SINGAPORE — Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong was on Monday bestowed with the prestigious Medal of Honour by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) at their annual May Day Awards.
Regarded as the top accolade at the ceremony, the Medal of Honour is reserved for extraordinary individuals who have significantly contributed to the labour movement.
The award acknowledges Mr Wong’s profound support and integral role in driving NTUC’s initiatives and advancing the rights and welfare of workers in Singapore.
NTUC, under the leadership of Mr Ng Chee Meng, a member of the People’s Action Party’s Central Executive Committee, praised Mr Wong’s actions to safeguard workers and their livelihoods.
In particular, they lauded his decision to allocate S$100 million (US$74.4m) for NTUC to collaborate with firms in setting up training committees, and his introduction of the Jobs-Skills Integrator initiative, a program designed to enhance job training and matching for workers.
Mr Wong’s advocacy for improved employment and wage conditions, particularly for low-income and disadvantaged workers, has also been recognised. NTUC cited the roll-out of the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme as a testament to his efforts in this area.
NTUC further states that Mr Wong has championed enhancements to the Workfare Income Supplement scheme, enabling younger workers to qualify for payouts and also extended the Jobs Growth Incentive Scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic to incentivise employers to hire Singaporeans, further underscoring his dedication to Singapore’s workforce.
In addition to his significant policy work, Mr Wong fostered a close relationship with NTUC and its affiliated unions as their union advisor, exhibiting an exemplary commitment to the labour movement.
Previous laureates of the Medal of Honour include Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Heng Swee Keat, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam, as well as former Minister Khaw Boon Wan.
The May Day Awards, held at the Suntec City Convention Centre, is an annual event that honours individuals and organisations for their outstanding contributions to the labour movement.
This year’s awards ceremony acknowledged a total of 172 recipients who have excelled in championing the interests and rights of workers and for being exemplary role models at their workplaces.
In its media release, NTUC highlighted that the honourees of this year’s May Day Awards have demonstrated exceptional dedication to the labour movement, embodying the very spirit of championing the rights and well-being of workers.
In a Facebook post on 28 Nov 2021, Ng shared pictures of a recent PAP Convention attended by members of the party, including its Secretary-General, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
One picture, which Ng shared, showed a PAP pin on top of the embroidered logo on his NTUC polo shirt. This drew the attention of netizens, raising questions about the ties or affiliations between a labour party and a political party.
“The PAP is at the heart of NTUC, and the NTUC is at the heart of what the PAP does,” Ng said.
