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PAP takes governance seriously, DPM Heng Swee Keat says as he rebuts Tan Cheng Bock
SINGAPORE - The People's Action Party takes governance and governing Singapore very seriously and has always worked hard to improve the lives of Singaporeans, with a track record to show, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Saturday (July 27) as he rejected Dr Tan Cheng Bock's assertion that the ruling party has lost its way.
DPM Heng said that the ministers have been working closely together as a team to tackle the concrete issues and major challenges facing Singapore, such as creating jobs for people as the economy restructures, and taking care of an ageing population
Referring to remarks by Dr Tan, who said the ruling party had lost its way and eroded the foundations of good governance, DPM Heng said: "We fundamentally disagree with Dr Tan. But of course he's entitled to his opinions just as all Singaporeans are entitled to opinions."
Speaking to the media after a community visit in Bedok, he added: "Many residents have told me about their support for government policy and how government policy has improved their lives."
DPM Heng and Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing visited East Coast GRC MP Lim Swee Say's ward as part of an ongoing series of visits by PAP's fourth-generation leaders, and were asked by media about Dr Tan's criticism of the ruling party on governance and transparency.
DPM Heng said: "In some ways, Dr Tan contradicted himself. He said that there's no transparency but at the same time he attacked the fact that the issue of Oxley Road was raised in Parliament."
"Now that is transparency, the fact that (the) Prime Minister was prepared to have this issue debated in Parliament, clarified in Parliament, is a very important aspect of our governance."
Dr Tan had on Friday, during the press conference to officially introduce his Progress Singapore Party, charged that the PAP had changed and no longer hewed to standards of good governance.
The former PAP MP-turned-opposition politician singled out three issues to illustrate his point: the appointment of ministers' spouses to top roles; the changes to the elected presidency in 2016 to ensure minority representation, which led to the 2017 Presidential Election being reserved for Malay candidates; and the 2017 parliamentary debate on the fate of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew's house at 38 Oxley Road.
SINGAPORE - The People's Action Party takes governance and governing Singapore very seriously and has always worked hard to improve the lives of Singaporeans, with a track record to show, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Saturday (July 27) as he rejected Dr Tan Cheng Bock's assertion that the ruling party has lost its way.
DPM Heng said that the ministers have been working closely together as a team to tackle the concrete issues and major challenges facing Singapore, such as creating jobs for people as the economy restructures, and taking care of an ageing population
Referring to remarks by Dr Tan, who said the ruling party had lost its way and eroded the foundations of good governance, DPM Heng said: "We fundamentally disagree with Dr Tan. But of course he's entitled to his opinions just as all Singaporeans are entitled to opinions."
Speaking to the media after a community visit in Bedok, he added: "Many residents have told me about their support for government policy and how government policy has improved their lives."
DPM Heng and Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing visited East Coast GRC MP Lim Swee Say's ward as part of an ongoing series of visits by PAP's fourth-generation leaders, and were asked by media about Dr Tan's criticism of the ruling party on governance and transparency.
DPM Heng said: "In some ways, Dr Tan contradicted himself. He said that there's no transparency but at the same time he attacked the fact that the issue of Oxley Road was raised in Parliament."
"Now that is transparency, the fact that (the) Prime Minister was prepared to have this issue debated in Parliament, clarified in Parliament, is a very important aspect of our governance."
Dr Tan had on Friday, during the press conference to officially introduce his Progress Singapore Party, charged that the PAP had changed and no longer hewed to standards of good governance.
The former PAP MP-turned-opposition politician singled out three issues to illustrate his point: the appointment of ministers' spouses to top roles; the changes to the elected presidency in 2016 to ensure minority representation, which led to the 2017 Presidential Election being reserved for Malay candidates; and the 2017 parliamentary debate on the fate of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew's house at 38 Oxley Road.
Ah Heng is the quintessential yes man. I worry if he agrees with Dr Tan's views. 
