Vivian Balakrishnan: Difference between revisions

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==Controversy==
==Controversy==
* YOG budget overrun as '''Minister for Community, Youth and Sports''' ({{g |MCYS}}) 2005 and 2011
 
===YOG budget overrun===
*YOG budget overrun as '''Minister for Community, Youth and Sports''' ({{g |MCYS}}) 2005 and 2011
** 2010 Summer Youth Olympics
** 2010 Summer Youth Olympics
**  budget exceeded the initial estimates of S$104 million by over three times (check for figures)
**  budget exceeded the initial estimates of S$104 million by over three times (check for figures)
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* Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative between 2014 and 2017
* Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative between 2014 and 2017
<br />
<br />
===Renting of 26 and 31 Ridout Road, state-owned GCB===
* Ridout Road rentals
* Ridout Road rentals
** whether renting of 31 Ridout Park state-owned bungalows (Shanmugam rented 26 Ridout Park) constitute conflict of interest, abuse of power
** whether renting of 31 Ridout Park state-owned bungalows (Shanmugam rented 26 Ridout Park) constitute conflict of interest, abuse of power
** RP's Kenneth Jeyaretnam questioned how the 2 ministers can pay market rate for these 2 {{g |GCB}}
** RP's Kenneth Jeyaretnam questioned how the 2 ministers can pay market rate for these 2 {{g |GCB}}
</br>
</br>
==='Illiterate' comment===
* ‘illiterate’ comment as MP and '''Minister of Foreign Affairs''' (2015)
* ‘illiterate’ comment as MP and '''Minister of Foreign Affairs''' (2015)
** 14 Sep 2021 Tue - Parliament session,  
** 14 Sep 2021 Tue - Parliament session,  
*** after Leong Mun Wai had spoken, a voice could be heard saying "he's illiterate".
*** after Leong Mun Wai had spoken, a voice could be heard saying "he's illiterate".
*** Later, after another exchange between [[Tan See Leng]] and Leong Mun Wai, someone heard saying, "Seriously, how did he get into {{g| RI}}?... Must have been a lousy school."
*** Later, after another exchange between [[Tan See Leng]] and Leong Mun Wai, someone heard saying, "Seriously, how did he get into {{g| RI}}?... Must have been a lousy school."
*** in the televised GE2020 debate on 1 Jul 2020 with [[Jamus Lim]], [[Chee Soon Juan]] and [[Francis Yuen]], he claimed, "I dare say every neighborhood school of ours is a school that we can be very proud of."
*** It was deduced that VB made these comments, possibly due to TSL's mic which was not switched off
*** It was deduced that VB made these comments, possibly due to TSL's mic which was not switched off
*** [[Tan See Leng]] then replied, "I'm from Monk's Hill."
*** [[Tan See Leng]] then replied, "I'm from Monk's Hill."
*** LMW confirmed received a call of apology from VB on Wed 15 Sep 2021, LMW said he had accepted apology when queried by mainstream media
*** LMW confirmed received a call of apology from VB on Wed 15 Sep 2021, LMW said he had accepted apology when queried by mainstream media
*** LMW added, "I am also curious to know who are the other persons who were involved in the conversation and the reason why they held the institution that I attended in contempt."
*** LMW added, "I am also curious to know who are the other persons who were involved in the conversation and the reason why they held the institution that I attended in contempt."
 
*** in the televised GE2020 debate on 1 Jul 2020 with [[Jamus Lim]], [[Chee Soon Juan]] and [[Francis Yuen]], he claimed, "I dare say every neighborhood school of ours is a school that we can be very proud of,"  a comment which was a complete contrast to his hot mic comment.
 
*** [[file:Vb-fbpost-illiterate.png|200px|VB's apology on FB]]
*** [[file:Vb-fbpost-illiterate.png|200px|VB's apology on FB]]
<br />
<br />
===TraceTogether debacle===
* TraceTogether debacle
* TraceTogether debacle
** as '''Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation''' Initiative
** as '''Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation''' Initiative
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** Tuesday (Feb 2) said he took "full responsibility" for the Government's error in not stating that contact tracing data from TraceTogether is not exempt from the Criminal Procedure Code for criminal investigations
** Tuesday (Feb 2) said he took "full responsibility" for the Government's error in not stating that contact tracing data from TraceTogether is not exempt from the Criminal Procedure Code for criminal investigations
<br />
<br />
==='Three meals' parliament comment===
* "three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant"
* "three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant"
** debate with [[Lily Neo]] in Parliament 9 March 2007 (to check source)
** debate with [[Lily Neo]] in Parliament 9 March 2007 (to check source)

Revision as of 06:19, 14 February 2025

Vivian Balakrishnan
விவியன் பாலகிருஷ்ணன்
Party Affiliation
Current Role Minister for Foreign Affairs (from 2015)
Past Roles • Minister-in-charge Smart Nation
• MCYS Minister
• Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry
• Minister of State for National Development
Others • President's Scholar
•
Background
Education • NUS
• Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
• National Junior College
• Anglo-Chinese School
Personal Details
Age 64
Others Father of 1 girl & 3 sons. Grandfather to 4? grandchildren (1 stillborn)


This article is a stub. Help to add more content.



  • born 25 January 1961
  • Anglo-Chinese School
  • President's Scholarship in 1980 to study medicine at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS
    • fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (to check which source)


  • Medical career
    • specialization in ophthalmology
    • Moorfields Eye Hospital in London between 1993 and 1995
    • commanding officer at Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Second Combat Support Hospital
    • ophthalmologist at SNEC & NUH (to check which source)
    • medical director at Singapore National Eye Centre & CEO of Singapore General Hospital (SGH)


  • entered politics 2001, Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC walkover
  • Minister of State for National Development in 2002
  • Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry in 2004.
  • acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports 2004
  • full cabinet minister 2005

Controversy

YOG budget overrun

  • YOG budget overrun as Minister for Community, Youth and Sports (MCYS) 2005 and 2011
    • 2010 Summer Youth Olympics
    • budget exceeded the initial estimates of S$104 million by over three times (check for figures)


  • Second Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts MICA between 2006 and 2008,
  • Second Minister for Trade and Industry MTI between 2005 and 2006
  • Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative between 2014 and 2017


Renting of 26 and 31 Ridout Road, state-owned GCB

  • Ridout Road rentals
    • whether renting of 31 Ridout Park state-owned bungalows (Shanmugam rented 26 Ridout Park) constitute conflict of interest, abuse of power
    • RP's Kenneth Jeyaretnam questioned how the 2 ministers can pay market rate for these 2 GCB


'Illiterate' comment

  • ‘illiterate’ comment as MP and Minister of Foreign Affairs (2015)
    • 14 Sep 2021 Tue - Parliament session,
      • after Leong Mun Wai had spoken, a voice could be heard saying "he's illiterate".
      • Later, after another exchange between Tan See Leng and Leong Mun Wai, someone heard saying, "Seriously, how did he get into RI?... Must have been a lousy school."
      • It was deduced that VB made these comments, possibly due to TSL's mic which was not switched off
      • Tan See Leng then replied, "I'm from Monk's Hill."
      • LMW confirmed received a call of apology from VB on Wed 15 Sep 2021, LMW said he had accepted apology when queried by mainstream media
      • LMW added, "I am also curious to know who are the other persons who were involved in the conversation and the reason why they held the institution that I attended in contempt."
      • in the televised GE2020 debate on 1 Jul 2020 with Jamus Lim, Chee Soon Juan and Francis Yuen, he claimed, "I dare say every neighborhood school of ours is a school that we can be very proud of," a comment which was a complete contrast to his hot mic comment.
      • VB's apology on FB


TraceTogether debacle

  • TraceTogether debacle
    • as Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative
    • "Police can use TraceTogether data for criminal investigations" ~ Minister of State for Home Affairs Desmond Tan told the House on Monday Jan 4 2021
    • "I didn't think of Criminal Procedure Code when speaking earlier about TraceTogether" ~ VB
    • "Frankly, I had not thought of the CPC, when I spoke earlier," he said, a day after Minister of State for Home Affairs Desmond Tan affirmed that under this law, police have the power to obtain TraceTogether data for the purposes of a criminal investigation. ~ check for correct quote
    • Tuesday (Feb 2) said he took "full responsibility" for the Government's error in not stating that contact tracing data from TraceTogether is not exempt from the Criminal Procedure Code for criminal investigations


'Three meals' parliament comment

  • "three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant"
    • debate with Lily Neo in Parliament 9 March 2007 (to check source)
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