We examine the roles of our PAP MPs...and how they have established a pattern of expected obedience and loyalty.
Most of our MPs are contented with their high salaries and status quo. coupled with the Party whip
sit or sleep ( one gone missing a few times) through a Parliamentary hearing without intense debate or challenge on major policy affecting the Nation.
A classic example is the PWP ( 6.9 Million Population) with its serious fault-lines and how it currently manifest itself
with its structural inadequacies to meet the surge in numbers. Another is the two GST hikes to cast the net wider but at the same time reducing corporate taxes and income taxes for the higher brackets. Also, removing Estate Duty and Inheritance Tax all play a part in an unflattering high Gini-coefficent.
These policies create greater social inequality and hence the Nations becomes less harmonious.
If we were to take a leaf out of a Chinese History text, the Ming Dynasty, we see a different set of office bearers and their public roles.Under Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, ministers are expected to speak up to challenge policy inadequacies and bureaucratic irregularities. Any deliberate silence is implied as a neglect of Official duty. ( Roy Ngerng is sacked for neglect of duty)
Do our PAP MPs speak up against their Boss.?. Very rarely. Relationship between ruler and the ruled tend to be one way, lack inclusiveness,is paternalistic and very top-down.
Now, Parliamentarians who do not immersed themselves in any meaningful challenge against a wrong policy is neglecting his duty to the State.
They know that there is no single policy that is absolutely correct and there is no single person who gets things done right all the time.Also, they blindly endorse and echo policies, most of which are already pre- mandated...Here, they fail to act on their executive powers empowered to them to safeguard national interest.
Is this the calibre of MPs and ministers that we want.??
They should not side-lined themselves and be contented with their lot .
If this is the status quo, we weep for future Singaporeans.
