SINGAPORE: Singapore's parliamentary democracy cannot be protected by laws alone – it requires integrity, courage and "the right people" in office, Leader of the House Indranee Rajah said on Friday (Feb 27).
Speaking in parliament, she pointed to recent events on the global stage that have created a sense that democracy is under siege, and warned that Singapore is not immune.
“In some other countries, which have long been regarded as leading democracies, there is a sense that systems are breaking down, trust has been eroded, and once revered institutions have been rendered ineffective, compromised or even under direct attack,” she said.
She identified polarisation, populism, political contestation and performative politics as symptoms of democratic decline – trends visible both inside and outside parliaments around the world.
“We can be thankful that our parliamentary democracy is not in such a parlous state. This is not because we are immune to such dangers, we are as vulnerable to these political pitfalls as any other society,” she said.
Singapore has so far avoided such pitfalls because the country, and in particular, successive People's Action Party (PAP) governments, have maintained high standards and important fundamentals, she said.
“But this is not to say it cannot happen to us in the future, and it takes very little to get onto the slippery slope,” she warned.
Proper laws and respect for the rule of law are necessary foundations, she said, but not sufficient on their own, she said.
“Democracies can only be safe when the parliamentarians, in whose hands democracy is entrusted, act honourably and with integrity, and who, when things go wrong, have the courage and the sense of shame to accept accountability for matters within their responsibility and their personal conduct.”
The country needs parliamentarians with “competence, commitment and conscience on both sides of the House”.
“In government, we need competent people who understand the fundamentals of governance and can master the difficult task of running a country,” Ms Indranee said.
“In opposition, we need competent people who understand the issues, ask the right questions and hold not only the government but also themselves to the same high standards of integrity and accountability.
“We need parliamentarians who are committed, will stay the course and are able to put country before party.”
08:01 Min
To safeguard Singapore’s parliamentary democracy, there must be proper laws coupled with respect for the rule of law, integrity and the right people, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Leader of the House Indranee Rajah. Speaking in parliament on Friday (27), she also addressed the call by MP He Ting Ru for cooling-off periods to delineate partisan and non-partisan roles. Ms Indranee said if Ms He resigned from the Workers' Party and declared that there is no obstacle to her becoming an NMP the following day - assuming she is selected - and carries out those duties properly, there is nothing wrong with that. Turning to Ms He’s call for clarity on the role of grassroots activists, she said it is not a parliamentary matter. She added that the issue has been answered quite fully by Minister Ong Ye Kung in an earlier session of parliament, when he explained the difference between the role of a grassroots adviser and an MP.
Friday's debate also saw an exchange between Ms Indranee and Workers’ Party MP He Ting Ru (WP-Sengkang), who proposed introducing “cooling-off periods” to more clearly separate partisan and non-partisan roles – including for public servants entering politics and political officeholders leaving their posts.
Without such safeguards, Ms He suggested, Singaporeans might question whether individuals were "auditioning for another role or a different office each time they rise to speak", potentially creating perceived conflicts of interest.
Responding to Ms He's hypothetical scenario – resigning from the WP and becoming a Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) the following day – Ms Indranee said what matters is upfront disclosure of one's roles and responsibilities.
“You've declared to the world that you are no longer partisan, you have taken on a responsibility to be non-partisan, and so long as you carry out that duty properly, there is nothing wrong with that,” she said.
The same principle applies in reverse, she added. Anyone moving from a non-partisan role into partisan politics should first step down and publicly declare their intentions.
“That way, it's transparent, it's fair, and this is what we have done in our system and it has served us well,” Ms Indranee said.
Ms He followed up by citing corporate governance rules that impose a three-year cooling-off period before former executives can be considered independent directors, suggesting a similar framework could apply to parliament.
Ms Indranee said the comparison was not apt, noting that the code Ms He referenced governs company directors, whereas parliament operates under its own framework where the appropriate conduct of members is the central consideration.
06:33 Min
As Singapore moves forward towards a more diverse and representative political and parliamentary landscape, it is reasonable to properly delineate what is and what is not partisan, said MP He Ting Ru. One way is to introduce cooling-off periods between partisan and non-partisan roles, so that individuals can meaningfully detach from previous associations, she said in parliament on Friday (Feb 27). She also sought clarity on the Grassroots Advisers (GRAs) system, saying it attempts both non-partisan in theory, while requiring political alignment in practice. It would be helpful to provide clarity on which side the GRA system is on as it has implications on how grassroots activists see their role, she said.
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Speaking in parliament, she pointed to recent events on the global stage that have created a sense that democracy is under siege, and warned that Singapore is not immune.
“In some other countries, which have long been regarded as leading democracies, there is a sense that systems are breaking down, trust has been eroded, and once revered institutions have been rendered ineffective, compromised or even under direct attack,” she said.
She identified polarisation, populism, political contestation and performative politics as symptoms of democratic decline – trends visible both inside and outside parliaments around the world.
“We can be thankful that our parliamentary democracy is not in such a parlous state. This is not because we are immune to such dangers, we are as vulnerable to these political pitfalls as any other society,” she said.
Singapore has so far avoided such pitfalls because the country, and in particular, successive People's Action Party (PAP) governments, have maintained high standards and important fundamentals, she said.
“But this is not to say it cannot happen to us in the future, and it takes very little to get onto the slippery slope,” she warned.
Proper laws and respect for the rule of law are necessary foundations, she said, but not sufficient on their own, she said.
“Democracies can only be safe when the parliamentarians, in whose hands democracy is entrusted, act honourably and with integrity, and who, when things go wrong, have the courage and the sense of shame to accept accountability for matters within their responsibility and their personal conduct.”
The country needs parliamentarians with “competence, commitment and conscience on both sides of the House”.
“In government, we need competent people who understand the fundamentals of governance and can master the difficult task of running a country,” Ms Indranee said.
“In opposition, we need competent people who understand the issues, ask the right questions and hold not only the government but also themselves to the same high standards of integrity and accountability.
“We need parliamentarians who are committed, will stay the course and are able to put country before party.”
08:01 Min
To safeguard Singapore’s parliamentary democracy, there must be proper laws coupled with respect for the rule of law, integrity and the right people, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Leader of the House Indranee Rajah. Speaking in parliament on Friday (27), she also addressed the call by MP He Ting Ru for cooling-off periods to delineate partisan and non-partisan roles. Ms Indranee said if Ms He resigned from the Workers' Party and declared that there is no obstacle to her becoming an NMP the following day - assuming she is selected - and carries out those duties properly, there is nothing wrong with that. Turning to Ms He’s call for clarity on the role of grassroots activists, she said it is not a parliamentary matter. She added that the issue has been answered quite fully by Minister Ong Ye Kung in an earlier session of parliament, when he explained the difference between the role of a grassroots adviser and an MP.
EXCHANGE OVER COOLING-OFF PERIODS
Friday's debate also saw an exchange between Ms Indranee and Workers’ Party MP He Ting Ru (WP-Sengkang), who proposed introducing “cooling-off periods” to more clearly separate partisan and non-partisan roles – including for public servants entering politics and political officeholders leaving their posts.
Without such safeguards, Ms He suggested, Singaporeans might question whether individuals were "auditioning for another role or a different office each time they rise to speak", potentially creating perceived conflicts of interest.
Responding to Ms He's hypothetical scenario – resigning from the WP and becoming a Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) the following day – Ms Indranee said what matters is upfront disclosure of one's roles and responsibilities.
“You've declared to the world that you are no longer partisan, you have taken on a responsibility to be non-partisan, and so long as you carry out that duty properly, there is nothing wrong with that,” she said.
The same principle applies in reverse, she added. Anyone moving from a non-partisan role into partisan politics should first step down and publicly declare their intentions.
“That way, it's transparent, it's fair, and this is what we have done in our system and it has served us well,” Ms Indranee said.
Ms He followed up by citing corporate governance rules that impose a three-year cooling-off period before former executives can be considered independent directors, suggesting a similar framework could apply to parliament.
Ms Indranee said the comparison was not apt, noting that the code Ms He referenced governs company directors, whereas parliament operates under its own framework where the appropriate conduct of members is the central consideration.
06:33 Min
As Singapore moves forward towards a more diverse and representative political and parliamentary landscape, it is reasonable to properly delineate what is and what is not partisan, said MP He Ting Ru. One way is to introduce cooling-off periods between partisan and non-partisan roles, so that individuals can meaningfully detach from previous associations, she said in parliament on Friday (Feb 27). She also sought clarity on the Grassroots Advisers (GRAs) system, saying it attempts both non-partisan in theory, while requiring political alignment in practice. It would be helpful to provide clarity on which side the GRA system is on as it has implications on how grassroots activists see their role, she said.
Continue reading...