Singapore Member of Parliament Tin Pei Ling has switched to a new role at Grab Singapore after her appointment as director of public affairs and policy last week sparked public outcry. The ride-hailing and technology company stated that her new role will involve corporate development, and she will not be involved in public affairs and policy work in Singapore nor represent the company in public policy discussions with the government. Grab Singapore acknowledged that the appointment had generated significant discourse and that conflicts of interest warrant robust discussion. The People's Action Party (PAP) to which Tin belongs did not object to her appointment, but following public reaction to the news, it discussed the matter with her again and it became clear to the party that she would be expected to engage regularly with government on public policy issues on behalf of Grab, which could present challenges in carrying out these responsibilities.

Tin, who is the MP for MacPherson, will continue to abide by the rules put in place to declare and avoid conflicts of interest, and operate in the same manner as other MPs holding private sector roles. In a statement, Tin said that she and Grab discussed and agreed it would be best for her to move into a role that did not involve government relations in Singapore, as she did not want her ability to serve her constituents well as MP or her job at Grab to be hindered. Her new role is aligned with her career interests and will tap her experience in consulting and corporate strategy. Tin is married with two children and chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Communications and Information, and is a member of the GPC for Culture, Community, and Youth.

Source: The Straits Times