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许通美:第四代领导班子理应能接受异议和批评

by Yee Loon
02/10/2019
in 公民社会, 政治, 新闻, 时事, 舆论, 言论自由
Reading Time: 1 min read
0

昨日,巡回大使许通美教授出席新加坡国立大学政策研究所举办的新加坡开埠200周年研讨会。

席上他被要求给第四代领导班子建议,并谈谈他对国人的看法。对此,他认为“我们是第一世界国家,却有着第三世界国家般的人民”,感叹许多国人缺乏第一世界人民所应具有的公民意识。

“国人应该关心环境课题,但很多国人不关心。许多国人自私而且不友善,看看他们开车的方式就知道。”

他的这番言论引起不少网民热议,在《联合早报》脸书留言区,也有网民调侃,领导们拿的的确实第一世界的薪酬,但还有很多老百姓拿的仍是第三世界薪水;而真正符合第一世界水准的,可能只有本地物价、生活成本和官老爷的高薪。

网民们的反讽,也表达了他们的心声。许通美教授坦言,自己对国人的批判比政府更多;不过除了上述言论,他还促请第四代领导班子,必须正视社会平等和阶级问题。

吁正视阶级和薪资差距

其中,许通美要求政府落实贫穷线准则,同时提高工友薪资,且正视企业高层和属下员工存在的巨大薪资差距。

询及是否有其他制度能替代资本主义,许通美则认为更应该审慎考量,哪一种资本主义更适用于新加坡。他提到道德资本主义,即企业不仅对股东负责,也要对整个社会负责。

他认为,道德资本主义下,企业在维护多元和平等同时,也能保护环境和顾及员工福利。

相信是选举蛩音近,许通美不忘第四代领导班子,他们的优先使命应该是维护种族宗教和谐,以及让新加坡成为更平等的社会。

他提及今日的新加坡仍未能摆脱阶级,我们仍以财富、收入、专业领域、居住区域乃至读什么学校,来相互区分。故此,有必要使新加坡成为去阶级化的社会,且检讨被指存在于职场的聘雇歧视。

对于新加坡和周边国家的关系,他认为我国有必要去改善,包括增加投资和交易往来、重新调整教育计划,例如策划实习或到这些东南亚国家的学习团。

第四代领导班子能接受异议吗?

与此同时,他认为第四代领导班子,理应能欢迎和接纳异议分子的批评。

“若依循这种美德,政府就不应该禁止陈彬彬执导的纪录片《星国恋》(To Singapore, With Love);也不应该取消掉本地英语小说家程异(Jeremy Tiang)和漫画家刘敬贤(Sonny Liew)的津贴”。

2017年,程异撰写的长篇小说《紧急状态》(State of Emergency),被指“偏离原先同意的计划”,遭国家艺术理事会终止给予创作补助金(Arts Creation Grant)。原本当局已批准1万2000元津贴,但理事会看了他的初稿后决定终止津贴,他最终只拿到8600元。

许通美认为,互相竞辩的观点是民主中必要的部分,为此不能因为有批评政府或者持有反对意见,政府就急于拉黑他们。

他强调,新加坡需要的不是阿谀奉承者(sycophants),而是友爱的批判者和乐于接受批评的人。

感叹新加坡越趋保守拘谨

他感叹,近年来新加坡似乎变得愈加保守和拘谨,但他仍相信新领导班子应有勇气不受到国内外的敌人威胁。他们也应懂得独立思考,走别人没走过的路。要生存和进步,新加坡应成为创新的佼佼者,而不是哪个阵营的跟班。

不过,他仍对第四代领导班子保持信心,指他们继承一个已经有卓越成就的国家,但是即便好的事物仍有改善空间;他也指出自己胸有八策,将来将献给第四代总理。

“我爱新加坡,我也愿为这国家牺牲。但我们是完美的人吗?我们都不是。”年届82岁的他,仍表示希望有生之年继续把时间精力贡献给这个国家。

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