The inconvenient truth about WP's campaign slogan

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Apr 23, 2011
The inconvenient truth about WP's campaign slogan
MR GERALD Giam's response ('If a First World govt is possible, so too a First World Parliament'; Thursday) shows how the Workers' Party has been twisting every way possible to explain away its campaign theme, 'First World Parliament', and yet not alarm voters on what it really means.
The WP was asked to identify which countries it considered a model for its 'First World Parliament'. Against the backdrop of what is happening in most of the First World, the WP obviously found it most inconvenient to identify any such country. So party chairman Sylvia Lim claimed it wanted a uniquely Singaporean model ('What First World Parliament means: Sylvia'; April 15).
How would such a Singaporean model Parliament be unique? Ms Lim said it would have MPs from different parties scrutinising government policies. But there is nothing 'unique' about this.
In Singapore, apart from the elected MPs, the Non-Constituency MPs from the opposition (like Ms Lim) and Nominated MPs can and do perform that role. In the next Parliament, there will be a guaranteed minimum of nine opposition MPs (either elected or NCMPs) and nine NMPs.
Faced with these points, the WP has shifted its ground. Mr Giam now finally sets out what the WP really wants: enough seats in Parliament to block constitutional amendments and other government policies. The ultimate aim is to gain power. There is nothing unique about this desire. It is what every opposition party everywhere in the world wants. It is for Singaporeans to decide if that is what they want.
The slogan 'First World Parliament' seems clearly inspired by the models in some First World countries, though the WP now declines to refer to any of them. It is not credible for WP to repeatedly protest that it is looking at a 'unique' model when that is clearly not so. The inconvenient truth is that the First World models it is obviously looking at are mired in difficulties.
Indranee Rajah
Member, Central Executive Committee
People's Action Party
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_660060.html


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Responded to by Png Eng Huat (WP CEC):
25Apr2011: First World Parliament: Let voters decide

Others:
25Apr2011: First World Parliament needs competition
25Apr2011: Attributes of a First World Parliament
27Apr2011: He understands where WP is coming from