MP Louis Ng to try different jobs for 'first-hand experience'

SINGAPORE - Don't be too surprised if you find MP Louis Ng serving you kopi si at the coffee shop.

The Nee Soon MP declared on Facebook on Tuesday (Nov 3) that he will not be an MP for at least once a month.

Instead, he will be trying out different jobs to "gain some first-hand experience".

The newly-minted MP, who is also executive director of the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (Acres), told The Straits Times that he will work an actual shift at a C-class ward at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital sometime this month.

"From this experience, I hope to not only see how we can help healthcare workers but also how we can make things better for hospital patients," he wrote on Facebook.

The other jobs he intends to try include cleaner, Grabcar driver and coffee shop assistant.

"Getting feedback is one thing, but experiencing it first hand is different," he said, adding that he is excited to start on his side job.

In December, he has plans to be a Grabcar driver. He hopes to get candid views on issues from his passengers, who will get free rides.

He then intends to spend the total value of the rides he gives on buying Christmas presents for the children of Nee Soon residents living in rental flats. He is exploring how he can join the police on their patrols.

Mr Ng said that he has the chance to "try 60 jobs" in one five-year term of office, but he will want to return to some of the jobs he has tried to see if conditions improve after he gave feedback.

"I don't want it to be a one-off thing," he said.

He asked Facebook followers for suggestions in his post, which had been shared more than 50 times in the two hours after it was put up.

Netizens chimed in with ideas for jobs, including social worker, pre-school teacher and construction worker.

This article was first published on Nov 3, 2015.
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