• IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here.

    The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.

7 MPs plus 2 NCMPs. WP can form a Shadow Cabinet

A shadow cabinet is pointless. Each opposition MP should make it their sole focus to expose PAP abuses. The goal is to have enough issues to prepare the ground for the eventual defeat of the PAP in 2016.
 
winnipegjets said:
A shadow cabinet is pointless. Each opposition MP should make it their sole focus to expose PAP abuses. The goal is to have enough issues to prepare the ground for the eventual defeat of the PAP in 2016.
Click to expand...

Bullshit. A shadow cabinet place each MP to deal with one ministry. Again you forget this key advantage of the Westminster system. You can't have one MP asking hundreds of different questions. Even in the US system, the different legislators are split up into different committees to monitor. If you don't have such a move, you basically only have people of different sides without specialisation. Shadow Cabinets also eventually train the individual MP to take one that role should the time come.
 
steffychun said:
Bullshit. A shadow cabinet place each MP to deal with one ministry. Again you forget this key advantage of the Westminster system. You can't have one MP asking hundreds of different questions. Even in the US system, the different legislators are split up into different committees to monitor. If you don't have such a move, you basically only have people of different sides without specialisation. Shadow Cabinets also eventually train the individual MP to take one that role should the time come.
Click to expand...

Actually if you study the queries raised by each WP MP in parliament, their roles are already split, except they don't call it shadow cabinet and they don't pretend to have some grand policy to submit to parliament.
 
Fook Seng said:
Actually if you study the queries raised by each WP MP in parliament, their roles are already split, except they don't call it shadow cabinet and they don't pretend to have some grand policy to submit to parliament.
Click to expand...

I only see Pritam Singh asking Foreign Policy questions. The rest ask every under the sun.
 
From the last parliamentary sitting:

*46. Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs what is Singapore's position on the Palestine Reform and Development Plan Trust Fund; and whether Singapore intends to make a contribution to this international multi-donor fund for the humanitarian development and reconstruction of Palestine.

*67. Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider reviewing the COE bidding system for goods vehicles and buses to alleviate the costs of doing business for small businesses and SMEs.
 
wwabbit said:
From the last parliamentary sitting:

*46. Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs what is Singapore's position on the Palestine Reform and Development Plan Trust Fund; and whether Singapore intends to make a contribution to this international multi-donor fund for the humanitarian development and reconstruction of Palestine.

*67. Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider reviewing the COE bidding system for goods vehicles and buses to alleviate the costs of doing business for small businesses and SMEs.
Click to expand...

Faisal's first foreign policy q.
 
It not wise to have a shadow cabinet unless you have the capacity and the resources to form govt. Once you announce that you have one and the portolio shadows are named, the govt MPs will start to bait you. They will target the weakness link in the shadow cabinet incessantly and thus that person become the lightning rod. You will need to have very good legislative support. Its a demanding job and you need access to data and information which unlike the western democracies are not available or access is restricted.
 
scroobal said:
It not wise to have a shadow cabinet unless you have the capacity and the resources to form govt. Once you announce that you have one and the portolio shadows are named, the govt MPs will start to bait you. They will target the weakness link in the shadow cabinet incessantly and thus that person become the lightning rod. You will need to have very good legislative support. Its a demanding job and you need access to data and information which unlike the western democracies are not available or access is restricted.
Click to expand...

A good counter argument but that's the beauty of it. You want to hit at each other. Without any strong accountability of each minister, MOS and Parl Sec, they get their millions so easily. As I said, many ministers get it easy in parliament such as Ng Eng Hen (Defence Questions are so child like and sparse). MFA only Pritam whne he can ask. the PMO Ministers need to be questioned too.
 
steffychun said:
Faisal's first foreign policy q.
Click to expand...

Faisal's question is more an Islamic question and this is what I would expect him to focus on. Bread and butter issues, I would expect all, particularly PEH and LLL, to chip in to add to the firepower. GG and YY seem to be focussing on issues where you need to do some research and to quote figures, while CSM's pet topics are broad policies and philosophy of doing things. SL and LTK seem to be reserved for issues where you have really have to take the Govt on or to defend a WP stand which requires shrewd rationalization. As some pointed out, PS has started to look at foreign affairs, but law and Islamic matters should also be areas where he can contribute.
 
scroobal said:
It not wise to have a shadow cabinet unless you have the capacity and the resources to form govt. Once you announce that you have one and the portolio shadows are named, the govt MPs will start to bait you. They will target the weakness link in the shadow cabinet incessantly and thus that person become the lightning rod. You will need to have very good legislative support. Its a demanding job and you need access to data and information which unlike the western democracies are not available or access is restricted.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree with this view. Why expose yourself to attack when you can sit pretty attacking the policies of the ruling party and let the whole government machinery respond to the issues? You only do that when you want to show how smart you are but don't underestimate from how many angles your grand plan can be attacked. Furthermore the person to defend the plan has to be the elected member, not the architect of the plan. Why be the target practice? If you wish to show your smartness, do it in a public forum and have all your experts present to answer questions. The scrutiny of your plans would be less immediate and you would also have more time to respond. Better if there is no response from the govt directly, which is to be expected. You can further boast about it.
 
Fook Seng said:
I tend to agree with this view. Why expose yourself to attack when you can sit pretty attacking the policies of the ruling party and let the whole government machinery respond to the issues? You only do that when you want to show how smart you are but don't underestimate from how many angles your grand plan can be attacked. Furthermore the person to defend the plan has to be the elected member, not the architect of the plan. Why be the target practice? If you wish to show your smartness, do it in a public forum and have all your experts present to answer questions. The scrutiny of your plans would be less immediate and you would also have more time to respond. Better if there is no response from the govt directly, which is to be expected. You can further boast about it.
Click to expand...

respectfully disagree. One even minute partied in opposition in the uk also have shadow teams. Two attack is the key. The PAP ministers cannot debate well
 
scroobal said:
It not wise to have a shadow cabinet unless you have the capacity and the resources to form govt. Once you announce that you have one and the portolio shadows are named, the govt MPs will start to bait you. They will target the weakness link in the shadow cabinet incessantly and thus that person become the lightning rod. You will need to have very good legislative support. Its a demanding job and you need access to data and information which unlike the western democracies are not available or access is restricted.
Click to expand...

I agree with Scroobal on this. The part highlighted is the key reason why having the shadow cabinet is definitely not a good idea as of now. Without those info, you are not shadowing, you are merely chasing shadow.
 
scroobal said:
It not wise to have a shadow cabinet unless you have the capacity and the resources to form govt. Once you announce that you have one and the portolio shadows are named, the govt MPs will start to bait you. They will target the weakness link in the shadow cabinet incessantly and thus that person become the lightning rod. You will need to have very good legislative support. Its a demanding job and you need access to data and information which unlike the western democracies are not available or access is restricted.
Click to expand...

I agree with Scroobal on this. The part highlighted is the key reason why having the shadow cabinet is definitely not a good idea as of now. Without those info, you are not shadowing, you are merely chasing shadow.
 
@rmadill0 said:
I agree with Scroobal on this. The part highlighted is the key reason why having the shadow cabinet is definitely not a good idea as of now. Without those info, you are not shadowing, you are merely chasing shadow.
Click to expand...

Dont speak up, Dont shadow.... then do what???????

I dunno why people to happy wp win then
 
The real purpose and advantage of having a shadow cabinet is to show the electorates that you party is ready to form a government when needed. The members of the shadow cabinet will be subjected to scrutiny from the public on the suitability for the ministerial role - their performance in debates, relevant work experiences, etc will be examined.

Trying to force the formation of a shadow cabinet now will turn out to be a big PR disaster for WP. Afterall, Mr Low Thia Khiang himself recently said that the WP is not ready to form a government. Having a shadow cabinet will pretty much contradict what he has said. The current MPs that WP have in parliament are also not suitable for the shadow cabinet roles available.

Some patience is needed here. WP will eventually form a shadow cabinet when it becomes strong enough to be able to form an alternative government. To get there, WP will need to attract candidates with good experience with public policy. Former PS or PPS like Tan Jee Say and Benjamin Pwee, minus the ego, would be great. Then stick them into GRCs that the WP are looking to win from the PAP.
 
steffychun said:
respectfully disagree. One even minute partied in opposition in the uk also have shadow teams. Two attack is the key. The PAP ministers cannot debate well
Click to expand...

I can tell you even CSJ will have problem defending a plan. No need PAP ministers. Even I can poke holes in those plans.
 
cheekenpie said:
Dont speak up, Dont shadow.... then do what???????

I dunno why people to happy wp win then
Click to expand...

Isn't it very clear? Poke holes into PAP's plans. Why do you want to reverse the role and be used for target practice? Don't see the intelligence there.
 
Last edited:
steffychun said:
respectfully disagree. One even minute partied in opposition in the uk also have shadow teams. Two attack is the key. The PAP ministers cannot debate well
Click to expand...

Don't always quote the UK system. They could be our colonial masters before but we need not be their underlings for life.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top