NO PERFECT GOVERNMENT.
There is no such thing as a perfect government. Governance is always a work in progress, experimental process. Singapore’s governance is as such. Policies setting, trend anticipation, economic growth and everything the government does is based on trials and errors and making sure those trials work and committing to lesser errors. Then learning from those errors. When the opposition claims that the government is wrong in certain aspects of policy, they may be right.
When they claim that the government is wrong on the transport infrastructure planning, they are also right in some ways. What separate the wheat from the chaff is the way the government takes on the responsibility, apologizes and tries again. The sincerity and earnestness is shown in Lee Hsien Loong’s government. We may have a botched train service now but all firepower is put to righting it. AGO found lapses and the affected agencies are putting in corrective actions. This is not the same as the WP’s denials on the accounting lapses and exhibiting defiant posturing to account not even to their First World Parliament.
As Singaporeans, our first love must be for our own country and to think of all the ways to make this place great! It is lamentable that some from the oppositions and PAP-bashing groups will claim that Singapore is sterile, lack democracy or that we have incapable ministers and MPs. I listen carefully. I also look around carefully. I do not know where would be the best country these Singaporeans will take as an example? Where their aspirations and hopes can be pinned upon? Whether other governments are better or trains function better or education less onerous or whether they are freer and have greater freedom of expression. Whether faraway in U.S. or in Europe- Swiss to Sweden to Germany to Greece or nearer Malaysia or Thailand, where would I want home to be? It is here in Singapore. Because I listened and saw for myself in all the countries that I have traveled and do businesses in, Singapore is by far, safe, secured and progressive. In any case, these Singaporeans are free to migrate and stay in their Utopia but for those of us who believe and who continue to want the best for our country, we’ll do our best to make this country great and greater in the next 50 years.
As we are in a SG50 celebration, celebrating our Independence for the 50th time, every one of us will celebrate this high note brought about by a competent government – from LKY to our current government. This success is surely not brought about by not believing in our cause- to build a multi-racial society based on justice and equality so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation. It is because we believe- that this would be our home and then we went all way out to make that happens.
Happy SG50 to all.
