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THE
Nominated MP scheme is useful but to effectively
bring about political change, it must be a transitional
one so that a strong opposition and a two-party
system may emerge.
NMPs
Zulkifli Baharudin and Goh Chong Chia argued this
last night at a forum on the role of non-partisan
politics.
Mr
Zulkifli said: "At the end of the day, it
takes people who have been NMPs or been in civil-society
groups to actually get into the political arena
and decide for themselves whether they want to
join the ruling party or the opposition, without
which, I don't think we can see a truly strong
two-party system emerging in Singapore."
He
added that non-partisan politics will affect the
opposition more than the ruling party as the opposition
occupies the same space as NMPs.
Mr
Goh believes that for the democratic system to
work, the ruling party needs to be checked.
"In
developed countries, there are shadow governments
with policies worked out and ready to take over
the role and reign of the government.
"Unfortunately,
this does not exist in Singapore today."
The
two NMPs were among four speakers at a forum titled
"Non-partisanship: Politics Without Punishment",
attended by about 50 people.
The
forum, held at the RELC, was organised by the
Think Centre, which has described itself as an
"independent political-research initiative".
The
other two speakers were Ms Eleanor Wong, vice-president
of the local television-production house Right
Angle and former NMP Chia Shi Teck.
Ms
Wong disagreed with the need for a two-party system.
She argued that the current system has, over the
years, made room for those who wanted to make
practical changes.
She
noted that the platform of the People's Action
party is pragmatism. "I don't know what platform
is in opposition to that, other than an unrealistic
one."
The
PAP, she said, is a party "which is very
good at co-opting useful ideas and useful people,
and bringing into the fold people you can't defeat
and defeating those you can".
"It
seems to me that, in the long run, functionally,
if we can make practical changes in practical
areas, my question is: Do we need more?"
Like
the two NMPs, Mr Chia said that NMPs, while useful,
have a limited role because they lack mandate.
He
then shared his personal experience of how he
had offered to stand in the elections with a team
but "the pressure was so high that everybody
dropped out".
The
Nominated MP scheme was introduced in 1990 to
give free rein to alternative and non-partisan
views in the House. NMPs are appointed by the
President for a two-year term on the recommendation
of a Special Select Committee of Parliament.
The
number of NMPs has grown from two in 1990 to nine
today.
Different
views on role of NMPs
'For
the more serious and committed members of civil
society, they have to make a choice to join the
ruling party or the opposition. I don't think
they can make a very large difference by joining
the NGOs or even being NMPs.'
-- NMP Zulkifli Baharudin, member of the
Roundtable.
'The
role of NMPs can be a transitional one. The political
system will evolve into a two-party system. It
will take some time but I believe it will come.
-- NMP Goh Chong Chia, principal partner
at TSP Architects and Planners.
'There
is now a functionally-substantive and vocal civil
society that has managed to work out a slightly
uneasy but cooperative relationship with the Government.
I tend to think that's a good thing. It seems
to me that in the long run, functionally, if we
can make practical changes in practical areas,
my question is: Do we need more?'
-- Ms Eleanor Wong, vice-president of Right
Angle, a local television production house.
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