Monday, August 22, 2011

Civil service should be non-partisan

We need a neutral and non-partisan approach to identify the issues that are important to Singaporeans and find solutions that are best for the people. I am contesting the Presidential election on this platform. My vision is a better life for all Singaporeans. I believe that a non-partisan and open approach is best to achieve this goal.

Our civil service and grassroots organisations should also be non-partisan. In carrying out their public duties, they should not favor any political party.

I am disappointed to learn in applying for the use of public spaces for an event, some civic or grassroots organisations were told that they were not allowed to invite their Member of Parliament as the Guest of Honor. I recall that in past years, it is usual for Members of Parliament to be invited in this capacity for these events. This is discriminatory and does not show respect for the Member of Parliament who has been duly elected by the voters in the constituency.

If this report is true, I wish to ask if there has been a recent change of policy in disallowing all elected Members of Parliament to be invited as guest of honors in similar functions that require the use of public spaces,, and if this new policy is being applied to all Members of Parliament, regardless of the political party that they are affiliated to?

I ask for the civil service to act in a non-partisan manner in discharging their public duty and to show respect for the Member of Parliament who has been duly elected by the voters in the constituency.

Tan Kin Lian



6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes! I really hope the general populace can see how Mr Tan the real deal.

Please for goodness sake! Pro-PAP supporters, you have your govt in power now. Why don't you consider having an external auditor checking up on the health of the company?

Anonymous said...

The PAP leadrers alway ecourage Singaporeans to be more gracious, and yet they themselves behave so un-gracious.

yujuan said...

Very disgusting of the PA. The Govt talks so much about uniting the citizens through the President, and yet pay only lip service. Preventing the people's voted opposition MP, Chen Show Mao, from attending the 7th month celebrations at his own constituency is an abuse of power. PAP PA still thinks they are the real rulers of Paya Lebar ward.
Shame on them. Sore Losers. Despicable rats.
Now who wants to listen to PM Lee
talking on national TV, don't hold water what he says. Maybe he can't even control his own people and Institutions, this is the likely reason, what he wants done is completely ignored by the rest of the PAP machinery. This shows the level of support he commands from his own Party. Is there really a split within the PAP itself, between the moderates and the far right. How come what PM says is contrary to actions taken down the line.
Preventing the elected MP from attending an important event, like the 7th Month Ghost festival in his own ward, displays the highest level of despicable pettiness ever imagined. PAP does not own Singapore, the people are the real owners.

Anonymous said...

"Activities held on PA's premises have to be “non-political” in nature. This rule applies to all political parties and to all open spaces rented by the PA and the grassroots organisations."

- People's Association spokesperson, in response to WP MP Chen Show Mao being banned from attending 7th month dinners

Do you accept PA's explanation?

Anonymous said...

"I refer to your response to the recent incident in which the MP of Aljunied GRC was prohibited from attending the 7th month dinner. You stated that the prohibition was on grounds that the event is meant to be non-political.

May I ask:
1. How does Chen Show Mao's attendance make the event political? Did he express intention to make a speech canvassing support for the WP? Did he say he will go in the WP outfit to advertise for WP?

2. What is non-political? Does a PAP MP attending the event make it non-political? Why is there no similar prohibition against Tin Pei Ling attending the event in Aljunied Crescent which she in fact advertised on her official Facebook page??"

Anonymous said...

I remembered I attended a 7th month dinner in Holland some years ago and that Minister with a lot of CPF was the guest of honour?!..We the citizen of Singapore, ...based on justice and equality...MY FOOT!

Blog Archive