GE: PAP ministers refute allegations of
arrogance
SINGAPORE: They have heard it before, and the
People's Action Party leadership heard it again on the first night
of election rallies.
On Friday, six ministers responded in different ways - from sharp
retorts to patient explanation - to the Opposition's charge that
the PAP has become arrogant.
The strongest comeback was from Home Affairs and Law Minister K.
Shanmugam, who described it as "classic politics of negativity",
with nothing to back it up.
"The people who say this - do they give any examples to back up
what they mean? Or do they just hope to generally create and ride
on some discontent? What do they mean by 'the Government is too
arrogant'?" he shot back.
"I doubt very much if concrete examples were given. So, don't
assume the accusation is correct and we have to defend."
Mr Gerald Giam, a Workers' Party candidate in East Coast Group
Representation Constituency, had said on Thursday that 52 years in
power has made the PAP "complacent and arrogant" and act as if it
is "entitled" to voters' support.
To this, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui
Tuck Yew said: "It's a word they always throw around - phrases and
other descriptors. The people will decide whether we're arrogant or
not, or whether we've been listening to them, understanding them,
working with them.
"I think that's a better indicator. I won't take the words of the
WP for whatever it's worth."
The recurring theme among the ministers as they spoke to Today was
that consultation was well and truly alive within the PAP.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said: "We
know if we make one policy which is wrong, it's going to injure an
entire generation. So we consult widely, we speak to a lot of
people.
"And, as mentioned by Mr Lui, if the WP has some idea which is a
workable solution, they've never presented it. So I don't know
who's arrogant at this point in time."
Indeed, at this point in time, the PAP is far more approachable
than it was before, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said.
"Maybe in the past, there were issues to be resolved and, of
course, there was no time to consult people and actions had to be
taken," he said.
"In recent years, you'll find that every policy is openly discussed
... before we implement policies."
And the message from Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan is that the PAP
will not rest on its laurels.
"We're never complacent. That's a statement of fact - that we have
very good results, and we'll always work our guts out for the
people. And I think that's what ... really counts," he said as he
stressed that voters should ask if candidates are reliable and if
the party's plans will benefit them.
Robust as some of the responses were, there was also recognition
that there can be room to do better.
Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo struck the conciliatory note
when he said he was "aware of this criticism of the PAP".
"It's always good to have feedback and sometimes feedback may be
hard on the ears but, very often, that would be the most important
feedback," he said.
"If there's a need for us to improve, we should work to improve.
There must be no righteous attitude that we're by any means
perfect. That would be absurd."
He added that it was also important, when "discussing the issue of
arrogance and the issue of failings of the Government, to take a
step back and look at the overall picture of how Singapore is
doing", objectively and by "international standards".
"When we do that we'll see things in perspective," he said.
- TODAY
