Meanwhile, the walkabout at Ang Mo Kio GRC was Ms Lau’s first. The former Ministry of Health (MOH) deputy secretary, whose last day in the civil service was Apr 1, said she has been asked whether she would be running in the election.
“So here I am,” the 42-year-old said, adding that she was glad to be “standing on the shoulders of giants” and learning from them.
“It’s been very, very warm actually, meeting all residents in Ang Mo Kio, even as I do it quietly. There’s been a lot of generosity of time, energy and resources, and people genuinely want to contribute. So I look forward to a lot more of that,” she added.
While Ms Lau felt “very honoured” when Mr Lee invited her to visit Ang Mo Kio to learn, she confessed that she was also “a little bit stressed”.
“We’re learning not just from SM Lee, but from a team – generations of leaders who’ve served Ang Mo Kio, who have done so much for the people here,” she said.
Ms Lau was among the highest-ranked civil servants at MOH, where she oversaw manpower, financing and regulatory measures in the healthcare system.
Her civil service career began in 2006 and spanned six postings, including an earlier stint at MOH from 2013 to 2019.
As a civil servant, she also worked at the Economic Development Board, the Public Service Division, the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Finance.
