Just landed after my Taipei trip and have an early morning volunteer work but just cannot let this topic go.
"NCMP Debate to increase to 12 and giving them voting rights as if they are elected MPs:
My beefs with the Political System tweaks suggested by PM Lee centered on one of the objectives: to safeguard against public moods and an erratic future government. BUT not with the BOLD NCMP Improvement Scheme!
1. 'to safeguard against PUBLIC MOODS' is controversial to say the least as WHO is to define that the PUBLIC MOODS if GOOD and BAD? It is ONLY GOOD when it is FOR the government for GOOD REASONS and not due to 'populist measures' to 'soft-bribe' the voters? And BAD if it against the government for GOOD REASONS as the Public Policies were poorly conceived and badly executed against the interest of the MAJORITY of the voters?;
2. 'to safeguard against an erratic FUTURE government' against rises the question of: WHEN is a FUTURE government behaving 'erratically'? Who is to define it? When the government is 'overly generous and raiding the FAT national reserves'? Thought the Elected President is supposed to be the 2nd key to this treasure trove?!?;
3. as for Expanding the number of NCMPs and giving them equal voting right is a BOLD move though in the SHORT TERM may sway the voters to complacency that they can vote the Ruling Party candidates into Parliament knowing that the Opposition Parties will have at least 12 NCMPs with equal voting right in it. In the LONGER TERM, with the Opposition NCMPs performing WELL in the Parliament, they can gain MORE credibility with the voters and MAY win as Elected MPs in the next GE.
The WP's position is very awkward. With 6 Elected MPs and 2NCMPs plus possibly 1 more, it is RIGHTLY worried that the VOTERS in the immediate next GE may VOTE the incumbent WP Elected MPs out and pushed them to be just NCMPs.
Hence, Minister without Portfolio Chan has the easy job of EMBARRASSING the WP's position in Parliament today that: IF you want the 3 NCMPs TODAY, why are you OBJECTING to the expanded number of NCMPs proposed here?
It is a WICKED stroke of genius by PM Lee, or his strategists, to put WP in a very uncomfortable position. Most voters will have difficulties understanding SINCE WP did not REALLY raise this concern as their objection. They cannot! It is like what the Chinese saying said: 'The mute who has eaten a bitter yellow lotus and cannot tell anyone that it is bitter.'
My response IF I were the WP would be:
a. it is a GOOD SCHEME since PM Lee wants 1/3 of voters that voted the Opposition Parties to be represented in the Parliament;
b. WP will, however, be FOCUSED on winning EACH GE as the Elected MPs ALWAYS;
c. in addition, while there is a RISK that the voters will be swayed to vote the Ruling Party candidates into Parliament knowing that they will have 12 NCMPs to debate national policies on their behalf, they SHOULD be warned that the RULES may be CHANGED against by the Ruling Party in government, like in this INSTANCE!!;
d. for a sustainable political system that is desired by Singaporeans, the VOTERS simply have to be more MATURED, WISE and Rational on wanting Public Policies that will benefit the Majority of Singaporeans and NOT be self-interest. It can, hopefully, be achieved with better education that produce THINKING citizens instead of just self-centered ones.
"NCMP Debate to increase to 12 and giving them voting rights as if they are elected MPs:
My beefs with the Political System tweaks suggested by PM Lee centered on one of the objectives: to safeguard against public moods and an erratic future government. BUT not with the BOLD NCMP Improvement Scheme!
1. 'to safeguard against PUBLIC MOODS' is controversial to say the least as WHO is to define that the PUBLIC MOODS if GOOD and BAD? It is ONLY GOOD when it is FOR the government for GOOD REASONS and not due to 'populist measures' to 'soft-bribe' the voters? And BAD if it against the government for GOOD REASONS as the Public Policies were poorly conceived and badly executed against the interest of the MAJORITY of the voters?;
2. 'to safeguard against an erratic FUTURE government' against rises the question of: WHEN is a FUTURE government behaving 'erratically'? Who is to define it? When the government is 'overly generous and raiding the FAT national reserves'? Thought the Elected President is supposed to be the 2nd key to this treasure trove?!?;
3. as for Expanding the number of NCMPs and giving them equal voting right is a BOLD move though in the SHORT TERM may sway the voters to complacency that they can vote the Ruling Party candidates into Parliament knowing that the Opposition Parties will have at least 12 NCMPs with equal voting right in it. In the LONGER TERM, with the Opposition NCMPs performing WELL in the Parliament, they can gain MORE credibility with the voters and MAY win as Elected MPs in the next GE.
The WP's position is very awkward. With 6 Elected MPs and 2NCMPs plus possibly 1 more, it is RIGHTLY worried that the VOTERS in the immediate next GE may VOTE the incumbent WP Elected MPs out and pushed them to be just NCMPs.
Hence, Minister without Portfolio Chan has the easy job of EMBARRASSING the WP's position in Parliament today that: IF you want the 3 NCMPs TODAY, why are you OBJECTING to the expanded number of NCMPs proposed here?
It is a WICKED stroke of genius by PM Lee, or his strategists, to put WP in a very uncomfortable position. Most voters will have difficulties understanding SINCE WP did not REALLY raise this concern as their objection. They cannot! It is like what the Chinese saying said: 'The mute who has eaten a bitter yellow lotus and cannot tell anyone that it is bitter.'
My response IF I were the WP would be:
a. it is a GOOD SCHEME since PM Lee wants 1/3 of voters that voted the Opposition Parties to be represented in the Parliament;
b. WP will, however, be FOCUSED on winning EACH GE as the Elected MPs ALWAYS;
c. in addition, while there is a RISK that the voters will be swayed to vote the Ruling Party candidates into Parliament knowing that they will have 12 NCMPs to debate national policies on their behalf, they SHOULD be warned that the RULES may be CHANGED against by the Ruling Party in government, like in this INSTANCE!!;
d. for a sustainable political system that is desired by Singaporeans, the VOTERS simply have to be more MATURED, WISE and Rational on wanting Public Policies that will benefit the Majority of Singaporeans and NOT be self-interest. It can, hopefully, be achieved with better education that produce THINKING citizens instead of just self-centered ones.
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