WP does not ask questions to embarrass govt, checking policies is essential feature of Parliament: Pritam Singh

"The opposition will primarily focus on the function that Parliament demands of us — checking the government's policies and actions," said Leader of Opposition Workers Party's (WP) Pritam Singh on Sep. 22 during parliament sitting.

Singh elaborated on WP's parliamentary role in his speech in response to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam's speech at the opening of the 15th Parliament.

He pointed out that he had set how the party will chart an "independent path and fulfil its duty as a loyal opposition" during the opening address five years ago.

In this term, fidelity to the three key functions of Parliament — "to make laws, to check on the government and to scrutinise the state's finances" will come into distinct focus, Singh said.

Asking questions that need asking: Pritam Singh

Singh further elaborated on how WP plans to "hold the government accountable" in line with their "critical and inquisitorial role".

Their MPs have asked topical parliamentary questions covering housing, jobs, education, bullying in schools, foreign affairs transport, and more during the day's sitting, he noted.

He assured the house that WP will not file parliamentary questions to "rack up numbers" but to ask questions that "needs asking".

This is especially since the opposition does not receive any special government briefings, unlike the PAP MPs, he said.

Neither are there Parliamentary select committees to scrutinise the work of the various ministries when Parliament is not in session, he added.

For example, he pointed to the spate of MRT breakdowns that had occurred over the last three months.

"This will have to be scrutinised in Parliament, including the findings and recommendations of the recently established taskforce under LTA's purview," Singh said.

He also addressed those who think that WP is "trying to embarrass the government" when they ask questions.

"The Workers Party does not see it that way. Checking the government is a function of system design," he explained.

"Embracing this feature will be an important priority for the Workers' Party in this term of Parliament. Where alternative proposals and improvements to existing policies need to be raised, we will raise them accordingly."

He thanked the voters for their support and invited organisations to engage with the WP to discuss policy issues.

We and Me

Singh also spoke about President Tharman's call to put "We" before "Me".

He noted that the theme is a simple but timeless idea.

While the idea of "We" is important to Singaporeans, Singh emphasised that it "does not mean suppressing or minifying the importance and central role of the individual and his or her place in Singapore".

He argued that "We" and "Me" are perspectives that exist on a continuum.

"Both 'We' and 'Me' matter to Singaporeans. A binary treatment is limiting, while an overemphasis on one is not consistent with our lived experiences," he said.

Instead, we should aim for excellence as individuals and venture forth with confidence as individuals and be respected by society as individuals, regardless of race, language, religion and backgrounds, Singh said.

WP MP He Ting Ru also echoed his sentiments in her speech.

She said that it is not just about "Me First" or even "We first", but "Us together".

Using an analogy of a garden, He said:

"We must allow space for some rewilding. Stop worrying overly about the precise shape of our community.

We must trust that by removing barriers, the inherent wisdom of a population with a mindset of abundance will eventually guide itself to an ever-evolving system that encourages us to flourish together."

WP MP Fadli Fawzi also added in his speech that a "We First" society must be sensitive to the different needs of different groups.

He highlighted in particular how we must also attend to our elderly’s post-material needs to enable them to "pursue a life of dignity".

He said that the pursuit of a "We First" society is for nought if the “We” is not properly inclusive and allows certain groups of Singaporeans to lag behind.

Top photos from Mothership and MDDI/YouTube