Overheard in Parliament: The best and the more forgettable quotes from the COS debates (March 1)

SINGAPORE — Members of Parliament (MPs) quizzed four government ministries on hot-button issues and their plans during the Committee of Supply (COS) debates on Friday (March 1).

Issues raised with the defence, foreign affairs, home affairs and law ministries included relieving administrative burden for national servicemen, Singapore’s water agreement with Malaysia, and its response to shifting dynamics between China and the United States.

Here is a selection of quotes that got our attention.

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  “We need to change the perception of our neighbours, of Singapore as an arrogant nation that likes to compare itself favourably to other developing countries. Oftentimes, the perceived condescension is due precisely to our success as a business hub and a global city adopting the most advanced technologies. Success breeds envy among neighbours and this envy can turn toxic if our neighbours come to believe that our success is due to our taking advantage of their weaknesses.” —  Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) MP Low Thia Khiang

• “We are hoping that Safti City will be a smart training ground. We will use more simulation, detailed monitoring to help our soldiers learn better. It will be a far cry from the days that we did our National Service and charged up hills or against enemy battalions, shouting ‘bang, bang, bang, bang, bang’. And they shouted ‘bang, bang, bang, bang’ back.” — Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen

• “First, of course, the non-sexy bit as it were, what we have always been doing (to preserve religious harmony): Continue to build a strong Singaporean identity, preserve and grow our common space and experiences. It’s hard work, it’s a lot of work and it takes a long time. But we are where we are today because of all the steps we have taken over 50 years.” — Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam

MISSES

• “For the rest of our personnel, the Ministry of Defence and Singapore Armed Forces will inoculate them against hostile information campaigns and fake news, as well as strengthen cyber-security awareness through enhancing our existing curriculum and learning journeys. We hope that collectively, these efforts will help our servicemen better understand the role of fake news in modern warfare, the steps they can take in response, and strengthen cyber hygiene as a whole.” — Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Foreign Affairs 

• “It’s always sad when relationships between the (Malaysian and Singaporean) governments worsen.” — Sembawang GRC MP Vikram Nair