A first: PAP seminar to include non-party members
By Victoria Barker
My Paper
Friday, Nov 23, 2012
SINGAPORE - About 500 People's Action Party (PAP) members and activists - and, for the first time, non-party members - will gather tomorrow in the first party seminar on such a scale to discuss issues pertinent to Singapore's future.
Rather than debating on "functional" topics like education or transport, teams from various districts will tackle broader themes like "Moving Fast, Staying Firm" and "Globally Competitive, Locally Connected", said Mr Chan Chun Sing, the Acting Minister for Social and Family Development.
He was speaking to reporters in his capacity as a member of PAP's Central Executive Committee on Tuesday.
At the seminar, which will be held at Lasalle College of the Arts about a week ahead of the PAP's biennial party conference on Dec 2, participants will be divided into teams by district to discuss findings from about two months' worth of dialogue.
Close to a third of about 1,000 people involved in the PAP-organised dialogue were non-members, according to the PAP.
Mr Chan said: "The substance of what we do has not changed, which is to constantly trawl and find better ideas. But the way we do it will evolve with the times... (People) want to see it, hear it and participate in it. So we adjust accordingly."
He added: "We should also allow Singaporeans to know that the party is not so monolithic."
At the end of the two-hour seminar, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will share his views on the presentations in his capacity as PAP secretary-general.
Views and new ideas garnered during the seminar may be contributed to the ongoing Our Singapore Conversation, or taken into consideration by the ruling party in future discussions.
Mr Chan said: "At the end of the day, the objective is very simple... so long as there is a deeper understanding of the challenges and tensions (facing Singapore), we will be quite happy."
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By Victoria Barker
My Paper
Friday, Nov 23, 2012
SINGAPORE - About 500 People's Action Party (PAP) members and activists - and, for the first time, non-party members - will gather tomorrow in the first party seminar on such a scale to discuss issues pertinent to Singapore's future.
Rather than debating on "functional" topics like education or transport, teams from various districts will tackle broader themes like "Moving Fast, Staying Firm" and "Globally Competitive, Locally Connected", said Mr Chan Chun Sing, the Acting Minister for Social and Family Development.
He was speaking to reporters in his capacity as a member of PAP's Central Executive Committee on Tuesday.
At the seminar, which will be held at Lasalle College of the Arts about a week ahead of the PAP's biennial party conference on Dec 2, participants will be divided into teams by district to discuss findings from about two months' worth of dialogue.
Close to a third of about 1,000 people involved in the PAP-organised dialogue were non-members, according to the PAP.
Mr Chan said: "The substance of what we do has not changed, which is to constantly trawl and find better ideas. But the way we do it will evolve with the times... (People) want to see it, hear it and participate in it. So we adjust accordingly."
He added: "We should also allow Singaporeans to know that the party is not so monolithic."
At the end of the two-hour seminar, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will share his views on the presentations in his capacity as PAP secretary-general.
Views and new ideas garnered during the seminar may be contributed to the ongoing Our Singapore Conversation, or taken into consideration by the ruling party in future discussions.
Mr Chan said: "At the end of the day, the objective is very simple... so long as there is a deeper understanding of the challenges and tensions (facing Singapore), we will be quite happy."
Get My Paper for more stories.
