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

It’s not helpful at a time of crisis to cause disunity and label voters of alternative parties as “free riders”, says PSP’s Francis Yuen

"To make assertions about intentions that are not true and worse still, casting a derogatory label on voters for the alternative parties is utterly disrespectful."

by Stephen Netto
04/09/2020
in Current Affairs, Parliament
Reading Time: 3 mins read
49

In a lengthy speech delivered by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Parliament on Wednesday (2 Sep), he called people who did not vote for the People’s Action Party (PAP) as “free riders“. This rightly incited the ire of Pritam Singh, who as Leader of the Opposition (LO), refuted PM Lee’s assertions.

Following this, Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Sengkang GRC Jamus Lim took to his Facebook to raise his points on why those who voted against the PAP are not “free riders”.

Earlier today (4 Sep), Progress Singapore Party (PSP) member Francis Yuen also shared his thoughts on this matter, saying that it is not helpful at a time of crisis to disunite the people by labeling voters of alternative parties as “free riders”.

Mr Yuen, who contested in Chua Chu Kang GRC in GE2020, believes that the role of the Government is to “serve the country and its people”. Hence, leaders of the ruling party are expected to “treat all citizens equally irrespective of whether they voted for or against their party”.

“Every citizen has a constitutional right to choose at the ballot box who he or she wants to vote for. This is a fundamental right and the voter has no obligation whatsoever to explain the reasons for his or her choice. To make assertions about intentions that are not true and worse still, casting a derogatory label on voters for the alternative parties is utterly disrespectful,” he stressed.

In his post, Mr Yuen also noted that the energy in Parliament ought to be focused to “rigorously debate pressing issues at hand”, adding that now is the time for all parliamentarians to “unite and pull in the same direction”, and not be distracted in the House by misguided comments.

“Questions and views across the aisle from the alternative parties have been fair and germane to the challenges confronting Singapore at the present moment. Whether these be on the status and use of our national reserves, or issues on jobs and PMETs, or effectiveness of our social safety net, the discussions should be civil and steered to generating new ideas to solve problems and stimulate robust debates on these ideas,” he continued.

Mr Yuen went on to say that alternative party members in the House must be “given relevant information and data” if they are to take steps forward in having open and meaningful discussions.

“Not answering their questions or worse, questioning their intent behind what they need to know will not bring about fair and rigorous debate. No one wins and our country receives the short end of the stick. This is not the new dawn that Singaporeans envisage,” he asserted.

Now that the election is over, Mr Yuen calls on all parties to collectively seek out real solutions to address the country’s problems so as to navigate through the crisis and beyond.

“For the coming parliamentary sessions, let’s hear about plans for jobs, the economy, social safety net and concrete strategies for the future, instead of the petty ‘free riders’,” he remarked.

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.
Tags: Francis YuenLee Hsien LoongPAPPeople's Action PartyProgress Singapore PartyPSP

Related Posts

Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim arrives in Singapore for one-day official visit
Malaysia

Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim arrives in Singapore for one-day official visit

30/01/2023
How is it that the government knows us better than we know ourselves?
Opinion

How is it that the government knows us better than we know ourselves?

24/01/2023
PM Lee Hsien Loong urges S’poreans to “cherish family time and make it a greater priority”, but doesn’t invite brother for CNY dinner
Singapore

PM Lee Hsien Loong urges S’poreans to “cherish family time and make it a greater priority”, but doesn’t invite brother for CNY dinner

21/01/2023
Leong Mun Wai questions the viability of VERS in adjournment motion about AMK SERS
Housing

PSP Leong Mun Wai files motion on public housing for issue of HDB flats to be debated in Feb sitting

20/01/2023
Singapore

2023 New Year Message from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

31/12/2022
SMS Sim Ann invites NCMP Leong Mun Wai to file a motion on BTO flats
Politics

Progress Singapore Party to file a motion on the public housing market in light of SMS Sim Ann’s invitation

21/12/2022
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
Connect withD
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
49 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Sixteen killed in China highway pile-up

Sixteen killed in China highway pile-up

05/02/2023

Are IT jobs in Singapore flooded by foreigners?

05/02/2023
Nine missing after fishing boat capsizes in South Korea

Nine missing after fishing boat capsizes in South Korea

05/02/2023
Piercings and prayer: Malaysian Hindus celebrate Thaipusam

Piercings and prayer: Malaysian Hindus celebrate Thaipusam

05/02/2023
Grab SG appoints PAP MP Tin Peiling as director of public affairs and policy

Netizens question Tin Pei Ling’s conflict of interest as Grab’s director of Public Affairs and Member of Parliament

05/02/2023
Why is Gautam Adani’s Indian empire in turmoil?

Indian regulator reassures investors after Adani rout

05/02/2023
Cognizant India transfers staff to work in Singapore as recently as this year

Local IT grads can’t find jobs while engineers constantly transferred from India to work in SG under CECA

05/02/2023
Family of student killed in accident involving retired police officer, calls for transparency from Indonesian police

Family of student killed in accident involving retired police officer, calls for transparency from Indonesian police

04/02/2023

Trending posts

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
25

...

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

by Augustine Low
01/02/2023
47

...

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

by Correspondent
03/02/2023
26

...

Cognizant India transfers staff to work in Singapore as recently as this year

Local IT grads can’t find jobs while engineers constantly transferred from India to work in SG under CECA

by Correspondent
05/02/2023
40

...

Excessively charging for an essential need, and calling it affordable because people still can pay for it?

by Terry Xu
31/01/2023
40

...

Singapore Law Watch removes commentary on CPIB’s decision to not prosecute former Keppel executives

Singapore Law Watch removes commentary on CPIB’s decision to not prosecute former Keppel executives

by The Online Citizen
02/02/2023
19

...

September 2020
M T W T F S S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930  
« Aug   Oct »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

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

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

wpDiscuz