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During a press conference on his party's future, a reporter asked Progress Singapore Party's secretary-general Leong Mun Wai what he thinks about the "confrontational style" he brought to Parliament since he took on the top appointment in the party.
The question was in reference to commentaries which quoted a Singapore Management University (SMU) associate professor from the Yong Pung How School of Law, who said PSP was endorsing Leong's "confrontational style" in Parliament by appointing him as secretary-general.
Depends on how people look at it
Leong first pointed out that "confrontational" is a term "coined by some analysts".
He said it depends on how people look at it.
"If you think that every time I pursue a minister for a definitive answer, and every time I answer the speaker in order to get an opportunity to talk, that is confrontational, then I cannot say anything."
"You cannot just sit down, right?"
He said he thought that was the "basic duty" of a parliamentarian.
"You cannot just ask a question, the minister didn't answer you, and you just sit down, right? You have to ask another question, right?"
Leong felt that as a parliamentarian, he has to push for his questions to be answered and that if people say that he is "confrontational" because of that, "Then I think it's really up to the judgment of Singaporeans."
Might have been "a bit awkward"
He admitted that "sometimes it might be a bit awkward" but feels that as he and fellow PSP NCMP Hazel Poa gain a better understanding of parliamentary procedures, they should be "more polished" going forward.
Chairman of the party Tan Cheng Bock, who was together with Leong and Vice-Chairman Poa at the press conference, added that "these are all labels".
Tan said, "Sometimes it's not confrontation. It's trying to get an answer."
PSP's other "labels"
On a separate point about "labels", Tan said that PSP was made fun of as an "old man's army" when they first introduced themselves in the last General Election.
He emphasised that PSP has changed over the years, and the PSP now is "so different" from the time he first started it.
"I'm very glad that I passed the baton to all these young people, and thank God they do a much better job than me."
When asked about how PSP will be appealing to the younger Singaporeans since they were labelled as an "old man's party", Tan explained that even though it is true that they are "old", they look out for everyone, even the young.
PSP have "young ones" too
He revealed that there are "very young ones" in their party, but people may not see them yet as they have to assess if they are "capable of holding positions" and will need to further "monitor them".
"We will put them to the ground and see how they fare," Tan explained.
Leong added that it was true that PSP started with more support from older people, such as those from the Merdeka generation, but he believed that over the past years, they have "cultivated a broader base of support".
Leong explained that he thinks their outreach activities on the ground and the policies they presented in Parliament "resonate with the younger Singaporeans".
Top image via Mothership & MCI
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