Tin Pei Ling
Appearances
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
It's about the digital economy, digital society, the smart nation, smart government, the whole digital realm, the digital future. This also is something that I'm very interested in. So there's a lot that I can cover, but basically, how can we make sure that Singapore continues to be well-placed? for the opportunities within this digital future?
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
How can we continue to ensure that our people are ready for this digital future? And under this portion is how can we empower women so that they are smart ladies for a smart nation? How can we help them unlock the opportunities that a digital future can offer them.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
For example, when we talk about flexible work arrangement, technology plays a good part in this to enable women to be able to work from home or work remotely so that they can juggle their different roles.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
By equipping women with digital skills, according to studies by Accenture, IMF and various bodies, by helping women to increase in their digital fluency, we can close the gender gap in half the time. For example, helping women to develop digital capabilities is very important.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
Well, I think there are many possible books. I always think that life experiences, that person-to-person interaction is most precious. In terms of books, okay, I'm a big fan of our founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. There's a lot of hard truths and
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
very good wisdom that can be found in his book that's one recently he has many books I won't pinpoint any just go read them I'm still trying to get through to finish the book because I'm so busy but it's about the power of regret It's interesting because a lot of people when they talk about regret, it's like, oh, could have, would have, should have.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
I think the crux of this is really about how can you view regret from a different perspective that actually drives you to take action.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
Happy to. And any time for you, Vince.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
I think it was wonderful. Fantastic. I really enjoyed my time at Chicago Booth. I meet a lot of different people from different walks of life. I learn from them and make great friends, including you, Vinz. Yeah, of course, of course. Of course. 10 years and counting. Yes, yes. Yeah, so... Okay, first of all, I like meeting people, but I also love learning.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
After I graduated from university, I realized I do like being a student. I like to challenge myself and stretch my mind. I never really did study business type of subjects when I was in school. And so the MBA helps to put frameworks and theories to what I learned on the job. Business consulting, it is business, but... It's not like a formal education. It's on the job kind of training.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
So going through MBA, I think that was useful. There is a lot of rigor in what Chicago Bulls offer. I remember, for example, macroeconomics.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
Yeah, man. Heisinger. Professor Heisinger. I really liked him. He really drives us. He taught us how to look at trends, try to predict stuff using formulas. I know that some other, I shall not name other schools, but from my understanding, macroeconomics would be a little bit more intuitive in those causes. But for Chicago Booth, it was all formula-driven.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
And then every week, no, every month we had an exam and in the week that we were together, every day there's a quiz. so it's quite crazy but I think it really trained us well placed us very well I think looking back it was a great experience but the question was why did I choose to do it As an elected member of parliament, I should constantly try to grow and learn.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
As I mentioned earlier, my first term, I quit my job at Ernst & Young to focus on my constituency work. I think it was wonderful. After a while, when we get the hang of things, you build up experience, you establish processes, you establish the team. I start to have capacity. I felt that I needed to build new dimensions. I felt that I really needed to learn something.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
When the Chicago Bulls opportunity came, I decided to just latch on and just go. It has been a wonderful two years.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
Yeah, I get asked this quite a bit and while we all wish we can balance all these different roles and that, and the assumption underlying this would be that we compromise nothing. But the reality is that there will always be trade off. Something has to give at some point when we focus on something else. So in this case,
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
Honestly, there's always a constant mother's guilt because I feel that being an elected member of parliament is absolutely sacred because so many people place their trust in me. They voted for me. To me, this is absolutely sacred. So I have to continue to do my best. to solve the problems, to listen, to represent them in parliament, to give voice, to do a lot of things.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
And that takes a lot of time. Professionally, I get paid and I also want to make sure that I continue to grow as a person. I also want to give myself that chance to do so and I need to be a responsible employee. So in the end, I have to sacrifice the family front a little bit more. I remember in my second general election, 2015, It's two weeks after I gave birth.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
You know, in Asian culture, there's a one month confinement. Yeah. So I basically, actually a few days after giving birth, I had to go out and start training my walking. Because by the second, because two weeks later after I gave birth, I have to start campaigning because general was just around the corner. I had to start campaigning. And so I recall that my firstborn,
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
Every day he looks different because there's a rapid growth period. And I remember after general election, when the dust has settled, I came back and I look at him also, oh my God, he has grown so much. What did I miss out? So it was, it was quite, quite emotional. And then of course now they are a bit older.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
a little bit more independent in that sense and but I must say that in the end whatever that I could do I wouldn't have been able to achieve those if not for the great support of many wonderful people so within the constituency I have a great team who have stood by me even during the toughest of times and I'm grateful.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
Residents have been very kind and understanding and they continue to place their trust in me and I'm grateful. At work, my colleagues and my bosses have also been appreciative of my other roles and they gave me the flexibility. I'm grateful. Of course, at home, I've got my family, my parents, my husband, and friends as well who are willing to step in when I have to go out and do my part.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
So it's a whole ecosystem of support. I recognize that not everyone enjoys the same level of support. And so actually... This thing about how can we better support women to achieve their aspirations actually became one of the causes that I've been fighting for or talking about since that second general election, since 2015, since becoming a mother.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
Yeah, actually I'm passionate about a range of issues and causes. When I was in my 20s, when I was first fielded, I was very passionate and I continue to be passionate about elderly issues as well as youth because I've always been.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
a youth volunteer and I believe in youth development mental health mental wellness being such a core part of issue that youth are concerned about so that naturally is something that I'm concerned about as well and I've always been interested in mental health that's why I chose psychology right Then seniors, my parents are aging.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
As the only child, I have to think about how I can support them, how I can care for them. And I also start to think about how I would like to live my life when I eventually grow old and become an elderly myself. So that's from the personal point of view, but my constituency, One in three are aged 60 and above. So I have a fairly significant population of seniors that were under my care.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
Naturally, issues concerning them would be my concern as well. Ensuring their basic living needs are being taken care of, ensuring that they continue to be socially and mentally engaged because I think the biggest red face that our elderly face today is isolation. Bread and butter, all these.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
Some do continue to struggle, but overall, I think with the government support, with the charities and community partners coming together, we can cover that part. For seniors, because of changing social structure, Many are living alone or they are living maybe with only one other person. Be a spouse, could be a helper.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
But basically, because of that changing social structure, many seniors are going to be very lonely in their twilight years. And if we don't actively engage them, they can deteriorate very quickly, physically as well as mentally. And then the burden of care will therefore be very heavy. But the biggest thing is about their quality of life. So this is something that I continue to be very focused on.
Chief Change Officer
#191 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part Two
Because women empowerment, as a mother, as a daughter, as a wife, as a whatever, so many different roles. It's really how can we empower women to create, to build capabilities, to create capacities, to break the ceiling and help them achieve their aspiration. And now as we move into the digital future, So this is also the other thing that I'm also very big on.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
Yeah, definitely, definitely. Coming out of that period, it did accelerate my personal growth and even emotionally, psychologically, I would say that today I'm probably a lot more resilient. Looking back, even though that was the darkest period for me personally, I'm actually thankful for having gone through that experience because it really helped me grow.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
And it also gave me a story to tell, which I hope would be useful for others who may have their own battles to fight. If it's of any consolation at all, hopefully it will be helpful for them. I must say, coming back to the bias that you mentioned earlier, a lot of people would assume that age correlates with maturity. But maybe I can just share one example. This was what happened in 2011.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
So that was the first general election that I took part in. I remember on polling day, that was the day that people went, goes down to vote, right? And then for us, we could actually go from polling station to polling station. We can't get involved. We can just monitor and inspect, right? And so I stepped out of one of the polling station with my election agent.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
And as we walked out, a pair of sisters walk in the opposite direction. And I remember they were, I think in their 50s. As they walked past, they were heckling at me. They were chanting like something that was meant to mock at me. And I was thinking to myself, I mean, this felt a bit like high school. I didn't actually experience it in high school. As that happened, I was thinking to myself, wow.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
What just happened? I mean, hand over heart. I did not think that I did anything wrong. I did not hurt anyone. I did not commit a crime. Yeah, I was young. Maybe I wasn't very polished, but I don't think I did anything wrong. And all I wanted to do was to do something meaningful. And yes, it was quite a moment.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
Yeah, I totally agree.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
Welcome, Pei Ling. Thank you for joining me on this podcast. Well, thank you, Vince. It's really nice to reconnect.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
I was the youngest elected member of parliament for two terms. So I'm in my third term now. I majored in psychology in university. That would be out of the norm amongst my classmates from high school or what we call junior college. Actually, most of my classmates would have gone to engineer or science.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
Probably would have chosen, but somehow I got really passionate about mental health and I wanted to do something about it. So I chose to major in psychology. And so for the large part of my time in college, in university, I was solely focused on trying to achieve this aspiration to become a clinical psychologist.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
Whether it's from the internship that I sought out, forums that I organized, so on and so forth, it was with that goal in mind. But then a few things in that sense compelled me to have to change path. One was that my father had a mild heart attack and as the only child I had to take over this small coffee business that was sustaining the family. So I had to run it for some time.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
So I had to take some time off college in between. And even after my father recovered, the stamina was just not the same. And so he had to retire earlier than expected. And so that meant that I could not continue to pursue a clinical program, which is actually required to practice in Singapore. So I had to rethink. So that's the resource part of it. For about a year, I had to think very hard.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
If I can't continue to pursue this, then what could I do? In the end, I distilled into two points. One is what do I look for in a career? And two is how can I continue to pursue my passion? For the passion part, because I've already been in the grassroots, I've been already volunteering in the community for a few years by then.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
I realized that for mental health, I could continue to pursue this course within the community as a volunteer and still create a hopefully positive impact on others in the community by raising awareness, by availing channels. But then how did you get into business consulting? In terms of career, I hope it's dynamic. It's people facing new challenges all the time.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
Then that really opens up a lot of options. So shortly after graduation, I'm thankful and I think I was fortunate to have made it into Ernst & Young Advisory. So basically that's business consulting. I never thought that I would pursue this, but I guess... After joining, I learned to like it.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
It was a very good first job because there's a lot of fundamentals that you learn in a role like this, from project management to discipline. Because of the nature of the work, you really have to develop framework thinking. One of my bosses used to say, from zero to hero in no time. So it forces you to pick up things and learn different concepts along the way.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
That is exhilarating because it helps you to gain breath. It always kept me on my toes.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
I was in this for a few years, and then I was asked whether I would be open to running in the general election. I was eventually fielded. I did the ruling party in the general election of 2011. That was quite a pivotal year for me, to be honest. It was my first time participating as a candidate in the general election.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
The overall political atmosphere was electrifying, but also very tough for us because there were a few issues that had to be addressed. As the youngest candidate from the ruling party, as a female, as a newbie in that sense, there were considerable challenges personally for me. That probably was the darkest period of my life.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
For me personally, because there were a lot of doubts and criticisms and it was really very challenging. Very, very trying just even to go through the campaigning period, even after the election itself. It was life-changing.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
Really depends on how you see it. I actually was a volunteer in the grassroots and a political party member since second year of university. So I had some exposure to what being an MP is like in Singapore. So in that sense, I didn't have a root shock. I do have some inkling of what the demands would be. But having gone through the general election itself,
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
Having gone through what some described as baptism of fire for me, that was quite a tremendous change. At that point, because I was still considered fairly junior and young career-wise, I was also new to the constituency that I was filled in. I had to choose between...
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
my career development, my professional development and doing a good job, at least to be responsible enough to build up within the constituency. Professionally, at that point in time, I wasn't a senior, so I couldn't quite delegate. I would have to do most of the work and fairly so, fairly so.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
But if I had to take time away from work and focus on serving the people, then that wouldn't be fair to my colleagues or my bosses or to the clients. So in the end, I realized that being elected is a very sacred duty. I owe it to the voters who voted for me. At that point, I decided to quit my job at Ernst & Young and just focus on my duties as a parliamentarian. Because I was a newbie, right?
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
So I was new to the constituency. I was new to the role as an MP. And I really wanted to devote myself to that. I spent the time to understand the constituency, to understand the issues that my constituents faced, from bread and butter to municipal to aspirational type of issues.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
Honestly, looking back, the most precious asset to me in the past 12 years as a parliamentarian would be the bonds that I've forged with the people within Macpherson. Every time when I see our elderly, them smiling at me, we ask about each other, them hugging me. It feels like family and that's precious. And I've also watched kids grow up and that's precious. And so these are, to me, invaluable.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
So I think that the change, partly because of circumstances, partly due to my own choice, There were adjustments. The nature of work is different. I have to spend a lot of time on the ground. As a parliamentarian, to be honest, there is no so-called official working hours. It's 24-7 every day.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
Always, always. Yeah, so it's either you're on the ground in parliament or on emails. So it's really super, super stretchy in that sense. But I think it's fulfilling. It's fulfilling. Yeah.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
The fact that the political party, in this case, our ruling party, PAP, decided to field me. I was in my 20s and I was a female and that they decided to field me in the election to show that they are progressive enough to create opportunities and that space for someone young and a young female to rise up and be a representative for the people because it is an important role.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
responsibility when you are elected as a parliamentarian. So I think that's one. At that point in time, it's also managing certain preconceived notions or stereotypes that people may have of certain gender and age. So to me, the big challenge that I faced was age. That was only my 20s.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
And even though I already had seven years of grassroots experience by then, I guess track record wise, people still do not have a clear grasp of what I have to offer. Bam, I'm young, I'm new. And I think a lot of people will be thinking, who are you? Do you really understand my problems? Are you able to, you know, solve it even if you do understand?
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
And some also felt that I was riding on the coattail of former prime minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong, his emeritus. So there were all these criticisms. And I think this was the main doubt about me. So online, anything that I post on my own social media, I get thousands of responses. Not so nice comments. And then on other platforms, other online forums, etc.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
And there are people who will fabricate stories about me. For example, they said that I have this boyfriend and I dumped him because he was fat. All sorts of things. Well, you're actually married at that point.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
yeah and all these things were like so untrue and various things right it was very overwhelming absolutely overwhelming i remember every day i'll go home and cry at the end of the day the next morning i have to like okay i have to focus again go down to the constituency go listen to the residents constituents understand their problems try to help them so and so and this every day and let's just repeat for quite some time was under quite a lot of stress
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
Then in terms of gender, actually less so, but I did have a handful, a very small number of more mature men, like we call them uncles. And then they actually asked me, you're a woman. what do you know of the problems we men face? So I got those comments before, but I don't think they were meant to be mean, but it was genuinely like, do you really understand me?
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
Fast forward, I would say that in the end, there's no shortcut to addressing these concerns that constituents have or that people have of me back then. It was really through constant engagement, listening, understanding, Working alongside them, trying to help them over time, building up trust, building up chemistry, showing my sincerity and my work through real actions, I think is the main thing.
Chief Change Officer
#190 Pei Ling Tin: A Life-Altering Election for Singapore's Youngest Elected Parliamentarian - Part One
critical success factor in that sense that helped to convince them that, hey, you can trust me. I'm here for you. And I think that's also the main reason why we have managed to forge bonds over the years.