Former perpetual presidential hopeful Tan Cheng Bock has posted his take on the recent GST hike Parliament debate and the subsequent hullabaloo that ensued.

His March 10, 2018 Facebook post urged the government to be gracious and not overreact.

In the recently-concluded Parliament session, the Workers' Party's Aljunied GRC MP Sylvia Lim was repeatedly asked to apologise for her views that insinuated the government was dishonest about the GST hike.

In his post, Tan characterised the issue as one about debating “grapevine criticism” or “apparently embarrassing issues” in Parliament, and by making a point and moving on.

Channelled Lee Kuan Yew

The 78-year-old also channelled former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew a couple of times to support his argument.

On why browbeating Lim was not good, Tan wrote:

"I remember our former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew once told all PAP MPs in 1988 'Any show of arrogance or indifference by any MP or Minister will erode confidence in him and, later, in the government.'"

26 years as an MP

Tan's views regarding parliamentary debate carry the weight of his Member of Parliament tenure from 1980 to 2006, when he ran and won in elections on the PAP ticket.

Tan also wrote when illustrating the importance of speaking up and bringing out "grapevine criticism" in the coffee shops and hawker centres in Parliament:

"PM Lee was echoing the view of our former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew who said 'All MPs new and old, should speak out. You have to speak up and bring out the grapevine criticism in the coffee shops and hawker centres. It is damaging for the government not to openly refute it with facts and argument. By bringing up apparently embarrassing issues, you help the government openly state the facts and explain the reasons for our policies and so continue to hold the ground.'"

He ended his post by urging the government to not overreact or ask for any apology.

Here's the full post:

"BE GRACIOUS IN PARLIAMENT

Having watched the video on the GST debate, I felt the PAP ministers especially Shanmugam were brow beating MP Sylvia Lim by demanding an apology for asking whether the government postponed the GST hike because of negative public feedback. Many people perceive this brow beating as arrogance. I remember our former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew once told all PAP MPs in 1988 “Any show of arrogance or indifference by any MP or Minister will erode confidence in him and, later, in the government.”

Instead of getting upset, the Ministers should be thankful Sylvia Lim gave them an opportunity to explain. If the government’s position is ‘no’ then just say no and let’s just stop at that. No need to get defensive. As PM Lee Hsien Loong rightly said at the close of the Oxley Road debate: “If MPs believe that something is wrong, it’s an MP’s job to pursue the facts and make these allegations in their own name, decide whether something seems to be wrong, and if you think something is wrong, even if you’re not fully sure, then come to this House, confront the Government, ask for explanations and answers.” I enclose a video clip of Sylvia Lim quoting PM Lee.

PM Lee was echoing the view of our former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew who said “All MPs new and old, should speak out. You have to speak up and bring out the grapevine criticism in the coffee shops and hawker centres. It is damaging for the government not to openly refute it with facts and argument. By bringing up apparently embarrassing issues, you help the government openly state the facts and explain the reasons for our policies and so continue to hold the ground.”

So be gracious, no need to over-react or ask for any apology for bringing out “grapevine criticism” or “apparently embarrassing issues” in Parliament."