Lawrence Wong appeals to Workers Party to join ‘Singapore Conversation’
Posted by temasektimes on October 27, 2012
In an unprecedented move, Senior Minister of State for Education and Information Lawrence Wong made a public appeal to the Workers Party, widely known as the PAP’s ‘B’ team to participate in the government-led ‘Singapore Conversation’.
Workers Party Chairwoman Sylvia Lim had earlier rejected the PAP’s invitation to join in the ‘conversation’, saying these citizen discussions would be “better served” without the presence of its leaders, as they would be linked to the party even if invited in their personal capacity.
Speaking to queries from the state media, Mr Wong said:
“No one has a monopoly of wisdom. Everyone comes in as an individual contributing his view and every view is important. The more we have people participating in this process, the richer are our discussions. I see value in all Singaporeans participating in this process regardless of their political affiliation. This is not a debate in politics, this is a national conversation about the future of Singapore.”
The Workers Party’s refusal to join in the ‘National Conversation’ came as a surprise as its leaders have been trying desperately hard to appease the PAP all along with Sylvia Lim heaping generous praise on the PAP’s management of the economy in an interview with Reuters not too long ago.
Perhaps it is just another ‘wayang’ to play ‘hard to get’. As public opposition against the PAP’s policies continue to rise, the PAP needs its ‘B’ team more and more to masquerade as a ‘credible’ opposition party in order to sideline and marginalize the real opposition parties which can threaten its political hegemony.
In the aftermath of the General Election last year, newly minted WP (or PAP’s ‘B’ team) MP Pritam Singh handed PAP an olive branch:
“If the PAP fails to win a majority in the next election, the Workers Party will form a coalition government with it (to keep it in power)”
THE TEMASEK TIMES 
LawrenceWongIsGarbage said
more and more I dislike this garbage Lawrence Wong.
Ever since his part at the National Day Rally 2012, I dislike this chap. Really a garbage.
Talk a lot of shit. Contrary to what he said “this is a national conversation about the future of Singapore”. I think the people has already spoken up about our issues and what we want. If he and his PAP masters bother to listen, or look at what’s going on the online forums, they will be able to quickly distill a list of policy issues that the citizens are unhappy about.
Whether or not WP participate, or whether or not SG Conversation even takes place, is irrelevant. People have already spoken, you just need to listen and give us what we need to live better.
If Lee Hsien Loong is right that Lawrence Wong is part of the core of next leadership generation, then it is a rotten garbage core.
Mike Zeng said
I refer to the last line…….Can TT please see the bigger picture? It’s WP’s indirect way of telling voters in the coming 2015-6 GE not to fear voting for more Opp MPs esp WP’s if they fear losing the PAP as the Govt! Based on the GE 2011 results, WP will likely grab more seats than the other parties although SDP and NSP are the dark horses. Likely also, if PAP loses the majority as many hopefuls expect it to, it will stilll garner at least 30% of the 83 seats… So it can combine with WP assuming WP also gets around 30% to form the new coalition Govt!
Of course for PAP-haters, it’s better for the PAP to be out of Govt altogether but we have to be patient and realistic as half a PAP is surely better than a whole lot of them….which will be so if voters fear losing them even though they are seriously thinking of voting the Opp candidates!
Mod’s note:
People who vote against the PAP does not want to see the PAP in power. So the ‘Wayang Party’, by promising to keep the PAP in power by forming a coalition govt with it is betraying the trust of those who voted for it. The ‘Wayang Party’ is the SINGLE biggest threat to democracy in Singapore. It must be completely demolished and eliminated before real political reform can take place:
“The PAP’s laws are completely FAIR and JUST.”
– PAP’s ‘B’ team MP Sylvia Lim, IBA Conference, 2008
Maria said
Why should WP join a PAP wayang. Lawrence Wong is trying to bait WP to joining the PAP’s National Con to make its wayang look credible. Only a fool will participate in the PAP wayang.
Robin hood said
How to criticize your good friend in public. This seems exactly what the wayang party has in mind. In order to avoid conflict of interest, they thought it best to keep away. Parliament is part and parcel of the nation. They will be speechless when asked “how come we no hear you challenge the pro alien members since last year?”
Mod’s note:
They won’t be speechless. The standard reply from the ‘Wayang Party’ will be:
“We do not oppose for the sake of opposing and we believe in constructive dialogue with the PAP.”
A vote for WP = A vote for PAP! Boycott the ‘Wayang Party’ and switch your support to the real opposition parties which can make a real difference in parliament instead of wasting time talking about BIRD DROPPINGS.
The real opposition parties will contest in Aljunied and Hougang in 2016. Vote for them to boot out the PAP’s ‘B’ team!
TP said
Lawrence Wong is another BS PAP Minister plucked from dunno which hole.
Just like Tan Chuan Jin whom has no idea of the real world Singaporeans live in.
More and more our PAP newer leadership are becoming obviously incapable and weak, which is a good thing if you are an Opposition supporter but bad for Singapore till 2016.
Why should WP join PAP in the conversation?
PAP is just trying to drag them into it so that if anything negative comes up, PAP can then point fingers at WP and accuse them of being in on the conversation as well as may as well be just as guilty. This is purely a POLITICAL strategy by our dirty PAP and we know that all too well.
The Opposition is best served doing its own due diligence and serving Singapore with alternative policies focused on Singaporeans and not shadow the PAP pro-foreigner and GDP centric policies, which does us no good. We need alternative policies where Singaporeans can study and decide if there are more to it than what PAP has always been throwing in our face, regardless of whether we like it or not because “they say so” so it must be right.
PAP is trying to play dirty once again.
And I am glad like many of those that supports WP that Sylvia Lim is sharp enough to stay away from this potentially damaging trap set up by PAP.
PAP created this conversation because they know that there are increasing voices against them and the 2011 elections demonstrated that PAP power is waning in the city state.
If the elections results were different and they had performed better, do you think PAP will bother to have any conversation with Singaporeans?
I think not.
WP’s olive branch to “share power” is a good move because PAP has been at the helm for a long time and it is not a good idea to rock the boat too much IF WP wins the majority in the next election.
However WP will have to do a few things to ensure PAP does not turn around and bite them back;
– Remove all leadership of PA (People’s Association) and rename it to SNA (Singapore National Association). The current leadership at PA are pro-PAP.
– Include in the bill and constitution that no political party are allowed to handle public fund meant for the state. PAP currently holds power over all public fund and they have authority to reject any application to funds such as “Upgrading Projects”, which should be based on needs rather than electoral constituencies supporting the ruling party.
– Statutory boards must also be reorganised to prevent pro-PAP agendas from popping up and to replace all current stat board leaderships with neutral or even pro-Opposition leaders (just to let PAP have a taste of their own medicine).
– Remove all unnecessary titles such as Emeritus Minister so that the state does not have to pay huge amount of salaries just for the sake of creating a ministerial position. However senior ministers can be asked to served as advisory roles with fair compensation but without direct power or authority to any branches of the govt.
– Let Mr LKY to step down and retire but allow him to advice in his best capacity as the founding father of Singapore for the benefit of Singapore and serve as ambassador of our country but has no power linked to any branch of the govt.
– GRCs should be retained as Town Council Management organisation but not as electoral constituencies. However if the GRC serves the Opposition favor, then perhaps they can choose to retain it but personally, I feel that GRC should be removed.
– PAP Kindergarten should also be re-branded if PAP so choose to carry on supporting and proving children early education but no political party can use it’s party name and logo in any form of marketing, branding or “brainwashing”, especially to the younger generation so as to manipulate them from an early age.
– The President cannot be from any political party or must have left the party for at least 8 to 10 years or more to provide better check and balance and as a neutral and not biased towards any political party.
– An independent task force should be formed to investigate all levels of PAP leadership to determine if any of them has practiced any corruption or abuse of power, especially in terms of profiteering from being in the position of power and this includes all family members. We can be very sure that position of power will often lead human to allow himself to be “corrupted” and then have it sweep under the carpet, just because they can.
I am sure there will be more but my idea is to totally remove all traces of PAP system from our govt as they have been unfairly manipulating our country so as to hold on to power and this has to stop. We need to create a new democratic state away from the PAP style of governance.
And as 2016 approaches, Singaporeans that are pro-Opposition has to start to rally together NOW so that we can improve WP standings as well as support to allow them the opportunity to grow and provide Singapore an alternative lifeline in our political system.
This is to safeguard our country against any PAP’s misdemeanors or its own downfall (which I foresee as an eventual event) so as to keep our country moving and not be solely dependent and frozen when we are left with no choice and leadership to run our country.
Mod’s note:
WP is PART of the PAP. A vote for WP = A vote for PAP!
TP said
And just to add, who cares what Lawrence says?
And this goes for Tan Chuan Jin, Lui Tuck Yew (the ugly useless transport minister, while the ugliest is and still is Mah Bow Tan), Chan Chuan Sing (the 3 legged toad and brown nose), Vivian Balakrishnan ($3 not enough, how much you want?!), Yaacob Ibrahim, plus more.
In fact most of the new leaders are crap.