Govt, Opposition should participate in solving problems together: PM Lee

by Joanne Chan, TODAY, 31 Oct 2011

PERTH - Parliament is not just a place to hold either the Government or the Opposition to account. Instead, both sides should participate in solving problems together - or Singapore would be worse off for it.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made this point yesterday as he spoke to the Singapore media at the end of the three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Earlier this month, Singapore's Parliament sat for the first time since the May General Election - with a record number of Opposition MPs since the 1960s.

Mr Lee noted that the opposition MPs had put a lot of effort into their Parliamentary speeches. However, it remains to be seen if they will participate in helping to solve problems, Mr Lee said.

Said Mr Lee: "This is not just a show, it's not just theatre. This (Parliament) is a place where we are discussing very serious business and where we have to make very difficult choices for Singaporeans on behalf of our voters.

Mr Lee reiterated that the responsibility of an MP "is not just to repeat what others say… it's also to think for yourself, to have views of your own, and to express those views fearlessly".

Said Mr Lee: "The Government is not the emperor, it cannot chop your head off. But to dare to stand up and say something which is true but may be difficult, spiky, which the population may not wish to hear… that takes courage."

"And I think as Government, it's our responsibility to speak the truth to Singaporeans and I think it's the Opposition's responsibility also to acknowledge the truth and to speak it, whether or not it's politically advantageous to them."

Sharing his views on domestic issues, Mr Lee reiterated that there are dark clouds on the horizon.

Referring to the Monetary Authority of Singapore's (MAS) latest macro-economic review - which said that Singapore's economic growth will stall over the next few quarters before seeing a modest recovery late next year - Mr Lee said that apart from the problems in Europe, Singapore is also facing slowing growth because the economy is more mature.

Mr Lee said: "For a developed economy, 3, 4 per cent (growth) is not bad. Of course, we've been used to 5,6,7 per cent - or even more in the past but it's a different phase."

On the Government's move to raise the minimum qualifying salaries for foreign professionals and skilled workers, Mr Lee acknowledges the employers' pain. He reiterated that accepting a lower growth rate is the price to pay for managing the population size in Singapore.

Despite the challenges, Mr Lee said the Republic should not be too downbeat as it aims for "quality growth".

Mr Lee also pointed out that the various leaders he had met at CHOGM had all expressed admiration for Singapore and said the country has done very well.

Turning his thoughts on the Commonwealth, Mr Lee described it as an "old boys' club" brought together by a shared history.

In the Commonwealth, members work together where they can but they also have disagreements, Mr Lee noted.

Among the reforms mooted was a proposal for an independent commissioner on human rights, democracy and the rule of law was one of the reforms.

While the proposal - which was recommended by CHOGM's eminent persons group - had the backing of several member countries including Australia and the United Kingdom, it failed to get consensus. On the failed proposal, Mr Lee said Singapore's support will depend on whether such a commissioner will be productive.

All MPs should solve problems together: PM
The Straits Times, 31 Oct 2011

Speaking to reporters in Perth yesterday, PM Lee also gave his thoughts on the first sitting of Parliament earlier this month. In particular, he emphasised the need for all MPs - whether opposition or ruling party - to engage in serious discussion of policy issues and to help find solutions to Singapore's problems:

'I think the MPs put a lot of effort into their speeches. They all have different points of view. There's a lot of excitement and interest because it's a first sitting of Parliament, and people want to hear what the new MPs are saying, particularly the new opposition MPs. Singaporeans will judge. I think the PAP MPs spoke well, the opposition MPs carried a range of views. There will be time to engage over a period of months and years.

But Parliament is a place where we should have serious discussion; we should discuss, not just criticise, not just hold to account the Government or the opposition. Let's try and solve problems together, because we own these problems together. Unless we can solve them together, Singapore will be worse off for it.

That's something we have to emphasise - we'll have to repeat and bring home the point in Parliament and also to Singaporeans over a period of time. This is not just a show, it's not just theatre. This is a place where we are discussing very serious business and where we have to make very difficult choices for Singapore, on behalf of our voters...

...the responsibility of a Member of Parliament is not just to repeat what others say, it's also to think for yourself, to have views of your own, and to express those views fearlessly.

As I said in my speech (in Parliament on Oct 20), to dare to challenge a Government doesn't take courage because the Government is not the emperor, it cannot chop your head off. But to dare to stand up and say something which is true but may be difficult, spiky, which the population may not wish to hear - that takes courage because the population has votes and can cut your votes off and take you out.

As the Government it is our responsibility to speak the truth to Singaporeans, and I think it's the opposition's responsibility also to acknowledge the truth and speak it whether or not it's politically advantageous to them.'

He also spoke about how other government leaders at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) looked to Singapore for ideas on how to improve their own countries:

'If you talk to the other leaders at the Chogm, all of them say, wow Singapore has done very well, how did you do it, we'd like to do the same. They may come from Caribbean, from Africa, from the Pacific countries... so many of them said they've read MM's (former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew) books and they admire us and they'd like to pick up some tips from us on how we did it.

Even Western Australia - I had a meeting with the Premier yesterday evening, and they are keen to develop links with Singapore. They have a lot of resources, they see us as energetic, innovative, with possibilities, linked up with the region, and they'd like to link up with Singapore and through Singapore to Asia.

All that gives something valuable to us. It also reminds us that while we may have our challenges, we should not be too downbeat. We're not doing badly, we can do better, and if we work closely together, I think we can make things much better.'