Very wrong to be appointed ministers without having been an MP for even one day

[Confuseous]

How can Ministers have compassion for the people if they have never been an MP for even a day before they are elevated into the Cabinet?

The PAP system is wrong. It is wrong to try to give Ministers an easy path into the Cabinet via GRC’s. It is wrong to make people Ministers without having served a single day as MP. It is wrong to compare Ministers with CEO’s or CFO’s. It is also wrong for the people who accept the PAP’s offer to think that a Ministerial job is like any other corporate job, that once they pass the interviews by the PM, they will get the job.

Singaporeans must remember that every MP is elected to serve them, not to renew the PAP’s cabinet. They must break out from 50 years of conditioning by PAP. And they must make sure that they don’t give so-called ministerial-calibre candidates a free ride into Parliament in 2016.

Because if we don’t reject this PAP philosophy, we will not be led by political leaders, but we’ll be led by a bunch of headhunted managers who have no real interest in politics.

- http://politicalwritings.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/what-if-i-get-fielded-in-hougang-or-aljunied/

 

[jw5]

I actually have a suggestion to appoint non elected mps as ministars.
Let the elected representatives go and shout and banter and let the appointed ministars
concentrate on making policies that benefit the people.
You can see what you get with some of the so called elected ministars.

 

[zhihau]

I actually have a suggestion to appoint non elected mps as ministars.

bro,

the electorate should be free to decide and choose who they want to elect as MPs and the Ministers should rightfully come from these groups of elected MPs. the party itself should be able to suss out the good ideas floating within the party and share it with their colleagues so that the their party can continue to enjoy the support from the electorate as a result of their good planning and good team work.

unless of course these folks are merely self-serving mouth pieces awaiting for a chance to bite into the pie and entrench themselves into power so they may continue to enjoy the privileges that they do now. then so be it. MPs not performing well should rightfully be kicked out of their seats, and the electorate would need to know more of what their MPs are doing... :p:p:p

 

[Sideswipe]

think appointed ministers ( non MP ) is worth a consideration. i don't mind a technocratic government. some peoples are just not meant to be career politicians but are experts in the fields of the respective ministries. Japan cabinet can have non-Diet ministers but Diet ministers ( either house ) must be the majority.

 

[scroobal]

You don't need to be a politican to be elected a Minister. It is something seen around the democratic world from time to time. Ministers are responsible for identifying and adopting the right policies for their ministries. Even Malaysia has adopted a non politican to be a Minister.

The role of an MP is different from that of a Minister. In fact it is mutually exclusive. You can be a good MP and a hopeless Minister and surprising vice versa.

Singapore constitution however restricts appointment of Ministers from members of Parliament.

How can Ministers have compassion for the people if they have never been an MP for even a day before they are elevated into the Cabinet?

The PAP system is wrong. It is wrong to try to give Ministers an easy path into the Cabinet via GRC’s. It is wrong to make people Ministers without having served a single day as MP. It is wrong to compare Ministers with CEO’s or CFO’s. It is also wrong for the people who accept the PAP’s offer to think that a Ministerial job is like any other corporate job, that once they pass the interviews by the PM, they will get the job.

Singaporeans must remember that every MP is elected to serve them, not to renew the PAP’s cabinet. They must break out from 50 years of conditioning by PAP. And they must make sure that they don’t give so-called ministerial-calibre candidates a free ride into Parliament in 2016.

Because if we don’t reject this PAP philosophy, we will not be led by political leaders, but we’ll be led by a bunch of headhunted managers who have no real interest in politics.

- http://politicalwritings.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/what-if-i-get-fielded-in-hougang-or-aljunied/

 

[Fook Seng]

think appointed ministers ( non MP ) is worth a consideration. i don't mind a technocratic government. some peoples are just not meant to be career politicians but are experts in the fields of the respective ministries. Japan cabinet can have non-Diet ministers but Diet ministers ( either house ) must be the majority.

In the US, too, the Secretaries, equivalent to our Ministers, are appointed and need not be elected in the House or Senate. Theoretically the good ones can survive through several changes of Govt.

Back to Singapore, even though Ministers have to be MPs, when are we going to see a Minister from the non-ruling party?