In a political podcast yesterday (6 Jul), PAP candidate Gan Siow Huang, who is the first female SAF Brigadier General, said that her SAF experience and values will enable her to serve the Marymount residents well.
She is currently going head-on with PSP’s Ang Yong Guan contesting in the Marymount SMC.
She started off her podcast by indicating that she came from a poor family, “I’m proud to be a Singaporean and I’ll tell you why. My father was a taxi driver and my mother a housewife. Despite not having much to start with, my parents worked hard and raised my three siblings and me well.”
“When I was born, my grandmother actually suggested that my parents give me away to a relative as they could not afford to raise more children but my parents decided to keep me instead. They persevered worked hard and raised my siblings and me well and saw us through university education,” she added.
She then spoke of her 20 over years of experience serving in the SAF.
“Through my 20 over years with the SAF, I had the opportunity to work with different groups of people and picked up expertise in the areas of operations maintenance, manpower long-term planning and policy making,” she said.
“I believe that my experience and the values that I gained in the SAF especially in leading and taking care of people will enable me to serve the residents of Marymount well.”
She concluded by saying she decided to join politics so that she can “give back to the community”.
“I’m joining politics so that I can give back to the community,” she said.
“I ask for your support and vote so that together we can make Marymount a place that our residents will be proud to call their home and proud to be Singaporeans, just like me.”
BG Gan: I envy my girlfriends who can take care of families full-time
In a media interview in 2015, when asked if she had ever considered taking a backseat to spend more time with her family and kids, she replied yes. In fact, she said she envied her girlfriends who could take care of their families full-time.
“Yes, many times. I envy my girlfriends who take care of their families full-time and can spend time with their kids,” she said.
“At some point, I probably have to (take a backseat). My parents-in-law are cancer survivors. When they are unable to take care of our kids, my husband or I then have to make a really tough choice. To me now, coming to work every day is a bonus. I want to make the most of every day.”
However, given that she is now entering politics as a PAP candidate and joining the ranks of the former military men-turned-ministers, it’s likely that she would not be able to find any time in future to “take a backseat” and her cancer surviving parents-in-law would have no choice but to continue taking care of her kids.