Chen Show Mao's Tang Analogy Is Not Good Enough. It Must Go Beyond Wei Zheng And Forms The Government.

Singaporeans should move forward and go beyond Tang Tai Zong and Wei Zheng in the Tang’s analogy.  This is to enable the alternative party has a chance to be the government and runs Singapore according to their wishes.

Chen Show Mao’s analogy is inline with the Workers’ Party’s analogy of driver and co-driver.  A co-driver cannot always be the co-driver.  Otherwise, he will be the trainee driver forever and becomes the “opposition’ permanently in Singapore.   

In his speech in parliament, Chen used the Chinese word <在野党> (alternative) rather than <反对党> (opposition) to describe the party sitting the opposite side of the ruling party. Alternative gives a hope of providing different views and opinions and if the voters accept them, the alternative views and opinions will the ruling of the next government.

With this regards, we have to agree with the PM and 3 PAP MPs who voiced out their views after Chen’s speech and analogy.

First, PM Lee said, "Being principled does not mean not being afraid to offend the government, because the government is not the Emperor and doesn't chop heads off!"  Yes, totally agree, the PAP government is not the Emperor and in modern day Singapore no one will chop off your head.  Even with the ISA, the government can only detain a person but not to chop off his head.

Most importantly, there is no more Tang Tai Zong in Singapore.  We are a Republic with an elected parliament.  I wonder why PM Lee wants to use the words ‘chop heads off!’  Is he too angry about the Tang’s analogy that there is no more Emperor?

We also have to agree with Sembawang GRC MP Ellen Lee who rejected Chen’s analogy, arguing that it was inappropriate to compare the PAP to Emperor Tai Zong as he was an autocratic ruler in a feudal era.

She said, “We live in a modern, democratic society and the PAP believes in being responsible to the people. In a democracy, anyone has the right to speak.”

Hence, there is no Tang Tai Zong.  And Wei Zheng can feel to speak out in our democratic society. But

speaking out or voicing out is not enough. The most important thing is the voters must ensure the democratic system works in Singapore and vote according to their wishes without fear and favour and give alternative party a chance.

I also agree with another PAP MP Sam Tan.  His analogy of the current state of Singapore politics seems more appropriate than Chen. He used “党外有党，民主思想” (multi-party and democratic thinking) while Chen used “党外无党，帝王思想” (one and no other party and emperor thinking).

He also pointed the past mistake of communists that was not inclusive and not willing to accept different opinions#.  Perhaps, he should move one step further to examine his own party whether similar mistakes occurred before.   

The last PAP MP that I agree with his views is Baey Yam Keng. He brought out the water analogy.  He mentioned the Chinese idiom “water can transport the boat but also cause it to sink” to underscore the importance of listening to the people. (yahoo.com.sg)

Again, like Sam Tan pointing out the past mistakes of Communists, he should also ask the PAP the same question. Water is like the people who can keep the current government but also can bring in a new alternative government.  This is, in fact, the actual meaning of listening to the people.

Yes, as Chen mentioned and pointed out that the government must listen but not be afraid of the people.  It is no necessary to prevent and treat our people like a theft. (我们不必防民如防贼). When there are different views and opinions from the people, the government must listen intensively but not to form negatively conclusions.  Anyway, all of us are the citizens of Singapore, why are you so afraid of the people?

Indirectly, the PAP’s relevant analogy of the ISA existence is another way of treating citizens like thefts.  

Just for the record of the Chinese history, there were many ‘thefts’ that listened to the people and acted on their behalf.  Some of them managed to overthrow the Emperors and begun their new dynasties. 

#他认为，用“党外有党，民主思想”来形容我国的政治体系更为贴切，并应以过去共产党人在思想上缺乏包容性这点引以为戒。不过，陈振泉也强调，在国际政治和经济不稳定的时候，我国更需要加强核心竞争力，而不是为了坚持己见，造成国民的分裂。