Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam describes herself as an "accidental politician".
The 44-year-old says she never sought to run for elections when she first got involved with the People's Action Party (PAP) as a volunteer, then as an activist.
She had been involved in community work since her teenage years. This intensified when she started work as a lawyer and joined various committees, such as those under the National Library Board and government feedback unit Reach.
She was asked to stand for elections in 2011 but turned the PAP down, and again in 2015, when she agreed.
"I was asked, and initially I had reservations, as at that juncture I was just starting to volunteer at the branches with MPS (Meet-the-People Sessions). Then I was asked again, and I said yes, and the rest is history," she told The Straits Times.
Then there was the "misunderstanding" about her husband's views on her involvement.
Esta historia es de la edición December 23, 2024 de The Straits Times.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición December 23, 2024 de The Straits Times.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Rust prosecutor withdraws appeal of dismissal of Alec Baldwin case
The effort to prosecute Alec Baldwin (right) for the fatal shooting of a cinematographer in 2021 ended on Dec 23, when the special prosecutor withdrew her appeal of the judge's decision to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter charge during the actor's trial.
Stray Kids' album Hop gets historic sixth Billboard 200 No. 1
K-pop boy band Stray Kids marked a historic milestone by ranking No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for the sixth time with their latest album, Hop.
New entries to a hallowed catalogue: The holiday album
NEW YORK A holiday album offers musicians a chance to adopt or reinvent a classic format and show fans a different side of themselves. Here is a sampling of 2024’s releases, from singers exploring the standards to artistes rethinking the meaning of the holidays.
‘I was upstaging myself constantly'
Actor Jim Carrey comes out of retirement to play dual geniuses in Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Binge-worthy Gong Yoo shows fragile, vulnerable side in The Trunk
A gunshot and sinking of the titular trunk set up this psychological-romance drama led by South Korean star Gong Yoo.
Thrills and spills abound in legal thriller Juror #2, airport actioner Carry-On
The story: Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood's 40th directorial feature has a juror (Nicholas Hoult) in a high-profile murder trial weighing a crisis of conscience.
History is handled with care in Harbin
The period drama directed by Woo Min-ho is a handsome but reverent account of a Korean hero
The extremely offline joy of the board game club
When Ms Michelle Kong started a chess club in 2023, hoping to meet other players in their 20s, attendance was so meagre that she needed only one chessboard.
You may not need protein powder if you are eating right
But if it is necessary to use the supplement, choose one that has fewer extra ingredients
Exercise helps with almost everything, including hangovers
Electrolyte drinks, ibuprofen, a bagel overflowing with bacon, egg and cheese - everyone has his or her own way of nursing a hangover.
