SINGAPORE: Chan Chun Sing, Singapore’s newly appointed Defence Minister, made headlines with an unannounced visit to MINDEF headquarters in the early hours of 25 May 2025.
At 12.17am on Sunday, he posted a selfie on Facebook, showing himself in front of a Gombak Drive street sign. He wore a blue cycling helmet, suggesting he had arrived by bicycle.
“Night ride to the office…. Had a nice chat with our vigilant soldiers on night duty,” he wrote in the caption.
The location and timing of the post indicated a personal and unscheduled night-time visit to the Gombak Base, where MINDEF HQ is located.
The Facebook post drew wide attention online.
A FB user joked that the surprise visit was more nerve-wracking than an “encik turnout”, referring to surprise checks on operational readiness.
Another commented that the sight of the Defence Minister cycling in unannounced might have shocked the guard commander on duty.
Others praised the initiative, saying such visits reflect a ground-up approach and willingness to engage soldiers directly. One comment suggested bringing snacks for the troops next time.
Later that same night, Chan also changed his Facebook cover photo, further marking his entry into the defence portfolio with personal touches.
This is not his first cycling-related post. He has previously shared photos of himself cycling across Singapore.
Chan was sworn in as Defence Minister on 23 May, following the formation of a new Cabinet announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on 21 May. The new Cabinet followed the general election held on 3 May.
A key feature of the new administration is the inclusion of a core leadership team comprising Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Coordinating Ministers K. Shanmugam, Chan Chun Sing, and Ong Ye Kung.
Chan took over the Defence Ministry from Ng Eng Hen, who stepped down after over two decades in politics.
In addition to his role as Defence Minister, Chan also serves as Coordinating Minister for Public Services.
His previous portfolio as Education Minister has been handed over to Desmond Lee.
Serving with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) from 1987 to 2011, Chan held various appointments including Chief of Army. He left the SAF to run in the 2011 General Election and was elected Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC.
On the morning of 26 May, Chan shared another selfie on Facebook from within the MINDEF office, writing, “I look forward to meeting and working closely with colleagues at MINDEF and the SAF.”
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