Looks like the "man of the hour" got owned pretty badly by an MP that doesn't attend Parliament often. Expected more from him.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/more-diversity-needed/2459078.html
SINGAPORE: Opposition Workers’ Party politician Leon Perera on Tuesday (Jan 26) cautioned against a national leadership “overwhelmingly” sourced from the civil service, saying that the Singapore should embrace political and social diversity.
Said the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament: “When our leadership core comes overwhelmingly from one kind of career background - lifelong civil servants - the risk becomes greater.
"I respect our civil service, and the civil servants who have devoted their careers to serving the needs of people. But to have a core leadership that has very few with any other kind of career profile, that opens up the danger of group-think, self-rationalisation, and self-congratulation.”
He added: “How can we face the future as a developed country, if we are dominated by a very powerful state which is in turn dominated by an entrenched, single political party? There will be too much dependence on a small group of people and the risk is too high."
"When too much power is entrenched in a party or a group of persons individually, whoever they may be or from whatever party, that power breeds complacency and the tendency to be self-serving. It is matter of time."
WHAT IS 'REAL' UNITY?
Mr Perera noted that the results of the 2015 General Election meant Singapore came close to having no elected opposition Members of Parliament in the House, with the Workers' Party retaining its single-seat Hougang ward by a smaller margin, and taking Aljunied GRC with just 50.96 per cent of the vote. This could have meant a “parliamentary super majority for one party”, he said.
Mr Perera asked: “What is the greatest danger facing Singapore’s political landscape in the long term? Gridlock? Or the non-existence of any viable alternative party other than the ruling party?”
He said that debate among different voices has to be celebrated, as it is this discourse that builds the trust between the Government and the people.
"I find the casting of election results as a badge of national unity deeply unhelpful for nation-building. It suggests that what unites us is the support for one political party. I’m sure that most Singaporeans believe that real unity recognises different voices and debates among them. That is precisely what makes Singapore stronger," said Mr Perera, in his first speech in Parliament.
“Unity, as the bedrock of our nation, should lie in the trust between Government and people, the trust in one another, and a collective sense self-worth and national purpose. That will outlast any Government, any party, and lay a firmer foundation on which to build our nation.
“We must celebrate the diversity of views, debate, disagreement - and we must start from our schools to this Parliament chamber to all social spaces in between. We must celebrate this as the best way to test ideas, to agree to disagree, without branding one who disagrees as the enemy or disrespectful. This is real unity.
"Let us debate, disagree - but remain united as Singaporeans. That’s real unity worth fighting for.”
CEDRIC FOO'S RIPOSTE
Mr Cedric Foo of the People's Action Party would later counter Mr Perera's line of argument, saying that the fact that he was in Parliament despite not winning his GE2015 contest was testimony to the Government's push for diversity in politics.
Said the MP for Pioneer SMC: "Let me remind him that at the last General Election, every seat was contested, and that Singapore voted for the PAP and six other opposition members is the outcome of this voting. I hope he and his party will respect that.
"In fact, the presence of Mr Perera as an NCMP himself was the creation of the PAP Government, because we believe in diversity - as he suggested."
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/more-diversity-needed/2459078.html
SINGAPORE: Opposition Workers’ Party politician Leon Perera on Tuesday (Jan 26) cautioned against a national leadership “overwhelmingly” sourced from the civil service, saying that the Singapore should embrace political and social diversity.
Said the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament: “When our leadership core comes overwhelmingly from one kind of career background - lifelong civil servants - the risk becomes greater.
"I respect our civil service, and the civil servants who have devoted their careers to serving the needs of people. But to have a core leadership that has very few with any other kind of career profile, that opens up the danger of group-think, self-rationalisation, and self-congratulation.”
He added: “How can we face the future as a developed country, if we are dominated by a very powerful state which is in turn dominated by an entrenched, single political party? There will be too much dependence on a small group of people and the risk is too high."
"When too much power is entrenched in a party or a group of persons individually, whoever they may be or from whatever party, that power breeds complacency and the tendency to be self-serving. It is matter of time."
WHAT IS 'REAL' UNITY?
Mr Perera noted that the results of the 2015 General Election meant Singapore came close to having no elected opposition Members of Parliament in the House, with the Workers' Party retaining its single-seat Hougang ward by a smaller margin, and taking Aljunied GRC with just 50.96 per cent of the vote. This could have meant a “parliamentary super majority for one party”, he said.
Mr Perera asked: “What is the greatest danger facing Singapore’s political landscape in the long term? Gridlock? Or the non-existence of any viable alternative party other than the ruling party?”
He said that debate among different voices has to be celebrated, as it is this discourse that builds the trust between the Government and the people.
"I find the casting of election results as a badge of national unity deeply unhelpful for nation-building. It suggests that what unites us is the support for one political party. I’m sure that most Singaporeans believe that real unity recognises different voices and debates among them. That is precisely what makes Singapore stronger," said Mr Perera, in his first speech in Parliament.
“Unity, as the bedrock of our nation, should lie in the trust between Government and people, the trust in one another, and a collective sense self-worth and national purpose. That will outlast any Government, any party, and lay a firmer foundation on which to build our nation.
“We must celebrate the diversity of views, debate, disagreement - and we must start from our schools to this Parliament chamber to all social spaces in between. We must celebrate this as the best way to test ideas, to agree to disagree, without branding one who disagrees as the enemy or disrespectful. This is real unity.
"Let us debate, disagree - but remain united as Singaporeans. That’s real unity worth fighting for.”
CEDRIC FOO'S RIPOSTE
Mr Cedric Foo of the People's Action Party would later counter Mr Perera's line of argument, saying that the fact that he was in Parliament despite not winning his GE2015 contest was testimony to the Government's push for diversity in politics.
Said the MP for Pioneer SMC: "Let me remind him that at the last General Election, every seat was contested, and that Singapore voted for the PAP and six other opposition members is the outcome of this voting. I hope he and his party will respect that.
"In fact, the presence of Mr Perera as an NCMP himself was the creation of the PAP Government, because we believe in diversity - as he suggested."
