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Apr 23, 2010
GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE
Complete trust is the key
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WITH reference to last Saturday's report, 'Good that young people want say in policies', I wish to recall Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong's reminder at the recent Singapore-China leadership forum about the importance of building trust between the Government and the people, particularly the younger generation.
As a Singaporean in his mid-20s, I witnessed a less drastic national transformation than my parents did.
Still, to me, trust is an all-or-nothing virtue and remains the value that sustains a positive relationship.
The West - the United States in particular - heralds liberal democracy as the ideal form of governance. A peaceful transfer of power is accepted as a way of life and because of a deep trust in the system, democracy works.
However, if one applies the same conditions to countries like Thailand, for instance, the more likely outcome is discord: protests, riots and bloodshed.
In East Asian cultures, the state and the family typically come before individual aspirations.
Sharing a common destiny and a long-term goal is believed to make society more stable. This stability comes when there is mutual trust between the government and the people, with sincere and honest exchanges between them.
A good doctor would prescribe to his patients an optimal dose of the right medicine when needed. He would aim to solve the root of the problem, not just its symptoms.
Some situations require long-term care and constant monitoring. This corresponds to national leaders making a conscious effort to keep government clean and incorruptible, and maintaining racial and religious harmony.
When a good doctor performs his duty well, he gains the patient's trust and respect. Wise patients will naturally consult him regularly.
It is natural for patients to become more demanding after many happy visits, requiring the doctor to adapt by doing more explaining and offering more treatment options.
However unreasonable the patient may be, the doctor has a duty to deliver.
In a situation where the doctor consistently makes wrong diagnoses or too many other mistakes, the patient would naturally find another doctor to replace him.
But once an experienced doctor with a good track record is gone, it is difficult to find another one. Even if one is found, trust must be built all over again.
Tay Xiong Sheng
GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE
Complete trust is the key
<!-- by line --><!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
WITH reference to last Saturday's report, 'Good that young people want say in policies', I wish to recall Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong's reminder at the recent Singapore-China leadership forum about the importance of building trust between the Government and the people, particularly the younger generation.
As a Singaporean in his mid-20s, I witnessed a less drastic national transformation than my parents did.
Still, to me, trust is an all-or-nothing virtue and remains the value that sustains a positive relationship.
The West - the United States in particular - heralds liberal democracy as the ideal form of governance. A peaceful transfer of power is accepted as a way of life and because of a deep trust in the system, democracy works.
However, if one applies the same conditions to countries like Thailand, for instance, the more likely outcome is discord: protests, riots and bloodshed.
In East Asian cultures, the state and the family typically come before individual aspirations.
Sharing a common destiny and a long-term goal is believed to make society more stable. This stability comes when there is mutual trust between the government and the people, with sincere and honest exchanges between them.
A good doctor would prescribe to his patients an optimal dose of the right medicine when needed. He would aim to solve the root of the problem, not just its symptoms.
Some situations require long-term care and constant monitoring. This corresponds to national leaders making a conscious effort to keep government clean and incorruptible, and maintaining racial and religious harmony.
When a good doctor performs his duty well, he gains the patient's trust and respect. Wise patients will naturally consult him regularly.
It is natural for patients to become more demanding after many happy visits, requiring the doctor to adapt by doing more explaining and offering more treatment options.
However unreasonable the patient may be, the doctor has a duty to deliver.
In a situation where the doctor consistently makes wrong diagnoses or too many other mistakes, the patient would naturally find another doctor to replace him.
But once an experienced doctor with a good track record is gone, it is difficult to find another one. Even if one is found, trust must be built all over again.
Tay Xiong Sheng
