When news about the billion-dollar money laundering bust first broke, speculation was rife about how such a large sum of dirty money could have gone unnoticed for so long. Singapore is a washing machine, used to launder ill-gotten gains. Singapore caved to foreign powers! Then came the assertions that our authorities had swept these criminal…
Be Transparent about Transparency 1. What does it mean to be “transparent”? This is a question that requires our urgent attention following accusations by Mr. Pritam Singh, Leader of the Opposition and Secretary-General of the Worker’s Party, that the government has been “less than upfront and forthright with Singaporeans”. 2. It is difficult to establish…
1. Mr. Pritam Singh, the Leader of the Opposition, accused the government in Parliament today (2 August 2023) of “either been slow to clear the air or been less than upfront and forthright with Singaporeans when it had to deal with potentially embarrassing issues”. He gave three examples that allegedly support his accusation. This serious…
Politics exists to provide good leadership, safeguard the national interest, foster unity and cohesion, and formulate a common vision for a brighter future. In the cut-and-thrust of politics, however, it can be easy to lose sight of this fundamental purpose of politics. First, transparency and integrity are basic tenets we expect and even require of…
Singapore’s reputation for integrity is more than a badge of honor; it’s the lifeblood of our nation, a beacon that has drawn respect and investment from around the globe. Ranked fifth in an international anti-corruption index, we stand as a shining example for other Asian countries. But now, that reputation is under attack, not from…
We saw PM deliver a Ministerial Statement this afternoon in relation to the CPIB investigations involving S. Iswaran and the resignations of former Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and MP Cheng Li Hui. As expected, Leader of the Opposition, Pritam Singh rose to obfuscate matters and said the PAP government is less than transparent and hypocritical in…
Lee Hsien Yang made a startling assertion in a post he put up on Facebook on 23 July 2023 – he claimed that “[t]rust in the PAP has been shattered”. That trust, as Mr. Lee observes, was built upon “high standards of propriety and personal conduct, together with staying clean and incorrupt”. He asserts that…
Mr Lee Hsien Yang puts up for his posts for Singaporeans to read. He talks about trust, and governance. He is a member of the PSP. He receives lawyers’ letters from two Ministers – saying that he has defamed them. They say they will sue unless he apologises and withdraws his allegations. What does he…
Mr. Lee Hsien Yang’s post earlier makes two claims: (a) He did not assert that Ministers Shanmugam and Balakrishnan were acting corruptly or for personal gain in his 23 July post. (b) His post was made in the United Kingdom and the Ministers should sue him there. It appears that he has had time to…