“I have never felt such a such a surge of joy as when PM came back on stage,” Heng Swee Keat

The following is a Facebook post by Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat.

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I have followed every one of PM Lee’s NDRs closely. Like all of you, I have never felt such a surge of joy as when PM came back on stage tonight after he took ill. He looked very well, full of colour and spirit, just like his usual self. I hope his full check-up after the NDR will find that everything is okay, and I hope PM will take some rest. He has been checking up on me in the last few weeks, advising me to take care after my stroke. My sincerest hope is that he will also be kind to himself when it comes to his health.

Tonight, PM touched on the critical challenges that affect our future – our economy, our security, our Elected Presidency and our sense of unity. I hope it will set us all thinking and discussing more about these major issues.

We saw tonight how closely PM’s team works together, as some rushed on stage to support PM, while others informed the audience and us at home about what was happening. I have experienced this spirit. As I prepare to resume my duties as Finance Minister, I am deeply grateful to DPM Tharman for covering my duties these few months. I also thank Minister Iswaran in the CFE, SMS Indranee and SMS Sim Ann, and MOF and other officials, for their dedication.

When I return, I will, for a start, be focusing on next year’s Budget and the ongoing CFE work. I am also happy that Minister Lawrence Wong will join our MOF team as the Second Minister. He will be a great member of the team. Lawrence and I worked closely together at MOE, when he led the Committee on University Education Pathways beyond 2015, a major piece of work that led to important policies. We had good robust discussions, and I look forward to more exchanges when he joins us at MOF as Second Minister.

I must also thank the many colleagues and friends in Tampines, MOF, CFE and elsewhere, who have been so kind in helping with my work while I’ve been on medical leave. In particular, my colleagues at Tampines will continue to help me with constituency work. Thank you for the regular updates in the last few weeks and for sharing with me residents’ views. Very glad to keep up this good teamwork.

Teamwork is about spirit, it is also about the members who make up the team. I’d like to echo PM’s call for all Singaporeans to step forward and play a role in nation building. We need good people, working together in the right spirit, to keep Singapore going.
All my best to PM and his family, who must have had a scare tonight. And my deep thanks to the SCDF team, not just for helping me after my stroke, but for the assistance they gave to PM tonight too! I for one know that PM was in good hands with them.

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