BN Balji - Singaporeans waiting for deeper changes from PAP

[Confuseous]

Although "checks and balances" continues to be a dirty phrase for the political establishment, the time has come for a paradigm shift on how policies are conceived.

The argument that the government can check itself is being questioned in the case of immigration policy. It is still a mystery how a government known for its beyond-the-horizon vision never saw the infrastructural nightmare that would come with the decision to lift the floodgates for foreigners to wash in like a tidal wave. Trains got crowded and public housing became scarce.

As for politics, the need is for a rethink of how the opposition and those with opposing views are treated. What is the harm in getting opposition MPs to be part of the official consultation process in policy-making?

Inclusivity is something the prime minister promised when he took over in 2004. His National Day rally speech last month provided an opportune moment to add flesh to that approach. Imagine the impact if he had, in front of a live audience, stretched out a hand to the opposition and said: Together, let's build a new Singapore.

It is this new Singapore, combined with a new reality, that the prime minister and his team will have to grapple with in the coming days, months and years.

Now that the first 100 days have witnessed the dramatic and decisive announcements, the public waits for the deep changes.

- http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20111001-302563/2.html

 

[scroobal]

Balji has never changed. He just got better in giving the impression that he is citicising the Govt.

Nothing has changed after the apology and the claim that they will change has not seen anything new. Note the entrenched role of the PA. Note how opposition elected MPs do not share any of the facilities and privileges enjoyed by their counterparts in the PAP. These are after all paid by the taxpayer.

Sure new ministers have been appointed and the non-performers thrown out. It is more like they paid the price for losing votes rather than a desire to work with the people.

The litmus test is in the basic approach to politics, the conduct before, during and after the election of MPs representing the people. There is no role for defeated PAP MPs given higher status, funded by the state and behaving as though that he or she has been elected as an MP.

These are the fundamental issues. None of this appeared in Balji article. Just pick his article line by line and add what is hubris, fluff and genuine stuff post GE stuff indicating genuine change.

 

[Semaj2357]

Scroo
As we have seen new ministers appointed and non-performers getting the boot, I don't see the impact of the fall-out. We have seen these deadwood and defeated PAP MP's getting appointed to other positions, with more to come, I'm sure.

Perhaps a face-saving gesture and perpetuating the PAP's mindset, lest skeletons getting out the closet?

 

[scroobal]

Agree and I am still waiting. They are making a fool of all of us.

Scroo
As we have seen new ministers appointed and non-performers getting the boot, I don't see the impact of the fall-out. We have seen these deadwood and defeated PAP MP's getting appointed to other positions, with more to come, I'm sure.

Perhaps a face-saving gesture and perpetuating the PAP's mindset, lest skeletons getting out the closet?

 

[Semaj2357]

Agree and I am still waiting. They are making a fool of all of us.

Also, good to know who was that senior civil servant that got fined recently for receiving classified documents after being "retired". Perhaps one way to get aorund this predicament is for pinky is to appoint Ho Peng kee, Kansing etc as advisors"" where they still get access and for the old man to lay his hands on the minutes of cabinet meetings.