WP attacks PM over comments on opposition

By Sue-Ann Chia
May 5, 2006
The Straits Times

THE Workers' Party (WP) yesterday criticised Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for his comments on how difficult his job would be if more opposition MPs got into Parliament.

Mr Lee said at the lunchtime rally on Wednesday that he could 'deal' with having three opposition MPs now, but that if the opposition held 10 to 20 seats in Parliament, it would be a different matter.

He had said instead of thinking long-term for the country, he would have to attend to the attacks from the opposition.

He said: 'Instead of spending my time thinking of what is the right policy for Singapore, I have to spend all my time thinking what is the right way to fix them, what's the right way to buy my own supporters over, how can I solve this week's problem and forget about next year's challenges.'

Last night, WP chief Low Thia Khiang fired four questions at Mr Lee, and he expects a response before Polling Day tomorrow.

He wanted to know how Mr Lee proposed to 'fix' the opposition MPs, and how he would 'buy' PAP supporters' votes. He also asked if Mr Lee was unable to govern in the presence of 15 to 20 opposition MPs, and whether he was worried by the challenge mounted by the opposition, particularly the WP.

Other WP leaders also picked up on this issue at the party's first and only rally at Ang Mo Kio GRC, which the WP is contesting against the People's Action Party incumbents led by Mr Lee.

Mr Yaw Shin Leong, who is leading the WP's young six-man team in Ang Mo Kio GRC, asked why Mr Lee was so 'preoccupied' with fixing the opposition, as if it were out to 'create chaos'. The opposition, he added, was also interested in the well-being of Singapore.

WP chairman Sylvia Lim, in a brief speech, also jibed at Mr Lee's leadership abilities.

Repeating his comments to supporters, she said: 'He's saying that he may not be able to juggle opposition MPs and handle his job of being the Prime Minister at the same time. Are you not able to multitask?'

If not, Singaporeans ought to be worried about entrusting the country's future in his government, she added.

Ms Lim, who is leading the WP's Aljunied GRC team, said the WP candidates are contesting the polls because they want to pressure the PAP to refine policies. She added: 'By saying 'fix', is he not wanting to debate policies?'

Her Aljunied GRC teammate, Mr James Gomez, noted that 'fixing' was what governments in Third World countries did. But he said he was not surprised, because those remarks were made to 'camouflage the fact that the PAP campaign has no clear message'.

The lack of a PAP campaign has done Singaporeans a 'great disservice' as they have not heard debate on 'quality issues' in this election, he said.

Mr Gomez, who is at the centre of a controversy over his minority candidate form, criticised the PAP for confusing voters during this election campaign.

'They have run a flip-flop campaign, go ahead, gostan times two and now ke-blakang pusing,' he said, using colloquial and Malay words to mean 'go astern' and 'turn around'.

He charged that the PAP had not addressed issues that were pertinent to voters such as how to lower the cost of living and structural unemployment.