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Strong party in govt matched by effective opposition is "new normal"
By Joanne Chan | Posted: 15 July 2011 2151 hrs <LINK rel=image_src href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpCnzNBz.jpg">
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Dr Tony Tan</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD class=update></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- for social media sharing functions --><SCRIPT type=text/javascript> var addthis_pub="cnaacc"; var addthis_options = 'facebook, twitter, live, google, delicious, digg, myspace, yahoobkm, more'; var storyTitle = "Strong party in govt matched by effective opposition is "new normal""; var newStoryTitle = storyTitle.replace(/'/g,'\''); newStoryTitle = newStoryTitle.replace(/;\n/g,''); newStoryTitle = newStoryTitle.replace(/"/g,'"'); var addthis_config = { "data_track_clickback": true, ui_click: true } </SCRIPT><SCRIPT type=text/javascript src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js?pub=cnaacc"></SCRIPT><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=510><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2><HR align=left color=#dddddd SIZE=1 width=510></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=middle width=430><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --><?xml:namespace prefix = fb ns = "http://www.facebook.com/2008/fbml" /><fb:like class=" fb_edge_widget_with_comment fb_iframe_widget" href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1141175/1/.html" font="arial" show_faces="false" layout="button_count" action="recommend" ref=".TiEBVrF9oj4.like" width="130"><IFRAME style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; WIDTH: 130px; HEIGHT: 20px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id=f2827de34babc6 class=fb_ltr title="Like this content on Facebook." src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?action=recommend&api_key=172525162793917&channel_url=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fconnect%2Fxd_proxy.php%3Fversion%3D3%23cb%3Dfa0e7ee35e1efd%26origin%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%252Ff19417ef88791ff%26relation%3Dparent.parent%26transport%3Dpostmessage&font=arial&href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%2Fstories%2Fsingaporelocalnews%2Fview%2F1141175%2F1%2F.html&layout=button_count&locale=en_US&node_type=1&ref=.TiEBVrF9oj4.like&sdk=joey&show_faces=false&width=130" frameBorder=0 allowTransparency name=f1107bc5d14a04c scrolling=no></IFRAME></fb:like><IFRAME style="WIDTH: 110px; HEIGHT: 20px" role=presentation src="//s7.addthis.com/static/r07/tweet08.html?href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%2Fstories%2Fsingaporelocalnews%2Fview%2F1141175%2F1%2F.html&dr=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%2Fstories%2Fsingaporelocalnews%2Fview%2F1141088%2F1%2F.html&conf=product%3Dtbx-250%26data_track_clickback%3Dtrue%26ui_click%3Dtrue%26username%3Dcnaacc%26pubid%3Dcnaacc&share=imp_url%3D1%23%40!url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%252Fstories%252Fsingaporelocalnews%252Fview%252F1141175%252F1%252F.html%23%40!title%3DStrong%2520party%2520in%2520govt%2520matched%2520by%2520effective%2520opposition%2520is%2520%2522new%2520normal%2522%2520-%2520Channel%2520NewsAsia%23%40!url_transforms%3Ddefrag%253D1%2523%2540!remove%253D0%25253Dsms_ss%252523%252540!1%25253Dat_xt%252523%252540!2%25253Dfb_ref%252523%252540!3%25253Dfb_source%23%40!passthrough%3Dtwitter%253Durl%25253Dhttp%2525253A%2525252F%2525252Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%2525252Fstories%2525252Fsingaporelocalnews%2525252Fview%2525252F1141175%2525252F1%2525252F.html%25252523.TiEBVphyTIo.tweet%252523%252540!count%25253Dhorizontal&tw=url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%252Fstories%252Fsingaporelocalnews%252Fview%252F1141175%252F1%252F.html%2523.TiEBVphyTIo.tweet%23%40!count%3Dhorizontal%23%40!width%3D110" frameBorder=0 allowTransparency scrolling=no scrollbars="no"></IFRAME>1Share
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SINGAPORE: Former Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan said a "new normal" in Singapore politics could be that of a strong party in government able to frame and implement policies, matched by effective opposition in Parliament.
He said the situation of one overwhelming party with little effective opposition - which Singapore had for many years - is a matter of the past.
Dr Tan was speaking at an event organised by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He was asked for his views on the outcome of the general election held in May, which saw the opposition capture six elected seats in Parliament.
Dr Tan described it as a "win-win-win situation".
He said it was a win for the People's Action Party - which garnered 81 out of 87 seats - as it has a strong mandate to frame and implement policies and continue Singapore's progress.
It was also a win for the opposition, particularly the Workers' Party, as it captured a Group Representation Constituency (GRC) and now has a base to gain more influence.
The third win was for Singaporeans, said Dr Tan, as the elections represented another stage of the country's political development.
He said an effective opposition in Parliament will result in better policies, as different views, perspectives and alternatives will be put forth through debate.
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By Joanne Chan | Posted: 15 July 2011 2151 hrs <LINK rel=image_src href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpCnzNBz.jpg">
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Dr Tony Tan</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD class=update></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- for social media sharing functions --><SCRIPT type=text/javascript> var addthis_pub="cnaacc"; var addthis_options = 'facebook, twitter, live, google, delicious, digg, myspace, yahoobkm, more'; var storyTitle = "Strong party in govt matched by effective opposition is "new normal""; var newStoryTitle = storyTitle.replace(/'/g,'\''); newStoryTitle = newStoryTitle.replace(/;\n/g,''); newStoryTitle = newStoryTitle.replace(/"/g,'"'); var addthis_config = { "data_track_clickback": true, ui_click: true } </SCRIPT><SCRIPT type=text/javascript src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js?pub=cnaacc"></SCRIPT><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=510><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2><HR align=left color=#dddddd SIZE=1 width=510></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=middle width=430><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --><?xml:namespace prefix = fb ns = "http://www.facebook.com/2008/fbml" /><fb:like class=" fb_edge_widget_with_comment fb_iframe_widget" href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1141175/1/.html" font="arial" show_faces="false" layout="button_count" action="recommend" ref=".TiEBVrF9oj4.like" width="130"><IFRAME style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; WIDTH: 130px; HEIGHT: 20px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id=f2827de34babc6 class=fb_ltr title="Like this content on Facebook." src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?action=recommend&api_key=172525162793917&channel_url=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fconnect%2Fxd_proxy.php%3Fversion%3D3%23cb%3Dfa0e7ee35e1efd%26origin%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%252Ff19417ef88791ff%26relation%3Dparent.parent%26transport%3Dpostmessage&font=arial&href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%2Fstories%2Fsingaporelocalnews%2Fview%2F1141175%2F1%2F.html&layout=button_count&locale=en_US&node_type=1&ref=.TiEBVrF9oj4.like&sdk=joey&show_faces=false&width=130" frameBorder=0 allowTransparency name=f1107bc5d14a04c scrolling=no></IFRAME></fb:like><IFRAME style="WIDTH: 110px; HEIGHT: 20px" role=presentation src="//s7.addthis.com/static/r07/tweet08.html?href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%2Fstories%2Fsingaporelocalnews%2Fview%2F1141175%2F1%2F.html&dr=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%2Fstories%2Fsingaporelocalnews%2Fview%2F1141088%2F1%2F.html&conf=product%3Dtbx-250%26data_track_clickback%3Dtrue%26ui_click%3Dtrue%26username%3Dcnaacc%26pubid%3Dcnaacc&share=imp_url%3D1%23%40!url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%252Fstories%252Fsingaporelocalnews%252Fview%252F1141175%252F1%252F.html%23%40!title%3DStrong%2520party%2520in%2520govt%2520matched%2520by%2520effective%2520opposition%2520is%2520%2522new%2520normal%2522%2520-%2520Channel%2520NewsAsia%23%40!url_transforms%3Ddefrag%253D1%2523%2540!remove%253D0%25253Dsms_ss%252523%252540!1%25253Dat_xt%252523%252540!2%25253Dfb_ref%252523%252540!3%25253Dfb_source%23%40!passthrough%3Dtwitter%253Durl%25253Dhttp%2525253A%2525252F%2525252Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%2525252Fstories%2525252Fsingaporelocalnews%2525252Fview%2525252F1141175%2525252F1%2525252F.html%25252523.TiEBVphyTIo.tweet%252523%252540!count%25253Dhorizontal&tw=url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%252Fstories%252Fsingaporelocalnews%252Fview%252F1141175%252F1%252F.html%2523.TiEBVphyTIo.tweet%23%40!count%3Dhorizontal%23%40!width%3D110" frameBorder=0 allowTransparency scrolling=no scrollbars="no"></IFRAME>1Share
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SINGAPORE: Former Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan said a "new normal" in Singapore politics could be that of a strong party in government able to frame and implement policies, matched by effective opposition in Parliament.
He said the situation of one overwhelming party with little effective opposition - which Singapore had for many years - is a matter of the past.
Dr Tan was speaking at an event organised by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He was asked for his views on the outcome of the general election held in May, which saw the opposition capture six elected seats in Parliament.
Dr Tan described it as a "win-win-win situation".
He said it was a win for the People's Action Party - which garnered 81 out of 87 seats - as it has a strong mandate to frame and implement policies and continue Singapore's progress.
It was also a win for the opposition, particularly the Workers' Party, as it captured a Group Representation Constituency (GRC) and now has a base to gain more influence.
The third win was for Singaporeans, said Dr Tan, as the elections represented another stage of the country's political development.
He said an effective opposition in Parliament will result in better policies, as different views, perspectives and alternatives will be put forth through debate.
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