When contacted, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and PAP MP Janil Puthucheary defended the PA's policy.
Dr Puthucheary, who sits on the PA's board of management, said that as a statutory board, the PA is "linked to government policy" and the grassroots adviser has to believe in the overall thrust of the government's approach.
"People who implement and operationalise these policies cannot oppose them. You simply can't have a situation where the adviser eg Lim Boon Heng, the PA Adviser does not support the implementation of these policies," he noted.
Opposition MPs fundamentally oppose the government and so would not always be in support of its policies and programmes, he said.
"Even if they did support policies such as anti-dengue and active ageing programmes, it is possible that they could oppose methods of implementation of these policies," he added.
- http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/sing...mps-cannot-grassroots-advisers-161613082.html
Dr Puthucheary, who sits on the PA's board of management, said that as a statutory board, the PA is "linked to government policy" and the grassroots adviser has to believe in the overall thrust of the government's approach.
"People who implement and operationalise these policies cannot oppose them. You simply can't have a situation where the adviser eg Lim Boon Heng, the PA Adviser does not support the implementation of these policies," he noted.
Opposition MPs fundamentally oppose the government and so would not always be in support of its policies and programmes, he said.
"Even if they did support policies such as anti-dengue and active ageing programmes, it is possible that they could oppose methods of implementation of these policies," he added.
- http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/sing...mps-cannot-grassroots-advisers-161613082.html