Parliament was the scene of a fiery showdown between Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong and Leader of the Opposition (LO) Pritam Singh on Sep. 2, during the debate on the President's Address.

PM Lee had just finished his more than an hour-long speech, which touched upon issues like Singapore's Covid-19 response, strengthening social safety nets while keeping them sustainable, and how to manage the inflow of foreign workers into Singapore.

He also covered local politics, and made several references to the Singh's Workers' Party (WP).

On the topic of using Singapore's reserves, he said that the opposition asked to see the size of Singapore's reserves before deciding whether to support the government's Budget and taxation plans.

PM Lee said this was the attitude of "inheritors" who had come into a fortune, who want to consume the "fruit of their predecessors' labours", and this was a "fundamentally wrong" approach.

On the topic of voting for the opposition, PM Lee said the WP campaigned on the platform of forming a strong opposition, but explicitly not seeking to form the next government.

Singh: WP does not want to "raid the reserves"

Singh responded, wishing to clarify two points.

First, he said that when the WP talks about the reserves, they do not intend to raid them but rather to "slow the growth slope" of the reserves, so the principal is not touched. This was a point previously made by WP's Leon Perera during the Budget debate in Feb. 2020.

Singh said there was nothing unusual about this because the PAP does it too. He pointed out that in (2015), Parliament agreed to include Temasek in the NIRC formula, even though this would slow the rate of growth of the reserves. Added Singh:

"So that the argument cannot be that when the Opposition tries to put that proposal forward, somehow we are engaging in some sort of chicanery to steal what previous generations have toiled and perspired over to bring us here."

Singh said the WP has asked for the numbers before, but was rebuffed by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat who said that the reserves should be kept secret.

However, Singh said that as an MP, he had the opportunity to ask, if not during a sitting, then in a Committee. Singh said he was prepared to waive his Parliamentary privilege in order for the numbers to be divulged to him, so that they can come up with alternate policies for the welfare of Singaporeans.

"And yes there is Parliamentary privilege, but I'm pretty sure if it makes sense, I'm prepared to give up my Parliamentary privilege if I divulged those numbers and then I'll have to be taken to task under the OSA (Official Secrets Act)."

Singh said he was trying to set the record straight on his party's stance on the reserves, much like PM Lee did earlier in his speech when he mentioned a case of "fake news" involving DBS.

Singh: Lee Kuan Yew said system will not collapse with change of government

The second point Singh wished to clarify was the idea that one can vote for the Opposition while still expecting the PAP to form the government.

PM Lee, in his speech, referred to Singh's own speech on Aug. 31, about how a new party can run Singapore equally well because of our good public service:

"Is it really true that one day if there is a change of government, a new party can run Singapore equally well, because we have such a good public service, as Mr Pritam Singh suggested on Monday? It’s like saying having you have the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, anybody can be a conductor."

In response to that, Singh said those weren't just his thoughts, but was also expressed by Lee Kuan Yew, former Prime Minister and father of PM Lee. The elder Lee said if the ruling party is ever voted out of government the "machinery" must be there so that the civil service, police and armed forces can continue.

Singh added, in a voice shaky with emotion at some points:

"When my colleagues and I joined the Opposition cause, we didn't have heady dreams of becoming government. It's certainly not me. Why did I do this? I believe in an Opposition, in a Parliamentary democracy. It's not going to happen with people just hoping someone else does it.

Somebody has to put his flag in the sand and say, 'I'm going to do it'. And then it's the duty of myself, my party colleagues, to make sure that the people who are on board, do their very best. This is my commitment to Singaporeans and this is my commitment to the Prime Minister as well."

This elicited some applause from the MPs, including a few Ministers.

PM Lee: People must vote sincerely in accordance with what they want, not be free riders

PM Lee responded to Singh's clarification.

On the point of reserves, he said there was no guarantee of the reserves going up, and the mindset should be not to touch them until only in extreme situations.

On the point of voting for the Opposition, PM Lee said that Singh's arguments do not respond to the anecdote made by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, when a middle-aged lady was puzzled when her friends told her that the government would still be in charge even if she voted for the opposition.

PM Lee then made the point that the Constitution assures that there will be a minimum of 12 Opposition members in Parliament, whether MPs or NCMPs, to hold the government to account.

PM Lee said that if a voter truly believes the government is not up to scratch, they should vote to change it. He added:

"But if you say vote against the government, because somebody else will look after getting the PAP government and you just become a free rider. And you vote opposition, no harm, the PAP will still be there, then I think the system must fail.

Because the system can only work if people vote sincerely, honestly, in accordance with what they really want, and to produce the result, which matches their true intentions."

On the point about the Opposition being ready to take over, PM Lee agreed that the government has built the system such that it can fly on "autopilot", and that other countries with "revolving door cabinets" did not collapse. However, PM Lee said they did not do well either. PM Lee said it was not being honest to suggest that it does not matter who runs the government, otherwise he could dismiss all his ministers, who are not merely presiding over their ministries but are running them closely.

He gave the example of the Circuit Breaker. PM Lee said the Cabinet discussed it carefully and worked out the proposal, not the civil service:

"It is a big decision, S$5 billion of a supplementary budget. Civil servants and elected can make this, can carry this? New government come in can know how to do this? And have that feel and that trust and that confidence of Singaporeans, as well as the officials as well as investors and everybody else watching us. Anybody can make it happen? I think that is not in this world."

Singh: Singaporeans who voted for WP are not free riders

In response, Singh said he does not think residents in Aljunied and Hougang, and even Sengkang, would appreciate being called “free riders”.

He said empathetically: “They’re not free riders.”

He added that having been voted in, opposition MPs are not simply letting the government of the day do all the work, and that they have to do what they have to do, like running the town councils.

He further said that to move forward in the system as an opposition MP, “you’ve got to prove your worth in the town council”.

While he admitted that the WP have had growing pains in the past, he said if the party were “bungling things up”, he and his team “wouldn’t be here today”.

“We've tried our best in the circumstances that we are in,” he said, adding that the Sengkang team “is not going to have an easy time” as the first term is “always going to be tough”.

Important for parliament to have elected opposition MPs

He said: “But the voters of these constituencies put put their faith in us because they know an opposition in Parliament is ultimately good for Singapore.”

Singh added that it is when the parliament has elected opposition MPs that the government “listens harder”, and that “means something to people”.

“The PAP may have a different view on it, but that’s my perspective,” he said. “And that’s why it’s so important for there to be elected opposition MPs.”

Singh: I’m not desperate for power

He continued that while PM Lee spoke about “a dishonest sort of packaging” of what he was suggesting, the “bigger moral imperative” he has, which was a burden he felt before the last election, was “if you choose someone who is not committed, not vested”.

Singh said: “That's the biggest pain for me as the leader of one party that aspires to represent Singaporeans in Parliament.”

Therefore, to “do what is good and what is right by Singapore”, he said he has to look for the best people, and think about whether he wants to contest more seats and slowly grow.

He continued to explain that a lot of the party’s growth hinges on the quality of people who are attracted to the WP’s platform.

“If Singaporeans are attracted to it, then sure, there's a prospect of growth, but it’s not growth for growth's sake,” he said.

“I'm not desperate for power, Prime Minister", he added.

To bring this country forward, the opposition has to “get good people”, he said, adding that the PAP has been doing the same.

Singh concluded by saying the WP has to grow its roots as a “loyal opposition”, and while this is the first time the government has recognized the Office of the Leader of the Opposition after more than 50 years of independence, the party still has “many, many more miles to go”.

He said: “But we're not chasing a destination. We intend to do right by Singapore.”

PM Lee: Entirely reasonable to have honest people in opposition fight for their ideals

In response to Singh, PM Lee said in no way does he undervalue Singh’s motivations and desire to do right by Singapore, as well as his wish to have a high quality opposition built up in Singapore.

He said Singapore benefits when there are “honest people” in the opposition who “believe in what they are trying to do”, and who will “stand up and fight for their ideals”, and even, “from time to time, disagree very strongly with the government”.

He added that it is good that the opposition takes town council responsibility seriously, and looks after their constituencies conscientiously.

Explaining what he meant by his previous comment on “free riders”, PM Lee said it is “entirely reasonable” to stand for election and “tell people (to) vote for me as I will be a better MP than the other one, than the PAP MP”.

He continued: “But if you say vote for me (because) somebody else will vote for the PAP, and therefore the PAP will be the government, that the economists will call a free rider.”

Where would Singapore be if voters vote as "free riders"?

He further elaborated by saying such a voter is “taking advantage of somebody else who's doing their duty of electing a government for the nation”, and is not doing their part as a voter in expressing their true views on who they want to be the next government.

“And if everybody takes that attitude, then you're going to end up with a government which you don't want,” he said.

PM Lee carried on, saying while he thinks Singh’s argument about choosing candidates he can trust for the party is “the right and responsible attitude to take”, other opposition parties could make the same argument as Singh, that it is good to have an opposition in Singapore, and that “somebody else will look after the government of Singapore”.

Supposing both the PSP and SDP have been “as persuasive as” Singh, and more voters take such an attitude, “where would Singapore be?” he said.

He added that “something is wrong when you say I really want one government, but I will vote for another one”, and the system will go wrong if people do that.

PM Lee concluded by saying: “Elections are not just about the town council, they're also about electing the government for the country, and that's necessary for people to bear firmly in mind.”

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Top image from CNA video.