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Bigger opposition presence reason for policy tweaks? It’s a strange logic: PM

SINGAPORE — The election should be about choosing a government based on its past performance and leaders who are honest and care for the people, said People’s Action Party (PAP) secretary-general Lee Hsien Loong yesterday (Sept 2) as he hit out at what he called an illogical argument mounted by the Opposition.

(From left) Mr Melvin Yong, Ms Joan Pereira, former Senior Minister of State Sidek Saniff, labour chief Chan Chun Sing, PM Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister of State Indranee Rajah, Dr Chia Shi-Lu and Mr Sam Tan thank the supporters after the end of the PAP rally yesterday. Almost all who spoke touched on the importance of mutual trust between the Government and voters. Photo: Ray Chua

(From left) Mr Melvin Yong, Ms Joan Pereira, former Senior Minister of State Sidek Saniff, labour chief Chan Chun Sing, PM Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister of State Indranee Rajah, Dr Chia Shi-Lu and Mr Sam Tan thank the supporters after the end of the PAP rally yesterday. Almost all who spoke touched on the importance of mutual trust between the Government and voters. Photo: Ray Chua

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SINGAPORE — The election should be about choosing a government based on its past performance and leaders who are honest and care for the people, said People’s Action Party (PAP) secretary-general Lee Hsien Loong yesterday (Sept 2) as he hit out at what he called an illogical argument mounted by the Opposition.

Mr Lee, who brought the ruling party’s first rally of the election to a close last night, took aim at an oft-made claim by the Opposition: The policy tweaks over the past few years, it has said, have come about because of its bigger presence in Parliament.

“It’s a strange logic; they feel that when the Government does well, it is not out of the goodness of their heart, it’s because ‘we compel them to do so’. So if you don’t vote for the Government, they may became scared and do even better,” he said in the Mandarin portion of his hour-long speech, which was by turns measured as well as feisty. Mr Lee also spoke in Malay and English.

“I think this is a very strange and illogical way to think,” he said.

Mr Lee said if the Government does not perform up to the mark and people vote for the Opposition, that would make absolute sense. But when the Government improves and does well, yet residents still vote for the Opposition — this makes the Government confused, he said.

The way it has always been is that if the Government does well, then the people should give it their support, he said. But if improvements or good work do not beget support, the message being sent is unclear. “What does this mean? Is it that we didn’t do a good enough job, or did we do something wrong? Or should we go back to the initial condition?”

In his English speech, Mr Lee stressed the importance of one’s character, as well as honesty and a genuine care for people, which he says is what the PAP focuses on.

“You cannot afford to be selfish, you cannot afford to cover up, and just ... taichi, ‘okay, I solve tomorrow’s problem later on’.”

He added: “In politics, it’s not just what you say, it’s not how good you are in making a speech. Not so hard to stand on a platform and look good — smile, wave a little bit, relax — can, anybody can do that. You can train. But if your heart is wrong, cannot be trained ... and, in politics, the heart has to be right.”

Pointing out that some Opposition parties have candidates “with flawed characters”, Mr Lee said they would sweep it aside and hope it is forgotten. “They say, ‘we look forward! Please don’t look behind, you might find my black tail.’ I think that’s very dangerous,” he added.

In his speech, Mr Lee also touched on plans for Singapore’s future development, as well as a subject that is shaping up to be a key issue in the election: Cost of living.

He said that while the party looks to help Singaporeans fulfil their hopes, dreams and aspirations, it will also address their concerns, adding: “... the big things which cost money —housing, medical care, transportation, education — these especially, the

Government is able to help you”.

He noted that several schemes have been put in place to ease the burden, such as the recent raising of income ceiling for new Housing and Development Board flats and executive condominiums, as well as subsidies for low-income earners to buy two-room flats.

A 20-year plan is also under way for the Singapore General Hospital to be rebuilt progressively to increase its capacity and modernise it.

The choice of last night’s rally site — the Delta Hockey Pitch at Tiong Bahru Road, which is within Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency — was deliberate, Mr Lee said.

Saying Tanjong Pagar was where Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, served for 60 years until he passed away in March this year, he noted that the GRC had never been contested in the past.

Mr Lee had “never had a problem” in the GRC, the PM said, and that made the Opposition reluctant to contest it.

“But it didn’t mean that they had forgotten about it, because they were waiting to see — ‘one day, Mr Lee will not be there, we will have a chance —try’. So you see, this time the Opposition party didn’t lose their nomination papers, unlike last time,” he said.

“We are also not stupid, so we made sure that with Mr Lee in the GRC, we had a good team supporting him and a good team ready to take over.”

The other speakers at last night’s rally were the PAP’s team for the GRC — Mr Chan Chun Sing, Ms Indranee Rajah, Dr Chia Shi-Lu, Ms Joan Pereira and Mr Melvin Yong — as well as its man for Radin Mas Single Member Constituency (SMC), Mr Sam Tan.

Two special guests — National University of Singapore student Sukaasini Latchumanan and former Senior Minister of State Sidek Saniff, gave their speeches in Tamil and Malay, respectively.

Almost all who spoke touched on the importance of mutual trust between the Government and voters, which they said was a key ingredient in making Singapore special. They also reminded rally-goers that Singapore’s success beyond its third generation leaders cannot be taken for granted.

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