• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
  • Volunteer
    • Internship with The Online Citizen
  • Donation
  • Subscription
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
  • zh-hans 简体中文
  • en English
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

Wish for 2016 – less Calvin Cheng, more Tharman Shanmugaratnam

by Andrew Loh
02/01/2016
in Commentaries, Opinion
Reading Time: 5min read
0
Tharman
Tharman
If there is one lesson we can all learn from 2015, as far as political debate is concerned, it is that we need more engagement of the kind from Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and less (in fact, none) of that from Calvin Cheng.
To this writer, Mr Cheng – who is the executive director of lifestyle magazine, Juice, and a sitting member of the Media Literacy Council (MLC) – epitomises everything that is wrong and undesirable about how one should conduct oneself in debate.
The latest in a string of recent incidents involving the former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) who, incidentally, did not serve his full term, was a posting he made calling for the children of terrorists to also be killed – “in case they grow up to take revenge”, he said.
There are many things wrong with such a suggestion, and indeed many castigated Mr Cheng for it. Even the chairman of the MLC, Professor Tan Cheng Han, described Mr Cheng’s suggestion as “insensitive and inappropriate”.
In his response, Mr Cheng lobbed accusations at The Online Citizen (TOC), which had reported his remarks. Mr Cheng attacked in particular its editors, claiming that the editors “would gang up with Western forces to do Singapore in.”
This writer, who is also an editor with TOC, then wrote to Mr Tan to complain about Mr Cheng’s allegation.
“It is a serious allegation made to mislead, misinform and tarnish the names of the editors of TOC. Indeed, the allegations borders on one of potential seditious and criminal behaviour on the part of the editors of TOC,” this writer wrote in his email.
Mr Tan, in turn, responded by dismissing Mr Cheng’s allegations against TOC.
“As far as I am concerned, while I do not always agree with the positions taken by the TOC editorial team or its contributors, I respect what TOC has done,” Mr Tan said. “In no way do I think that TOC has engaged in ‘traitorous’ acts.”
It is regrettable that a former participant of Parliament, who swore to uphold the highest of standards, found the need to resort to smears and defamatory remarks in order to win an argument.
Indeed, this is exactly what the government has spoken against, when engaging in debates which at times, and expectedly, would descend into heated exchanges.
In the latest update on the incident, a police report has been filed against Mr Cheng for his posting. (See here: “Police report filed over ex-NMP Calvin Cheng’s ‘killing children’ remarks”)
It is the mature ones who would exercise restraint in order for the debate to be meaningful and productive.
And this maturity is shown by Mr Tharman, deputy prime minister and coordinating minister for economic and social policies.
The DPM, who has until recently kept a rather lower profile than perhaps his colleagues in Cabinet, came to the fore during the general elections in September, and after.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Mr Tharman’s election speeches, which were widely shared online, had contributed in no small measure to the eventual landslide victory of his party.
Mr Tharman’s clear and precise elucidation of policies and issues on the election stage was appreciated by many, judging by the reaction to the speeches online.
His delivery was calm, devoid of the emotional opera of those such as Mr Cheng, with its poisonous vitriol baked in ill-thought out rhetoric.
And even after the elections, Mr Tharman’s participation in various forums here and overseas, showed the measure of the man.
It has indeed been a long time since Singapore has seen someone who could transcend the political divide to unite a people behind the nation’s goal.
In whispered tones, some have also said he is more inspiring than the incumbent prime minister. Others quietly wish he would step into the lead role in government, even as Singapore awaits its next anointed prime minister.
How popular exactly is Mr Tharman?
Well, if you look at the election results, he even beats the Prime Minister who himself is rather popular.
Mr Tharman’s Jurong GRC team had better results – 79.28 per cent of the votes – than Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s team in Ang Mo Kio GRC  which garnered 78.63 per cent.
But leaving that aside, the point I am trying to make is this – when you are in position of influence, especially when you have walked the hallowed grounds of the highest lawmaking institution in the land, it is beholden upon you to uphold that standard, and use your position to unite rather than tear apart those who may look up to you.
chengMr Cheng’s antics, whether borne out of a true desire to want to preserve the status quo or whether they are the childish whinging of a bruised ego, serve no one any good – especially for one who is part of an organisation set up to promote the best in online and public engagement.
Mr Tharman, on the other hand, has displayed the opposite of what Mr Cheng has done – he has not name-called his critics, or launched baseless personal attacks against those he disagrees with; neither has he sought to score cheap political points like some of his own colleagues have done.
Singapore would be a much better place if we had leaders who would emulate Mr Tharman’s example, and engage sincerely, openly, calmly, and maturely in discussion, and in the process unite a nation which faces and will continue to face challenges, going forward.
So, for 2016, as far as government and public engagements go, it is hoped that we will see more bridges being built, rather than poison darts being thrown.
And for this, we hope to see more of the likes of Mr Tharman, and none that of Mr Cheng.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Recent Posts

  • Vietnam reports first virus outbreak in nearly two months
  • Epic battle over GameStop as ‘nerds’ take on Wall Street
  • MHA owes the public an explanation as to why it chose to flout the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child
  • RDU expresses grave concerns over three individuals arrested for peaceful protest against anti-LGBT discrimination outside MOE building
  • WHO team to start Wuhan virus probe under global glare
  • MOH preliminarily confirms 34 new cases of COVID-19 infection; Total tally at 59,425

Trending posts

Vietnam reports first virus outbreak in nearly two months

Public member complains prices at FairPrice too high and questions its mission to serve working-class SGs

Sheng Siong being compared to NTUC FairPrice after rewarding staff with up to 16 month’s bonuses

Netizens call for “full transparency” by MOH after reports of adverse events from Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination recorded in S’pore

Chan Chun Sing says not meaningful to track growth of Singaporean core in companies

Students petition MOE to stop using device management application on students’ laptops due to privacy and security concerns

Load More
January 2016
MTWTFSS
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Aug   Feb »
  • About Us
  • Volunteer
  • Donation
  • Subscription
  • Letter submission
  • Contact Us

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

wpDiscuz
0
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x
| Reply