Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Freedom, fairness and responsibility

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Freedom, fairness and responsibility

A new government has taken office in the UK. It is a coalition government formed by the Conservative and the Liberal Democratic party. The new Prime Minister David Cameron said, "It will be an administration based on three key principles - freedom, fairness and responsibility".

I am heartened by these key principles and hope that Singapore will also aspire towards them. Here are some changes that have to be done in Singapore:

1. Freedom: allow people to express their views freely, without being sued for damages when they give any honest, negative opinion.
2. Fairness: reduce the wide disparity in income and ensure that people can seek justice, even if they do not have the money to engage lawyers
3. Responsibilty: take action to correct any flaws, instead of pushing the responsibility from one agency to another.

Tan Kin Lian

7 comments:

Anonymous said...: I always admire Western countries for their form of democracy. And the ruling and opposition parties are almost on par. Voters thus have reasonably good alternative choices.

The British also have good legal systems from which many former colonies including Singapore inherited. And political defamation suits bankrupting opponents are unheard of.

And contrast all these with Singapore! Wonder when will we emerge out, if ever, of our quagmire in this respect?; May 13, 2010 8:32 AM
C H Yak said...: Hi Mr Tan

I think your "negative opinion" in Item 1 means "genuine opinion".

When people put forward opinion, they are always positive in a way, but may be critical of policies. Even if they may be wrong, these are not "negative" opinion but genuine personal opinion.; May 13, 2010 10:04 AM
Anonymous said...: The recent financial crisis have awakened our political awareness in Singapore, we were sleeping along with breakneck economic growth since independence, and suddenly we seem to have woken up to find there are flaws with its unaccountability and excesses in Singapore politics.
The TV debates among the three political parties on UK TV have opened our eyes further and we desire an active opposition in Parliament, not those appointed NMPs that have to toe the ruling party's line, else they get rebutted by MM Lee on national TV, or risked being retired when they come up for reappointment.
We desire real democracy, not self-styled one that keep one's Party in power. NMPs have no place in Govt.; May 13, 2010 11:37 AM
Anonymous said...: 11:37 AM....

I concured with you.I hope more qualified ppls from the opposition parties will stand for the coming General Election.We need fresh and practical/capable candidates in the parliament.We need these ppls to lead Singapore for the benefits of our children.We need changes and hope that Peoples'Will will be met.

hawker; May 13, 2010 1:12 PM
C H Yak said...: In such a "dormant" market with very low return, if HDB provides real "affordable" low cost housing or more HDB flats for rentals, then HDB is the real party shouldering the burden and costs, not the general public.; May 13, 2010 5:29 PM
Anonymous said...: They can have PM and deputy from different party.. wonder if that will happen to sg.; May 13, 2010 6:49 PM
Anonymous said...: Hawker,
we need people with a heart for the people and NOT educated one with blains. Look at history, all countries started that way. Even PAP started that way. Why qualified people? Qualification is have a heart for the people's cause.
Don't play into their hands about qualified people? You want an opposition? Vote in an opposition, regardless of who is or are in the opposition.No wonder, PAP know the electorates are dummies, easily fooled.; May 13, 2010 10:20 PM