Kenneth Tiong Hints at Favourite PAP MPs but Keeps Their Names Secret

Workers’ Party MP Kenneth Tiong has some preferred members of the ruling People’s Action Party, but he is not prepared to identify them publicly. He made the remark during an appearance on political commentator Walid J Abdullah’s Teh Tarik podcast, where he was asked to name his favourite current PAP MP. Tiong first answered with Goh Keng Swee, Singapore’s first finance minister, whom he had previously described as his favourite Singaporean politician of all time. When Abdullah clarified that he meant a serving PAP MP, Tiong declined to give a name. “I do have favourites, but I don’t want to jeopardise his or her position,” he said, according to the interview. The conversation also touched on Tiong’s reputation in Parliament and comparisons with former Progress Singapore Party Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai. Tiong said he respected Leong, but argued that their political focuses differ, particularly on foreign manpower. He described himself as “the first coming of myself,” rather than a second version of Leong. Asked about criticism that his parliamentary style can come across as too aggressive, Tiong said he wanted debate to be robust. He argued that lively exchanges between opposition and ruling-party MPs can benefit politics, provided those discussions remain respectful. The podcast also covered Tiong’s favourite politician beyond Singapore. He named former US president Richard Nixon, calling him “the last liberal politician” and pointing to policies and initiatives during Nixon’s presidency, including the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the opening of relations with China. In a rapid-fire segment, Abdullah asked how many group representation constituencies the Workers’ Party could win at the next election. Tiong laughed and left the audience to suggest an answer. When pressed to state his own target, he did not provide a number in the account of the exchange.