Is the Workers’ Party an effective elected “opposition”?
During the Parliament sitting on Monday, Mr Low Thia Kiang of the Workers’ Party declared that “only an elected opposition can provide effective checks and balances”. (read article here)
This is because the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) currently dominates the House, can amend the Constitution freely, and controls key levers of power in the country.
There is much wisdom behind Mr Low’s words. The PAP has amended the Constitution more than a dozen of times during its 50 year rule to “facilitate” its governance without the people being consulted.
Recent events have shown that the PAP is unable or unwilling to check on itself when there is a conflict of interest between the state and the party.
The massive losses in our reserves incurred by the reckless investments of GIC and Temasek should have led to executives in both organizations being investigated an independent panel of inquiry.
The two unnecessary deaths from the Geylang Serai food poisoning were also not investigated though there were suggestions of negligence and dereliction of duties on the part of both NEA and the temporary market committee.
Both the Home Ministry and the media remained silent on the latest stunning relevations from the Malaysian police on how Mas Selamat made his escape - by hiding in the drains while making his way to Woodlands from where he swam across to Johor.
We need a more responsive, accountable and transparent form of government and only an elected opposition is able to check on the PAP.
However, an elected opposition does not necessarily mean an effective opposition.
With due respect to Mr Low Thia Kiang and Ms Sylvia Lim, their performances in Parliament so far is lacklustre at best and they failed to bring up many important issues close to the heart of the people out of fear of offending the PAP.
I was appalled when of all MPs, it was Low Thia Kiang who stepped forward to defend the PAP’s export-oriented economic growth model which has led to the widening income gap between the poor and the rich.
Mr Low defended the long-held growth model, saying in Mandarin: ‘I believe it is correct to attract foreign investments to encourage competition in a free market, to open up our market and to go global and…integrate with the global economy.’ (read article here)
Is Mr Low not aware of the rising disgruntlement on the ground at the PAP’s policies which has led to an influx of cheap foreign labor depressing the wages of our citizens?
It was a PAP MP who sounded more like an opposition MP instead. Mr Seah Kian Peng (Marine Parade GRC), questioned if the growth-at-all-cost model was realistic.
Singapore should aim for ‘modest, sustainable economic growth’, he said, adding: ‘We need to feel proud of Singapore for what it is, and to take care of it, to protect overexploitation, overcrowding and unsustainable growth.’
There were many issues which Mr Low could have brought up in Parliament such as Temasek’s recent sale of its stake in BOA, the second ping pong controversy and the Aware saga.
It is mind-bogging that he chose to use his precious few minutes in Parliament to lend support to the PAP when there are 82 other PAP MPs around to do so. Is Mr Low Thia Kiang representing the PAP or the Workers’ Party?
While it is critical to have an elected opposition in Parliament to add diversity to the views being espoused and to ensure the ruling party is held accountable to the people, an opposition which does not dare to push the boundaries and provide a stiff challenge to the incumbent will be more of a hindrance than an asset to the progress of democracy in Singapore.
The Workers’ Party under the leadership of Mr Low Thia Kiang has not only lost its mettle and bite, it has been unwittingly made used of by the shrewd PAP promoting it as an acceptable “moderate” political party to marginalize other parties which has the courage to confront it such as the SDP.
An “opposition” party which does not oppose cannot claim to represent the voice of the people.
During the 2006 election, Mr Low Thia Kiang called on Singaporeans to vote for WP to check on the PAP in Parliament. What has WP done so far to justify continued support from the people?
NMPs such as Siew Kum Hong and Eunice Olsen and even PAP backbenchers like Inderjit Singh, Dr Lily Neo, Sam Tan and Michael Palmer have brought rattled the ministers with more difficult and sensitive questions close to the hearts of the people.
Being the strongest opposition party in Singapore, the Workers’ Party should explore other opportunities other than the usual Parliamentary sittings and meet-the-people sessions to engage Singaporeans, especially the youth and to advocate and expound its views on current affairs and national issues.
Civil activism goes hand in hand with politics and they are not mutually exclusive with each other.
On 6 June 2009, WP will be organizing a petition drive at Hong Lim Park to garner signatures calling for Lee Bee Wah to step down from STTA as President.
It is a shame that the event is not organized by the “Workers’ Party”, but by its parody in cyberspace - the “Wayang Party”.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=29740.6
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