It is certainly
not easy to select the next Prime Minister (PM) from the 4th
generation of ministers, and I do agree with Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok
Tong that this is an urgent challenge that has to be met.
Unlike the
first-generation leaders who had to tackle and manage several burning issues
such as confrontation, communists, racial riots and union strikes, the present
cohorts have not yet been fully tested nor have they experienced hardship.
With the immense
global challenges and uncertainties that lie ahead, coupled with many social
issues which Singapore has to grapple with, it is crucial that our 4th
generation leaders make every effort to stay connected to the ground to fully
understand valid concerns, anxieties and sentiments from all Singaporeans.
It is not just
selecting a new leader to spearhead the team, but what is equally or more
important is for the people to be able to relate well to the next PM and his
team.
Mingling with
citizens from all walks of life on a regular basis will pave the way for
constructive feedback and a healthy exchange of ideas. For active citizenry will help the government
of the day to resolve problems, sometimes with gems of ideas surfacing. It is a
known fact that no government can solve all problems, but with a fair exchange
of ideas and suggestions from its citizens, including those from the opposition
wards, Singapore has an excellent chance of making our home the best home to
live in.
Our leaders seem to focus too much on economic growth.
While economic growth is important, too fast a growth for a small country like
Singapore can soon lead to a saturation point– as history has taught us in the
rise and fall of countries.
Leaders have to go down to the ground to fully understand
the real difficulties people face that includes bread and butter issues and the
high cost of living. Politicians meeting residents in their homes should not
just be restricted during the run-up to the General Elections, but has to be
on-going. And all ministers and MPs must
be approachable and humble and so for their grassroots leaders,
I still recall the wisdom of former Prime Minister Goh
Chok Tong who advised elected PAP MPs to ‘be humble in victory’.
Let’s take a leaf
from some of our ASEAN leaders who, while adopting a
non-nonsense attitude, are still able to enjoy tremendous support as they have
much love for their citizens and always stay closely connected to the man in
the street.
In early January 2016, the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim
Sultan Iskandar, made a surprise visit to Muar and joined the people there for
breakfast at a restaurant where he spent an hour chatting with the people.
With Indonesia having a
relatively large and rapidly growing youth population President Widodo has
seized the opportunity to reach out to the youth through social media. Seeing the importance of connecting with his
people, the Indonesian President has even enjoyed a lunch with many of them.
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte also makes
it a point to meet up with his people, both within his country and outside the
Philippines.
However, meeting residents should not just be another PR
exercise, but it should be a concerted effort to ensure that the needs of the
people who elected the MPs are met at all times.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Raymond Anthony Fernando
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