So there you have it. Straight from the horse's mouth. (see below)
Pointless writing to the press, meeting your PAP MP, engaging with grassroots organisations, making your voice heard at Hong Lim, blogging on the net, participating on online forums, speaking or writing to various government bodies or even participating in government feedback sessions.
Only thru the "Singapore Conversation" will your views be heard. And more importantly our political leaders can actual start to do something after hearing from you at the Singapore Conversation. They need your help to set the direction for the country. If not they will be clueless. You see they have no time to listen to any other channels as they spending quality time with their families, many of whom are studying overseas or have second homes in 1st world countries.
And he is right. A tried and tested channel with great credibility. My parents told me that when Singapore became independent, they used to see Goh Keng Swee at Sago Lane in the heart of his constituency sitting on a old hawker's chair with one foot precariously on the seat while seated and the other foot dangling down, old Singapore style, under a banner that said "Singapore Conversation" It was said it was from here that he realised that Singaporeans needed to be employed and 7 years later in 1972, Singapore saw full employment and Jurong came into being.
And who can forget Rajaretnam smoking away at Bussorah street and his famous SIngapore Conversation approach spiced with Nasi Campur dishes that led to the pledge . Though Lim Kim San will never admit it but it was in Cairnhill while tucking into his favourite dish of Buah Keluak while chatting with the Bibis at the Singapore Conversation that he realised that people needed affordable housing soon and soon was not soon enough.
Pointless writing to the press, meeting your PAP MP, engaging with grassroots organisations, making your voice heard at Hong Lim, blogging on the net, participating on online forums, speaking or writing to various government bodies or even participating in government feedback sessions.
Only thru the "Singapore Conversation" will your views be heard. And more importantly our political leaders can actual start to do something after hearing from you at the Singapore Conversation. They need your help to set the direction for the country. If not they will be clueless. You see they have no time to listen to any other channels as they spending quality time with their families, many of whom are studying overseas or have second homes in 1st world countries.
And he is right. A tried and tested channel with great credibility. My parents told me that when Singapore became independent, they used to see Goh Keng Swee at Sago Lane in the heart of his constituency sitting on a old hawker's chair with one foot precariously on the seat while seated and the other foot dangling down, old Singapore style, under a banner that said "Singapore Conversation" It was said it was from here that he realised that Singaporeans needed to be employed and 7 years later in 1972, Singapore saw full employment and Jurong came into being.
And who can forget Rajaretnam smoking away at Bussorah street and his famous SIngapore Conversation approach spiced with Nasi Campur dishes that led to the pledge . Though Lim Kim San will never admit it but it was in Cairnhill while tucking into his favourite dish of Buah Keluak while chatting with the Bibis at the Singapore Conversation that he realised that people needed affordable housing soon and soon was not soon enough.
SINGAPORE – Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said today that it is through the Singapore Conversation that people can decide what the country’s important directions are, even as citizens have diverse views about Singapore’s future.
Dr Ng was speaking on the sidelines of a PAssionArts cultural event in Bishan, where he also touched on Singapore-United States defence relations.
Singapore is at a critical point in nation-building where many challenges faced by today’s citizens differ from those experienced by previous generations, said Dr Ng, adding that what remains relevant is still the core challenge Singapore faces.
That is because other issues, like meeting people’s aspirations, are discussed on the assumption that Singapore can remain competitive, said the minister.
Dr Ng said he was confident that together, people can make the right decisions that will chart the country’s path forward, even after taking into account different viewpoints.
The minister said that he believed it was crucial for people to help the nation arrive at practical policies that can sustain the country for the next 20 years.
“It’s an important time for Singaporeans to say what (are the) directions we want to take, how does our economy support what we want to do, how do we take care of the elderly and yet at the same time provide opportunities for the young,” said Dr Ng.
The defence minister also said that his ministry was “very gratified” with US President Barack Obama’s positive comments on the military ties between Singapore and the United States. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong met President Obama during his recent trip to the US.
Dr Ng said that Singapore wants to continue facilitating an American presence in the region.
“We have to have a security architecture that is stable, that includes not only them (the US) as a resident power, but also emerging powers like China and India. And they recognise this,” said the minister.
Dr Ng said both Singapore and the US are working very hard at forging multilateral relationships that can create regional stability. CHANNEL NEWSASIA