Dear friends,
The opposition is given legitimacy by the People. That is the basic rule of democracy.
And in any multi-party parliament, the leader of the largest opposition party naturally becomes the Leader of the Opposition.
This happens organically – it does not depend on whether parliament approves.
That is why many Common Singaporeans were disappointed to see Leader of the House Indranee Rajah file a motion to consider Mr Pritam Singh unsuitable to continue as Leader of the Opposition and for MPs to express regret at his conduct.
What Singaporeans saw in that whole parliamentary spectacle was PAP MPs denigrating the character of Mr Singh.
And NMPs who are appointed by a PAP-dominant committee further kicking a man when he is down.
Singaporeans want our MPs to focus on real issues — cost of living, jobs, transport, housing, and family security.
But what we got was unnecessary bullying and political point-scoring.
In the peculiar case of Singapore, the Prime Minister sees it fit to bestow the Leader of the Opposition title.
If the PM believes that the role of Leader of the Opposition is important for good governance, then it should be protected by clear rules.
It should not be a title that can be given or taken away by the PM.
The SDA therefore calls for the role of Leader of the Opposition to be written into law, with clear safeguards, so it cannot be changed at anyone’s whim.
We also call on all MPs to keep parliament dignified and focused on serving the public.
The SDA will continue to stand for fair institutions, clean governance, and a Parliament that puts the People’s wellbeing above partisan political interests.
Desmond Lim
Chairman
Singapore Democratic Alliance
