in grassroots work and Tin helped him with English translations.[5] In her second year in university, she started helping out at Vivian Balakrishnan's Meet-the-People Sessions.[5]

Prior to the formation of the 17th Young PAP Executive Committee marked by the 2011 general election, Tin was the assistant treasurer for Young PAP and a representative for the Ulu Pandan Branch.[8]

Business career

Prior to entering politics, Tin was a senior associate at Ernst & Young.[9] She resigned after being elected as a Member of Parliament in the 2011 general election.[9]

In May 2017, Tin started working at Jing King Tech Group, an investment firm, as its group director for corporate strategy before leaving to join Business China on 21 May 2018.[10][11]

Tin served as the chief executive officer of Business China—a government related non-profit organisation aiming to strengthen Singapore–China ties through the support of businesses—between May 2018 and December 2022.[11]

In February 2023, Tin initially accepted the role of Director of Public Affairs and Policy from Grab, a Singapore-based technology company. This led to public questions of possible conflicts of interest, as she was also the chairperson for the Communications and Information Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC).[12] After several days, Grab decided to change Tin's role to that of a director of corporate development.[13] Tin announced in August 2023 that she was leaving Grab, seven months into her role there.[14]

Political career

Tin made her political debut in the 2011 general election as part of a five-member PAP team led by former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, contesting in Marine Parade GRC and won 56.65% of the vote, defeating the National Solidarity Party (NSP) team led by Cheo Chai Chen.[15]

Having been a member of the Young PAP at the Ulu Pandan branch for seven years, she was fielded by the PAP as a candidate to attract the "unpredictable" youth vote through social networking sites.[16] Goh admitted after the election that Tin's youth and negative image perceived by the public was a "factor" for the PAP's weaker performance this election compared to their 72.9% win in 1992.[17]

On 1 June 2011, Tin announced on her Facebook account that she had resigned from her senior associate position in Ernst & Young, where she had worked for four years.[18] She said the decision was made in order to focus on her responsibilities as full-time Member of Parliament for the MacPherson ward of Marine Parade GRC.[19] Tin also did an Executive Master of Business Administration at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business during this period.[20]

Tin's selection as a candidate for Parliament in 2011 resulted in a large online backlash, especially amongst young Singaporeans.[16] Throughout the campaign, Tin garnered negative attention due to her perceived immaturity to become a Member of Parliament,[21] and allusions were also raised as to how her husband's position had opened doors for her into politics.[22] A widely circulated Facebook photo of Tin posing with a Kate Spade-branded gift from her husband, also led to widespread accusations online of ignorance, materialism and privilege.[21][23] When asked if there was a policy she would change, she replied that there were no policy that she felt strongly against.[24][unreliable source?] When asked what her "greatest regret" was, she said it was not having brought her (still living) parents to Universal Studios Singapore.[25]

Some Singaporeans were concerned that as an "undeserving [candidate]," Tin had a high chance of being elected "not on [her] own merit, but rather on the back of established Members of Parliament" since the five-member PAP team would be voted in or rejected as a group under Singapore's group representation constituency system.[26]

The public's online hostility towards Tin was so great that Goh Chok Tong defended her in the press. He said he had taken Tin in when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had offered her to be fielded as a candidate in Ang Mo Kio GRC. He had accepted her as he did not think Tin was a weak candidate. He dismissed the online criticisms as "distortion" and even though "some sound bites of her which pitted her as a rather light-weight person", it was just "a superficial view". He still believed that she "would work very hard", "[could] reach out to the young, and the not so young," that he "would like her to do more to help the old people in MacPherson," and that she would become "a good Member of Parliament in due course".[27]

Nicole Seah, a candidate of the opposition NSP team contesting in Marine Parade GRC, filed a complaint to the Elections Department on 6 May 2011, stating that Tin had violated the state-mandated cooling-off period 24 hours before polls by posting a Facebook comment on Seah crying during her walkabout. Under the Singapore Parliamentary Elections Act,[28] canvassing on Polling Day and Cooling Off Day is prohibited and the offence carries a fine or imprisonment or both. When questioned, Tin replied that one of her administrators, Denise He, had posted the comment under her account and that He had meant to post in her own capacity from her phone, but had forgotten to log out of Tin's account.[29] The NSP team was advised by the Elections Department to file a police report before the Elections Department could investigate.[30] The police confirmed that a report was lodged against her.[31] The police issued a stern warning to Tin as well as Seah, who also had a similar complaint lodged against her.[32]

During the 2015 general election, MacPherson SMC was split from Marine Parade GRC for the first time since the 2006 general election.[33]

She ran against Bernard Chen of the Workers' Party and Cheo of the National Solidarity Party.[34] Cheo's campaign suffered a major blunder when he described Tin's new role as a mother as "her weakness" in the campaign.[35] Facing public backlash, Cheo later claimed that this comment was meant as a joke.[36] She won 65.58% of the vote, compared to Chen's 33.6% and Cheo's 0.82%.[37]

During the 2020 general election, Tin defended her parliamentary seat in MacPherson SMC with 71.74% of the vote against Goh Meng Seng of the People's Power Party.[38] She was later appointed as Chair of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Communications and Information in the 14th Parliament.[39][40]

Personal life

Tin is married to Ng How Yue, Permanent Secretary (Health Development) in the Ministry of Health[41] and formerly a Principal Private Secretary to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.[42] Tin and Ng have two children.[43][44]

References

  1. ^ a b "Parliament of Singapore : MP Tin Pei Ling's CV". Parliament of Singapore. Archived from the original on 22 May 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Tin Pei Ling CV, PAP" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
  3. ^ "Ms Tin Pei Ling". Parliament of Singapore. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  4. ^ Lee, Min Kok; Heng, Janice (21 August 2015). "PAP's Tin Pei Ling will defend MacPherson single-seat ward in coming general election". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d Tan, Sumiko (19 February 2017). "Lunch With Sumiko: What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, says MP Tin Pei Ling". The Straits Times. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Tin Pei Ling". Young PAP. Archived from the original on 10 November 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  7. ^ "Tin Pei Ling" (PDF). Parliament of Singapore. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Young PAP 16th Executive Committee" (PDF). Young PAP web. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  9. ^ a b "Tin Pei Ling quits day job to focus on MP duties". sg.news.yahoo.com. June 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  10. ^ Au-Yong, Rachel; Chew, Hui Min (28 April 2017). "MP Tin Pei Ling joins investment firm, starts next month". The Straits Times. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  11. ^ a b Wong, Kai Yi (7 May 2018). "Tin Pei Ling takes over from Sun Xueling as Business China CEO". The Straits Times. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  12. ^ Tham, Ashley (2 February 2023). "Amid questions about conflict of interest, Tin Pei Ling says role as MP 'distinct' from new job at Grab". CNA. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  13. ^ "Grab moves MP Tin Pei Ling to 'corporate development' role after social outcry". Marketing-Interactive. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  14. ^ Begum, Yasmin (17 August 2023). "Singapore MP Tin Pei Ling leaves Grab after seven months for 'external-facing' fintech role". CNA. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  15. ^ "PAP takes Marine Parade". The Straits Times (Singapore). 8 May 2011. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  16. ^ a b Russell, Jon (27 April 2011). "Nicole Seah and the social media effect". Asia Sentinel. Archived from the original on 30 April 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  17. ^ "GE: Tin Pei Ling "a factor" for weak results, says SM Goh". Channel News Asia. 8 May 2011. Archived from the original on 10 May 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  18. ^ "People's Action Party Constituency Portal - People's Action Party". Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  19. ^ "MP Tin Pei Ling resigns from Ernst & Young". Straits Times. 1 June 2011. Archived from the original on 3 June 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  20. ^ "Tin Pei Ling" (PDF). Parliament of Singapore. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  21. ^ a b Alicia Wong (14 April 2011). "My conscience is clear: Tin Pei Ling". Yahoo Singapore. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  22. ^ "Straight fight in Marine Parade GRC between PAP and NSP". Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  23. ^ "PAP's youngest candidate faces online criticism". 31 March 2011. Archived from the original on 3 April 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  24. ^ Ting, Victoria. "Tin Pei Ling: New blood or bad blood?". Very Fine Commentary. Archived from the original on 25 April 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  25. ^ "Video: Tin Pei Ling's greatest regret". Archived from the original on 3 April 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  26. ^ Sim, Fann (6 April 2011). "Online petition against PAP's Tin Pei Ling". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  27. ^ Siow, Maria (4 May 2011). "GE: SM Goh defends quality of new PAP candidates". Archived from the original on 19 April 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  28. ^ Parliamentary Elections Act (Cap. 218, 2007 Rev. Ed.)
  29. ^ "Nicole Seah files complaint against Tin Pei Ling". AsiaOne. 7 May 2011. Archived from the original on 10 May 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  30. ^ "NSP advised to make police report". Straits Times. 7 May 2011. Archived from the original on 9 May 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  31. ^ "Police report lodged against Tin Pei Ling over cooling-off day complaint". Channel News Asia. 16 May 2011. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  32. ^ "No police action against Tin Pei Ling, Nicole Seah". Yahoo. 14 August 2012. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  33. ^ Heng, Janice (22 August 2015). "Tin Pei Ling goes from rocky start to running solo in MacPherson". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 24 August 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  34. ^ Chen, May; Chow, Jermyn (September 2015). "GE2015: Three-cornered fight for MacPherson SMC between PAP, WP and NSP". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 21 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  35. ^ Yi, Hon Jing (4 September 2015). "Tin Pei Ling's new status as a mum is a weakness: Cheo". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  36. ^ "PAP wins MacPherson with 65.6 per cent of votes". AsiaOne. Singapore Press Holdings. 12 September 2015. Archived from the original on 14 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  37. ^ Chen, May (11 September 2015). "GE2015: All three-cornered fights won by PAP candidates". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. Archived from the original on 14 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  38. ^ "GE2020 official results: PAP's Tin Pei Ling retains MacPherson with 71.74% of votes against PPP". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 11 July 2020. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  39. ^ "Government Parliamentary Committees". People's Action Party. Archived from the original on 2 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  40. ^ Ong, Justin (19 August 2020). "4 first-term PAP MPs appointed as deputy chairmen in Government Parliamentary Committees". TODAY. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  41. ^ "Changes in Permanent Secretary Appointments - 1 November 2019". Public Service Division. 1 November 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  42. ^ "Straight fight in Marine Parade GRC between PAP and NSP". Straits Times. 27 April 2011. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  43. ^ Mohamad Salleh, Nur Asyiqin (5 August 2015). "PAP MP Tin Pei Ling gives birth; will be fielded in MacPherson SMC in next GE". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  44. ^ Toh, Ting Wei (25 September 2018). "Tin Pei Ling gives birth to second son, says will be back in action soon after recuperating". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
Parliament of Singapore
Preceded by Member of Parliament for
Marine Parade GRC (MacPherson)
2011 – 2015 		Constituency redrawn
New constituency Member of Parliament
for MacPherson SMC
2015 – present 		Incumbent
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