Opposition offers bad ideas and empty rhetoric: Shanmugam
By Rachel Chang
THE opposition in this election has offered only bad proposals or empty rhetoric designed to stoke up anger and disaffection, said Minister for Law and Home Affairs K. Shanmugam yesterday.
Speaking at a People's Action Party (PAP) rally in Yishun Stadium last night, Mr Shanmugam delivered a biting assessment of what he called the opposition's 'primary campaign approach' of playing up emotions for 'pure political gain'.
He characterised the proposals opposition parties have made on housing, economic strategy and the goods and services tax (GST) as all 'somewhere between bad and downright crazy'.
The Workers' Party's (WP) call to peg the prices of new flats to the median household incomes of eligible buyers, for example, would bring the price of all flats down, he told the crowd.
He also said the proposal of Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Tan Jee Say, a former top civil servant, to phase out manufacturing in Singapore would cause a loss of 500,000 jobs.
'In return, we will rely on the good wishes of our neighbours, to be their service centre. There is only one word to describe this proposal: Crazy.'
Describing this General Election as a fight for 'the soul of our democracy', he said there are two paths the country could take.
On one side is the People's Action Party (PAP), which has delivered decades of good governance. Because the people have put their trust in the PAP for so long, the Government has been able to 'plan long-term, long-range, and choose the most logical plans. That has made it possible for Singapore to be exceptionally successful'.
On the other side is a model in which 'politics means arguing to work up unhappiness against policies, even if the policies are for long-term benefit'.
He said the opposition was already engaging in such politicking, like on the immigration policy.
Opposition politicians have repeated 'over and over' that there have been too many foreigners allowed into Singapore, he said. But they have failed to engage with the substantive questions of 'How many is too many? How exactly will the number be cut back?
'They just try to translate the unhappiness into votes. In so doing, voters are deprived of a proper debate,' he said.
To those voters who want to vote for the opposition to ensure alternative voices in Parliament and scrutiny of the Government, Mr Shanmugam had one proposal.
The elected MP has two broad responsibilities, he said. First, to take care of the constituency, and second, to raise issues and contribute to policymaking on a national scale.
Singapore's Non-Constituency MP scheme allows this to be split up. NCMPs, the 'best losers' from the GE, have limited voting rights but can raise questions and table motions.
In the next Parliament, there will be at least nine opposition representatives. Should less than nine be elected, the balance will be made up by NCMPs.
So he argued that voters should vote for the team which will best take care of their constituency, and rest assured that the opposition 'will get into Parliament in any event'.
Mr Shanmugam also addressed concerns from voters that the PAP leadership does not empathise with the average Singaporean. 'Some tell us, our head says the PAP, but we wish you could do more to appeal to our hearts as well,' he said.
This powerful message, he added, will move the Government to place empathy and connection with its people at the front and centre of its agenda.
By Rachel Chang
THE opposition in this election has offered only bad proposals or empty rhetoric designed to stoke up anger and disaffection, said Minister for Law and Home Affairs K. Shanmugam yesterday.
Speaking at a People's Action Party (PAP) rally in Yishun Stadium last night, Mr Shanmugam delivered a biting assessment of what he called the opposition's 'primary campaign approach' of playing up emotions for 'pure political gain'.
He characterised the proposals opposition parties have made on housing, economic strategy and the goods and services tax (GST) as all 'somewhere between bad and downright crazy'.
The Workers' Party's (WP) call to peg the prices of new flats to the median household incomes of eligible buyers, for example, would bring the price of all flats down, he told the crowd.
He also said the proposal of Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Tan Jee Say, a former top civil servant, to phase out manufacturing in Singapore would cause a loss of 500,000 jobs.
'In return, we will rely on the good wishes of our neighbours, to be their service centre. There is only one word to describe this proposal: Crazy.'
Describing this General Election as a fight for 'the soul of our democracy', he said there are two paths the country could take.
On one side is the People's Action Party (PAP), which has delivered decades of good governance. Because the people have put their trust in the PAP for so long, the Government has been able to 'plan long-term, long-range, and choose the most logical plans. That has made it possible for Singapore to be exceptionally successful'.
On the other side is a model in which 'politics means arguing to work up unhappiness against policies, even if the policies are for long-term benefit'.
He said the opposition was already engaging in such politicking, like on the immigration policy.
Opposition politicians have repeated 'over and over' that there have been too many foreigners allowed into Singapore, he said. But they have failed to engage with the substantive questions of 'How many is too many? How exactly will the number be cut back?
'They just try to translate the unhappiness into votes. In so doing, voters are deprived of a proper debate,' he said.
To those voters who want to vote for the opposition to ensure alternative voices in Parliament and scrutiny of the Government, Mr Shanmugam had one proposal.
The elected MP has two broad responsibilities, he said. First, to take care of the constituency, and second, to raise issues and contribute to policymaking on a national scale.
Singapore's Non-Constituency MP scheme allows this to be split up. NCMPs, the 'best losers' from the GE, have limited voting rights but can raise questions and table motions.
In the next Parliament, there will be at least nine opposition representatives. Should less than nine be elected, the balance will be made up by NCMPs.
So he argued that voters should vote for the team which will best take care of their constituency, and rest assured that the opposition 'will get into Parliament in any event'.
Mr Shanmugam also addressed concerns from voters that the PAP leadership does not empathise with the average Singaporean. 'Some tell us, our head says the PAP, but we wish you could do more to appeal to our hearts as well,' he said.
This powerful message, he added, will move the Government to place empathy and connection with its people at the front and centre of its agenda.
