‘Don’t weaken fruitful PAP mango tree’
People’s Action Party Marsiling-Yew Tee candidates Ong Teng Koon and Lawrence Wong asking the crowd if they looked like brothers at the rally yesterday. Photo: Raj Nadarajan
SINGAPORE — Likening the People’s Action Party (PAP) to a mango tree that has yielded abundant fruit for more than 50 years and will continue to do so, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong yesterday questioned the Opposition’s desire to weaken it.
Speaking at a rally at Woodlands Stadium on the last day of campaigning, Mr Wong said to the crowd: “If a tree bears good fruit all these years, and you know that the tree will continue to bear good fruit, will you cut it down, will you tear it down, will you weaken the tree? Clearly, the answer is no.”
“The Opposition somehow has a different view, they want to weaken the tree,” said Mr Wong, who is contesting as part of the four-man PAP team in the newly carved out Marsiling-Yew Tee Group Representation Constituency.
Madam Halimah Yacob, Mr Alex Yam and Mr Ong Teng Koon round up the slate, which faces off against Mr John Tan, Mr Bryan Lim, Mr Damanhuri Abas and Ms Wong Souk Yee of the Singapore Democratic Party.
Mr Wong noted that there have been calls for more diversity in Parliament, and said he wants to see the same thing, too.
“But let’s not have diversity for diversity’s sake, let’s not have opposition for the sake of having opposition,” he said, urging voters to think carefully about which candidate they would like to see represent them in Parliament.
He also quoted the views of one of Singapore’s founding fathers, Mr S Rajaratnam, on democracy and his scepticism towards the “Western model of checks and balances”.
He said Mr Rajaratnam had noted, more than 30 years ago, that in Western Europe, opposition politics resulted in a weak and an unstable government.
Opposition parties, Mr Wong said, will only trumpet the benefits of their proposals, but will ignore the fine print. “The PAP approach is different, we are honest and we are upfront with you, we do not shy away from difficult issues. Our approach is one of hard work and real action on the ground. That’s the PAP way,” he added.
Mdm Halimah, who is co-anchoring the team with Mr Wong, also reminded residents that polling is an important exercise that is “not just a question of choosing a party or a person that can speak well and sound impressive when you hear them”.
“Beyond words and speeches, who can really take care of you?” she asked.
“The PAP has shown that we have a strong track record … Not a track record of coming up with papers, policies and debates; we do the action on the ground,” she added.
Yesterday, Mdm Halimah also choked up while thanking residents for the outpouring of support she has received since they found out that her mother was recently hospitalised.
“It was a tough journey for me … having to put up a bold front, having to continue campaigning these nine days and having to struggle with her in the hospital.
“This is always a challenge for us in public office that nobody sees,” she said, before adding: “Whatever happens, we have to put the interests of people before our own.”
