Thursday, February 16, 2012
My views on the shocking expellation of WP MP Yaw Shin Leong.
Firstly, I reckon that it is unnecessary. I subscribe to the view that one's personal and private life should not be a benchmark against his/her professional life. If one can carry out his/her professional duties without any compromise and conflicts of interests, what more can I ask for? I am not bringing in moral issues here into this argument, because I don't suppose many people are fit to say that he/she has a completely clean moral conscience to speak of. An MP serves the constituents and raises issues in the House. As long as he can serve this well, an expellation is unnecessary.
But, though I think it's unnecessary, it is however a very good move by WP. This fiasco was first reported by the mainstream media, and then subsequently sensationalised by the media into a fairly big issue, throwing more and more allegations to the parties involved, and also to WP, which had been declining comments. Slowly, people began taking sides in the issue and critics began to fire at WP for not being transparent.
This expellation comes at the right time to turn the tides around. Being accused of not being transparent? Being alleged for not delivering on their electoral slogans in asking for accountability? Here they are, taking the most unprecedented move ever, to unseat a reigning MP. With this move, they are not only turning the tables around on the media and the critics, but also setting a very high moral standard and scoring high on their own standard of accountability.
What this means is, in future, when the party presses for accountability in the ruling party, they have got that substance inside, and not just empty yak and talk, because accountability has been taken very seriously in the party. Furthermore, it really serves as a lesson to all current and future WP MPs, that no one is above the party, NOT even if he/she has served a decade as a party leader. This sends a strong message to everyone, including voters, that the WP MPs have the standards and are accountable, and are as clean as what the ruling party proclaims to be.
Yaw might be sacrificed now, but I view this as a longer term interest to the party.
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On a sidenote, in the event of a by-election in Hougang, I'm expecting a straight fight between PAP's Desmond Choo and WP's Gerald Giam.
Gerald Giam's one of the most high-profile un-elected members, and had started to gain publicity since campaigning last year. His appearance in many events, including the televised debate, and his current role as NCMP in the House would have made him a more 'recognisable' face.
Another tell-tale sign that he's a likely candidate: He sat beside Low Thia Khiang in today's press conference.
It would also not make much sense if WP fields a lesser-known figure and risks losing the opposition stronghold. It would be more logical to elect Giam, and then field someone else from East Coast GRC for the emptied NCMP seat, who can then score political and publicity points for the next election.
We shall see.
人生是黑白的.
1:28 AM <3
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