PAP as its own check? It’s a seductive lie, says Sylvia Lim
A Workers’ Party supporter carrying a giant hammer at the party’s rally at Simei Road last night. Photo:: Ray Chua
SINGAPORE — Touting the People’s Action Party (PAP) as its own check is a “seductive lie”, Workers’ Party (WP) chair Sylvia Lim said yesterday, as she argued that the ruling party might not be what it was in the past and there is no assurance on the quality of future PAP leaders.
Speaking at the WP’s rally in Simei yesterday, Ms Lim played on Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong’s comments about a fortnight ago when he dismissed as a “seductive lie”, claims by the Opposition that they will act as the check and balance on the PAP government.
Ms Lim said there is a need for “an insurance policy” in the event that the PAP fails in future — a pitch that the WP had also trotted out in the 2011 General Election. “Can the current leaders of the PAP assure Singaporeans that future PAP leaders will always be good for Singapore? Nobody can give any assurance of what future leaders will be like,” she said. “Parties are made up of people. When people change, the party can change.”
She acknowledged that pioneer PAP leaders have contributed to making Singapore what it is today, and noted that the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew was “treated equivalent to God”. She recalled how her grandmother had a Hokkien mantra: Give Mr Lee Kuan Yew your vote, you will never go hungry and your days will be peaceful. Her father, who was in the armed forces, also had pictures of Mr Lee decked in shorts, visiting army camps on Sundays to speak to soldiers.
Is the PAP still the same today, Ms Lim questioned. She noted that when Ministers visit estates, they park their cars in reserved lots. During house-to-house visits, the grassroots leaders would also tell Members of Parliament (MPs) to skip households that do not support the PAP, she claimed. As a result, the MPs get skewed public feedback, she said.
“The PAP has been in power for so long, they take it as their right when their new potential office holders are not elected, they scold us. They have forgotten who is boss,” Ms Lim said.
She urged Singaporeans to consider if they are satisfied with each and every Minister who is standing for re-election. “If PAP continue to be the only party (which) can rule Singapore, Singaporeans are stuck with whoever it can find to join its ranks,” she warned.
Adding that people can become corrupt or self-serving, she said: “Safeguards have to be built in when things are stable, it will be too late to do anything if things go wrong in future.”
LOW REPEATS CALL FOR MORE BALANCED PARLIAMENT
WP chief Low Thia Khiang, who was among the speakers, reiterated his call for a more balanced Parliament. Policies will be “more encompassing and compassionate” only with a diverse representation in the House, he said.
He cited the short-comings of a PAP-dominated Parliament such as lower quality of lives due to short-sighted policies implemented by the ruling party.
The increased competition in the workforce due to uncontrolled influx of foreigners also leads to a stressful lifestyle, and eventually low birthrates, he argued. What is the point of economic growth if Singaporeans do not see any improvements in their lives, he asked.
Mr Low stressed that the WP is “not against economic growth of Singapore” or anti-immigration. Growth must be centred on the Singaporean core, he said. He reiterated the need to groom homegrown business leaders to ensure that Singapore’s economy stays competitive, and the setting of a minimum wage to prevent a widening income gap.
“Singapore is heading towards a downward spiral if we do not actively take part in the nation-building process and do not allow a diverse and balanced policy-making process to grow and flourish,” he said.
Ms Lim sought to assure voters that having more Opposition in Parliament will not disrupt the country’s stability.
On Friday, Mr Goh said that beyond the excitement generated by the hustings, Singaporeans should be thinking about the long-term stability of the country when they head to the ballot box on Sept 11.
“ESM Goh has tried to scare voters into thinking that Singapore will be unstable if more Opposition MPs are voted in,” Ms Lim said. She noted that should WP win all the 28 seats which it is contesting, its Members of Parliament will make up only about 30 per cent of the House, and the PAP would still retain a two-thirds majority that allows it to pass amendments to the Constitution.
She added that many stable countries such as Canada and Japan have a range of parties in their legislatures, and these countries have been recognised by the PAP as being successful, alongside Singapore.
“Stability does not come from bullying, stability does not come from control, and stability certainly does not come from suing those who criticise you,” said Ms Lim. “Stability comes from having a society where everyone can stand up and be counted … with diverse representation, Singapore will not be weaker, we will be stronger”.
Ms Lim also framed this election as an important one for WP’s renewal.
She noted that several of the party’s leaders are 50 years old and above, including Mr Low, Aljunied GRC candidate Chen Show Mao and herself.
She urged voters to support WP’s candidates for East Coast GRC and the Fengshan single-seat ward to “ reinforce and renew the ranks” of WP in Parliament. Getting them elected will allow them to learn the ropes of running a town council and speaking up for Singaporeans in the House, Ms Lim said.
WP’s East Coast GRC team comprise Mr Gerald Giam, Mr Mohamed Fairoz Shariff, Mr Leon Perera and Dr Daniel Goh, while Mr Dennis Tan will stand in Fengshan. These candidates are “young, dedicated and promising”, Ms Lim said.
She added: “Voters of the east, look to the future, look to a new dawn. At daybreak, the blue sky can first be seen in the east.”
