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George Goh highlights need for independent President to safeguard against ‘real danger of groupthink’

Following Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s recent CNA interview on Singapore’s national reserves, Presidential hopeful George Goh emphasized the urgent need for an independent President, detached from government ties, to counter groupthink.

Goh highlighted concerns about groupthink within the political leadership and called for diverse perspectives to shape reserve policies.

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SINGAPORE: In response to a recent CNA interview with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, where PM Lee discussed Singapore’s national reserves, Presidential hopeful George Goh expressed an even stronger conviction regarding the significance of having an independent President without any prior ties to the Government.

“If everyone involved in shaping our reserves policy is from a small circle of those in power, there is a real danger of groupthink, ” Mr Goh warned.

Goh concurred with the Prime Minister’s perspective that, as a small and vulnerable nation, Singapore must diligently accumulate reserves as a safeguard for potential challenges, such as another crisis akin to the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, he stressed the critical need for an independent President, as a defense against groupthink.

“This is already a concern among many people about the political leadership, that they all think alike. If even the President was from this circle, it is doubly dangerous.”

In a press statement shared on social media on Thursday (17 Aug), the 63-year-old entrepreneur asserted that Singapore must include individuals from diverse backgrounds outside this influential circle. He emphasized that fresh perspectives and varied viewpoints are essential, especially for unresolved aspects of reserves policy.

Goh highlighted several pertinent issues within reserves policy, citing examples such as the computation of land sales as past reserves, the investment strategies of sovereign wealth funds for enhanced reserve protection, and the desired level of transparency to ensure accountability to the public.

Drawing attention to DBS Bank CEO Piyush Gupta’s proposal to allocate more reserves for expanding Singapore’s presence in emerging sectors, Goh stated, “An independent President who has had no previous association with the Government’s reserves policy will be better able to view these issues with a fresh pair of eyes.”

The CNA documentary also shed light on the involvement of late President Ong Teng Cheong in investment returns utilization, which Goh found particularly intriguing.

Ong had contested the utilization of returns and suggested a 50 percent cap, thus laying the foundation for the 50/50 ratio now known as Net Investment Returns Contribution.

Highlighting Ong’s contributions, Goh asserted that Ong’s background as a private sector architect enabled him to offer fresh perspectives in his presidential role.

“He was Deputy Prime Minister but he was never immersed in financial policy making, with the Finance ministry MAS or the sovereign wealth funds.”

“The most important quality you need to exercise real independence is not knowledge about the matter or experience, even though they are important. ”

Mr Goh added that It is ultimately about political courage to challenge the Executive whenever necessary in the interest of the country, and President Ong had this quality.

Aligned with his campaign’s central pillar (“One Chance for Change”), Goh concluded that greater transparency and accountability from the President are imperative.

“It would have been better to hear from a President the workings of the presidency and some of the issues concerning the reserves, just as we have heard from the PM in the CNA documentary.”

“There are two keys in our system. The PM holds one key. The President holds the second key. It is a different key, not a duplicate key, ” he asserted.

DBS CEO urged the Singapore government to deploy its massive reserves to bolster regional presence

During an exclusive interview with Singapore media outlet CNA, PM Lee highlighted that Singapore currently possesses reserves deemed sufficient for “most circumstances.”

However, he emphasized that it would be a “significant misconception” to assume this state will persist, given that the nation’s spending requirements are already surpassing the rate of revenue growth.

PM Lee stressed that the fourth-generation (4G) political leadership of the People’s Action Party (PAP) acknowledges the escalating spending demands and the necessity for Singapore to address them in a sustainable manner.

In a contrasting perspective, Piyush Gupta, CEO of DBS Group Holdings Ltd., presented an alternative stance on Singapore’s reserves to the PAP government on Monday (14 Aug).

Historically, the PAP government has been cautious about utilizing these extensive reserves, especially concerning welfare disbursements.

However, Piyush Gupta emphasized the need for Singapore to utilize its vast reserves and enhance its regional investments.

He indicated that Singapore has not entirely recognized its standing as a prosperous country. He highlighted the importance of tapping into the city-state’s significant capital resources to gain a competitive advantage.

Gupta proposed that the administration should contemplate deploying these reserves to address societal issues, expand Singapore’s foothold in new sectors, and cultivate stronger relationships with neighboring nations.

Drawing a parallel with Japan’s sustained investment strategy in regional countries, Gupta suggested that Singapore could adopt a similar approach to reshape current perceptions. “Our neighbors perceive us as a self-centered nation,” he remarked.

Mr Gupta made the above remark at the “Reinventing Destiny” conference on Monday which commemorated the 100th birth anniversary of the late founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew.

Having led DBS for over ten years, Gupta is no stranger to expressing opinions on pressing economic issues. He has, in the past, touched upon the possibility of increasing taxes on Singapore’s affluent segment and has praised China’s drive towards shared prosperity.

Despite PM Lee’s insistence that the reserves cannot be revealed, the Singapore Government had previously disclosed a total of S$1.4 trillion in financial assets in the Government Financial Statements Report for the financial year ending 31 March 2021.

This report, published by the Ministry of Finance. The reserve, over a trillion, was referenced by Gupta in his address.

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Redditors question support for PAP over perceived arrogance and authoritarian attitude

Despite Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s warning that slimmer electoral margins would limit the government’s political space “to do the right things”, many Redditors questioned their support for the ruling PAP, criticising its perceived arrogance. They argued that SM Lee’s remarks show the party has ‘lost its ways’ and acts as if it alone can determine what is right. Others noted that the PAP’s supermajority allows for the passage of unfavourable policies without adequate scrutiny.

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In a recent speech, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned that “if electoral margins get slimmer, the government will have less political space to do the right things.”

Mr Lee, who served as Prime Minister for 20 years, highlighted the risks associated with increasingly competitive politics.

“It will become harder to disregard short-term considerations in decision-making. The political dynamics will become very different,” he stated during his speech at the Annual Public Service Leadership Ceremony 2024 on 17 September.

“Singaporeans must understand the dangers this creates, and so must the public service,” SM Lee stressed.

SM Lee pointed out that Singapore faces formidable internal and external challenges in the years ahead, with rising expectations and demands from citizens.

As growth becomes harder to achieve and politics becomes more fiercely contested, he warned, “Things can go wrong for Singapore too.”

He urged vigilance in preparing for an uncertain future, noting, “As the world changes, and as the generations change, we must do our best to renew our system – to ensure that it continues to work well for us, even as things change.”

Critique of PAP’s Arrogance and Disconnect from Singaporeans

The People’s Action Party (PAP) experienced a notable decline in its vote share during the 2020 General Election, securing 61.24% of the votes and winning 83 out of 93 seats, a drop from 69.9% in 2015.

A significant loss was in Sengkang GRC, where the PAP team, led by former Minister Ng Chee Meng, was defeated by the Workers’ Party (WP).

In discussions on Reddit, some users questioned why they should support the ruling PAP, criticising the party’s perceived arrogance.

They pointed out that SM Lee’s recent remarks illustrate that the party has strayed from effectively serving Singaporeans and seems to believe it has the sole authority to decide what is right.

Others highlighted that the PAP’s super-majority in Parliament enables the passage of unfavourable policies without sufficient scrutiny.

One comment acknowledged that while many older Singaporeans remain loyal to the PAP due to its past achievements, younger generations feel the party has failed to deliver similar results.

There is significant frustration that essentials like housing and the cost of living have become less affordable compared to previous generations.

The comment emphasised the importance of the 2011 election results, which they believe compelled the PAP to reassess its policies, especially concerning foreign labor and job security.

He suggested that to retain voter support, the PAP must continue to ensure a good material standard of living.

“Then, I ask you, vote PAP for what? They deserve to lose a supermajority. Or else why would they continue to deliver the same promises they delivered to our parents? What else would get a bunch of clueless bureaucrats to recognise their problems?”

Emphasising Government Accountability to the Public

Another Redditor argued that it is the government’s responsibility to be accountable to the people.

He further challenged SM Lee’s assertion about having less political space to do the right things, questioning his authority to define what is “right” for Singapore.

The comment criticised initiatives like the Founder’s Memorial and the NS Square, suggesting they may serve to boost the egos of a few rather than benefit the broader population. The Redditor also questioned the justification for GST hikes amid rising living costs.

“Policies should always be enacted to the benefit of the people, and it should always be the people who decide what is the best course of action for our country. No one should decide that other than us.”

The comment called for an end to narratives that present the PAP as the only party capable of rescuing Singapore from crises, stating that the country has moved past the existential challenges of its founding era and that innovative ideas can come from beyond a single political party.

Another comment echoed this sentiment, noting that by stating this, SM Lee seemingly expects Singaporeans to accept the PAP’s assumption that they—and by extension, the government and public service—will generally do the “right things.”

“What is conveniently overlooked is that the point of having elections is to have us examine for ourselves if we accept that very premise, and vote accordingly.”

A comment further argued that simply losing a supermajority does not equate to a lack of political space for the government to make the right decisions.

The Redditor express frustration with SM Lee’s rhetoric, suggesting that he is manipulating public perception to justify arbitrary changes to the constitution.

Concerns Over PAP’s Supermajority in Parliament

Another comment pointed out that the PAP’s supermajority in Parliament enables the passage of questionable and controversial policies, bypassing robust debate and discussion.

The comment highlighted the contentious constitutional amendments made in late 2016, which reserved the elected presidency for candidates from a specific racial group if no president from that group had served in the previous five terms.

A comment highlighted the contrast: in the past, the PAP enjoyed a wide electoral margin because citizens believed they governed effectively. Now, the PAP claims that without a substantial electoral margin, they cannot govern well.

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Tan Kiat How: Police called after resident ‘became aggressive’ at meet-the-people session

Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How shared on TikTok that police were called to his meet-the-people session (MPS) in Bedok on Monday (17 Sept) evening after a resident ‘became a little more aggressive’, reportedly over a job issue. While the PAP MP emphasized the efforts made to assist residents, some netizens questioned the volunteers’ handling of the situation and urged more proactive measures from the MP.

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SINGAPORE: Police were called to a meet-the-people session (MPS) in Bedok after a resident became aggressive, causing a disturbance, according to Member of Parliament (MP) for East Coast GRC Tan Kiat How.

Mr Tan, who represents the Kampong Chai Chee ward, addressed the incident in a TikTok video posted on Monday (17 September).

In the video, Mr Tan, who is also Senior Minister of State for National Development, emphasised the need for mutual respect at these sessions, which are intended to be safe spaces for both residents and volunteers.

“It was unfortunate that the police had to be called to MPS today when a resident became a little more aggressive,” Mr Tan said, acknowledging the incident that occurred during the Monday MPS session at Block 408 Bedok North Avenue 2.

Mr Tan expressed empathy for the challenges faced by residents but urged individuals attending MPS to remain respectful towards volunteers.

“Sometimes you see such cases at MPS, where one of the residents get more aggressive and can be a little bit more violent,” he noted.

He added that while efforts are made to assist residents, certain matters are beyond their control.

“For example, we can’t write to a government agency to demand the agency to offer a job to a person … but we can facilitate and make sure that opportunities are available for our residents,” he explained.

@tankiathow

It was unfortunate that the police had to be called to #MPS today when a resident became a little more aggressive. We always do our best to help #KampongChaiChee residents, but some things are beyond our control. Let’s work towards mutual respect and ensure MPS remains a safe space for both residents and volunteers. #caringeastcoast

♬ Future – Official Sound Studio

Netizens Question Volunteers’ Handling of Situation and Call for Greater Action from MP

The incident drew numerous responses on TikTok, with some expressing support for Mr Tan and others sympathising with the unnamed resident.

One comment suggested that the individual may have been “desperate” for a solution to their issue, while another urged patience, noting that not all cases can be resolved immediately.

Separately, Mr Tan responded to one user by confirming that he had previously helped the resident’s parents.

Some questioned whether the issue arose from a lack of tact by certain volunteers in handling the situation, suggesting that they receive proper training to address residents’ concerns effectively.

In response, Mr Tan emphasized that his volunteers always do their best and that empathy is crucial in such situations.

Another user noted that empathy should be mutual, suggesting that while residents are trying their best, they may feel they have no other solutions, urging Mr Tan to show greater understanding.

One comment pointed out that something significant might have affected the resident, possibly leading them to drastic actions, and called for more proactive measures from the MP rather than just expressing empathy.

This is not the first time an MPS has been marked by aggression.

In 2018, Jurong GRC MP Tan Wu Meng was assaulted by a 32-year-old man, leaving him with injuries.

The assailant was arrested after rushing into the MPS area and attacking Dr Tan.

Similarly, in 2009, Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Seng Han Thong was attacked when a resident doused him with paint thinner and set him on fire. Mr Seng survived but required extensive medical treatment.

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