The Nanny is leaving the country

Govt will cut the apron strings as society opens up more, says DPM Lee

Wednesday • January 7, 2004

Teo Hwee Nak

hweenak@newstoday.com.sg

AFTER months of speculation since he was officially pronounced the next Premier, Deputy Prime Minister
Lee Hsien Loong last night gave his clearest answer on whether he will continue Prime Minister Goh Chok
Tong's "open" style of leadership.

"Many Singaporeans ask: Moving forward, will the society continue to open up? I have no doubt that our
society must open up further," he said in a speech at the Harvard Club of Singapore's 35th anniversary
dinner.

In fact, Mr Lee has been part of the machinery "push(ing) the process" of opening up Singapore society
since 1985.

Then, aged 33 and fresh in politics, he had drafted the report proposing that the Government emphasise
feedback and consensus building. It led to the Feedback Unit being created.

That same year, he also chaired the Economic Committee, gathering feedback from Singaporeans through
an "unprecedented consultation exercise" to review the country's economic policies.

Bearing out his commitment last night was a speech with detailed guidelines on how to promote participation
from the people "on the threshold of a new era".

For a start, the Government will "cut the apron strings" and refrain from being a "nanny" who looks after
everything all the time. "In fact, nanny shouldn't be there at all," he said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs will soon also relax the rules to make it easier for Singaporeans to form and
register societies, he revealed.

As for those oft-debated out-of-bounds (OB) markers, Mr Lee said that it would be "difficult" and "undesirable
in principle" to mark them all out upfront explicitly.

"Had we pre-defined all the parameters for discussion, civil society would have lost the spark and autonomy
that allows fresh areas to be explored, limits to be redefined and both Government and civic groups to
develop a certain responsiveness to each other and engage each other to move society forward," he said.

Mr Lee also laid out the "terms of engagement" for public consultation on new policies, based on a set of
guidelines the Remaking Singapore Committee had come up with.

The Government, he said, not only has to make clear the process of decision-making and the scope for
change — it also has to give enough time for the consultation exercise and information for people to study
the issue.

Encouraging "rigorous debate", he said: "Some people are afraid to speak up for fear of saying the wrong
thing or being taken to task. But for debate to be fruitful, it has to be rigorous and not held back out of
concern for egos or sensitivities."

The Government will not view all critics as adversaries, he assured, and will look at "the spirit of the
criticism".

But when asked if a different set of OB markers applies for non-Singaporeans, he was quick to reiterate the
Government's stand that politics remains off-limits for them.

Rebuttal will come in where there is a need to defend the Government's standing or moral authority, he
added in his speech.
Mr Lee also lamented that Singaporeans are lacking in activism compared to the Americans and he admitted
the Government had a role to play in that.

Relating to laughter how a constituent had complained to him about mosquitoes in his flat, he said: "Perhaps
our Government has taken on responsibility for many things which citizens should really deal with
themselves."

Another commitment Mr Lee made was that the Government will develop a more vibrant media "for debates
and contending ideas to flourish".

In fact, he was heartened by what he is reading in the newspapers nowadays.

"I read letters that need a proper reply, but before the department has drafted one, some other member of
the public has published a good rebuttal," he said. "This is a very positive sign."

He cautioned, however, that civic participation "must not degenerate into Government by opinion polls".

And while some wish to open up even faster, there is a less articulate majority Singapore must look after.

"The Government must keep faith with this less articulate majority, to deliver jobs, security, and a better
future for their children," he said. "The test of our policies is not how closely we approach an idealised model,
but how well we move the majority forward so that we remake Singapore into a dynamic global city and the
best home for citizens."