There was a time when members of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) prided themselves on basing things on facts, and would go the length to sue anyone who would do otherwise.
Things seem to have changed somewhat lately.
Three recent instances show that PAP ministers have made claims or allegations which do not seem to be based on facts, but are rather spurious and even wild imaginations.
In September, when the now infamous clash of events at Hong Lim Park between the YMCA and the CPF protest took place, Manpower Minister Tan Chuan Jin led the chorus of PAP MPs who accused the protesters of “heckling” the special needs children who were at the YMCA charity event.
But as this writer pointed out then, there was and has been no evidence to show that any “heckling” directed at the children had actually taken place.
Read the report here: “Heckling, anarchist? Nah, just immaturity”.
The media subsequently picked up the accusation and even headlined their reports with it.
However, the minister himself has been silent about this since.
In his speech to party faithful in December during the PAP’s 60th anniversary celebrations, secretary general Lee Hsien Loong claimed that “the opposition have not articulated any vision for Singapore, as they say they cannot form the government.” (CNA)
Mr Lee is wrong on both counts, in fact.
First, at least four opposition parties have their own visions for Singapore and have laid these out in various forms.....
The third instance of a minister making unfounded or unsubstantiated accusations took place in December as well.
Minister of State for National Development, Desmond Lee, apparently took umbrage at some of his critics’ questioning of his attacks on the Workers’ Party and its town council.
Mr Lee, who is an MP for Jurong GRC, was reported to have said......
There are so many claims in Mr Lee’s remarks which he should indeed substantiate and show proof for.
For example, where is this “coordinated online campaign”? In what website is this being conducted? Which social media outlet or platform? Who is “coordinating” this “campaign”? Who indeed is funding it, if true?
What are the “falsehoods, half-truths and speculations” which Mr Lee is accusing others of propagating?
Who are these “friends, sympathisers and proxies of the Workers’ Party” of which he speaks? Is Mr Lee accusing members of the public who disagree with him of being “friends, sympathisers and proxies” of the WP?
And where is the proof that it is the WP which is behind this, as Mr Lee claimed?
Unfortunately, Mr Lee has provided not a shred of explanation or evidence to prove what he freely alleges.
It is, honestly, most unbecoming of a person of Mr Lee’s position – a minister of state – to make such wild and unsubstantiated allegations against unnamed targets.
Such allegations only serve to discredit the government and its ministers. Singaporeans will now, and rightly so, raise a question mark over all that is claimed or said by our ministers.
The mark of a leader is how he remains restrained and rational, particularly on occasions when emotions run high, and not give in to making accusations or claims which are easily shown up as empty hot air.
It does no one any good, least of all in the area of building trust between the government and the people.
http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2014/12/when-ministers-make-wrong-or-unsubstantiated-claims/
Things seem to have changed somewhat lately.
Three recent instances show that PAP ministers have made claims or allegations which do not seem to be based on facts, but are rather spurious and even wild imaginations.
In September, when the now infamous clash of events at Hong Lim Park between the YMCA and the CPF protest took place, Manpower Minister Tan Chuan Jin led the chorus of PAP MPs who accused the protesters of “heckling” the special needs children who were at the YMCA charity event.
But as this writer pointed out then, there was and has been no evidence to show that any “heckling” directed at the children had actually taken place.
Read the report here: “Heckling, anarchist? Nah, just immaturity”.
The media subsequently picked up the accusation and even headlined their reports with it.
However, the minister himself has been silent about this since.
In his speech to party faithful in December during the PAP’s 60th anniversary celebrations, secretary general Lee Hsien Loong claimed that “the opposition have not articulated any vision for Singapore, as they say they cannot form the government.” (CNA)
Mr Lee is wrong on both counts, in fact.
First, at least four opposition parties have their own visions for Singapore and have laid these out in various forms.....
The third instance of a minister making unfounded or unsubstantiated accusations took place in December as well.
Minister of State for National Development, Desmond Lee, apparently took umbrage at some of his critics’ questioning of his attacks on the Workers’ Party and its town council.
Mr Lee, who is an MP for Jurong GRC, was reported to have said......
There are so many claims in Mr Lee’s remarks which he should indeed substantiate and show proof for.
For example, where is this “coordinated online campaign”? In what website is this being conducted? Which social media outlet or platform? Who is “coordinating” this “campaign”? Who indeed is funding it, if true?
What are the “falsehoods, half-truths and speculations” which Mr Lee is accusing others of propagating?
Who are these “friends, sympathisers and proxies of the Workers’ Party” of which he speaks? Is Mr Lee accusing members of the public who disagree with him of being “friends, sympathisers and proxies” of the WP?
And where is the proof that it is the WP which is behind this, as Mr Lee claimed?
Unfortunately, Mr Lee has provided not a shred of explanation or evidence to prove what he freely alleges.
It is, honestly, most unbecoming of a person of Mr Lee’s position – a minister of state – to make such wild and unsubstantiated allegations against unnamed targets.
Such allegations only serve to discredit the government and its ministers. Singaporeans will now, and rightly so, raise a question mark over all that is claimed or said by our ministers.
The mark of a leader is how he remains restrained and rational, particularly on occasions when emotions run high, and not give in to making accusations or claims which are easily shown up as empty hot air.
It does no one any good, least of all in the area of building trust between the government and the people.
http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2014/12/when-ministers-make-wrong-or-unsubstantiated-claims/
