Is Tin Pei Ling’s job title at Grab too on the nose?

Much ink has already been spilled over the appointment of Singapore member of parliament (MP) Tin Pei Ling as Grab’s director of public affairs and policy for the city-state.

In a nutshell, critics say this puts the three-term MP from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) in a position with conflict of interest.

Job scope inconsistent with PAP rules?

On the surface, Tin’s appointment does seem inconsistent with the Rules of Prudence issued by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to MPs under PAP.

Under these guidelines, MPs should not:

1. lobby any ministry or statutory board on behalf of anyone who is not their constituent;
2. raise matters with public officers on behalf of employers to advance their business interests; and
3. exploit their position as MPs, close contacts with ministers, or access to government departments and civil servants for the benefit of their employers.

What is the typical job scope of someone in Tin’s position?

To get an idea, we took a look at the job description for a government affairs and public policy manager at Google in Singapore. Their responsibilities include:

1. developing and executing the company’s policy strategy, and crafting its external narrative around policy challenges;
2. advising other teams within the company though the public policy lens;
3. engaging directly with policymakers, industry players, and key opinion formers to shape policy and political dialog; and
4. monitoring and researching current and relevant emerging public policy issues.

Based on the functions listed above, we can surmise that Tin’s role may involve using her experience in government to provide Grab with insights on policy developments that will affect the company. It could also include engaging with regulators and the government to advocate for Grab’s view on various policy matters.

The latter function seems especially problematic.

To be fair, the Rules of Prudence say that MPs may “relay feedback and speak freely to Cabinet Ministers.” But someone in Tin’s role would typically be expected to do more than just relay feedback.

Tin Pei Ling, Grab’s new director of public affairs and policy for Singapore / Photo credit: Tin Pei Ling’s Facebbok page

As things stand, it is difficult to see how she can effectively discharge her responsibilities at Grab while staying within the boundaries of the other guidelines.

Plenty of lobbying behind closed doors

The level of outrage online at Tin’s appointment is still a bit surprising, though, since this is not the first time a company has hired a politically connected individual.

Too on the nose?

What next?