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Singapore was treated to a unprecedented show of unrivalled blow-by-blow account of a sibling spat that shook the country for close to three weeks.
Never have so many people switch so much to social media to watch the next FB post by any of the three royal siblings and many I believe would have burst their monthly data limit in order to catch the latest social media feed.
The central issue seems to be the family house and one wonders why the two younger siblings chose this time to mention about the demolition clause – they must have being sitting on edge for close to two years since the demise of their father to blow their top now.
Its sordid sometimes even sickening to read the candid exchange among the three siblings filled with email attachment to prove their point.
The main shocker of the whole Oxley saga must be how the Prime Minister uses his parliamentary power to convene a 2-day Parliamentary ministerial address to attack his siblings’ accusations with regard to the demolition of the house. Both the accusers were not present at the seating to defend their cause.
Its a strange setting which disturb many arm-chair critics and Singaporeans alike.
The two younger siblings acted more like a weighty whistleblower though they kept emphasizing that they are more concerned with the PM abiding by their late father’s wish to demolish the house. It is the allegation on the PM’s abuse of power that probably shook the whole country more than the issue of the house itself.
Singaporeans who watched the 2-day Parliamentary sessions must now be alarmed by the total control of power by the PAP aka Lee Family – stuff that the two younger siblings have warned Singaporeans about. At the end of the 2-day session, the PM himself declared that Parliament has found him and the government to be above reproach and innocent of all his siblings’ accusations especially the one on abuse of power!
Talk about ownself check ownself…
Two Lees – both father and son for that matter – have ruled Singapore for more than four decades between them. There was a short interlude when Goh Chok Tong helmed the Prime Ministerialship for 14 years but it was Lee and Lee all the way since LKY seized power in the 1960s.
Many Singaporeans are bothered by the focus of power within a few men in the tight inner circle especially from the Lee family that the word FAMILEE was coined specially for them.
In fact, people way back then have also grew uneasy when LKY’s eldest son took over as the Prime Minister but have no means to block the appointment except to privately moan the news. Such was the immense clout and influence that LKY wields then – his word is power.
For 13 years now, PM Lee has ruled the country in a manner more mellowed than his father and though the first few years were uneventful, the last few were somewhat turbulent. He angered China in his stand on the S China Sea issue and was side-lined by the big boy in the lucrative Belt road economic partnership. Most of the S E Asian countries were invited for the prestigious roadshow but we were strangely not.
He also started to use the rod abit more during the last few years to dissuade dissidents and people like Roy was sued and now has to work abroad. Activists were also shown the thorny path if they go out of hand too much and people are reminded of the late LKY’s reign when journalists and opposition politicians were routinely sued so they will toe their line.
In essence, the younger Lee has perpetuated what his late father has reinforced in a tightly-controlled arena of no-nonsence rigid Singapore – one that the younger Lee has promised to change in his younger years as PM but failed to do so in his latter years before his announced retirement soon.
A few MPs and NMPs in Parliament, during the 2-day Parliamentary session, also brought out the issue of a special committee to investigate into the accusations of the two younger siblings – especially the one delving into nepotism and abuse of power. These are strong accusations and even the US President Trump was recently subjected to a special enquiry when his sacked FBI chief Comey was brought back to testify.
Its a must-have check and balance system – one that we fail to implement throughout these 50 over years of PAP-cemented rule and many Singaporeans have felt that the PM and ministers are able to do what they want without much deterrance. They controlled the Parliament with a 90% majority and could pass out legislations easily like tiolet paper. There is no upper house, no senate, no Ombudsman, no nothing that can act as a proper check and balance in such dire times when accountability is paramount for the country to advance forward.
Even the people-elected President Tony Tan is ominously silent on the matter and proved to be useless as a possible check on the PAP government during this Oxley saga.
We are still light years away from a balanced democratic system whereby power is held in check so that nepotism and cronyism won’t have a chance to breed.
So let us come out and discuss together as a people what we want for a better Singapore on 15th July Saturday. If you want to speak at our open-air forum – please let us know in advance.
Each speaker has 5 to 10 minutes and we are limiting to a total of ten speakers only. You don’t have to be eloquent to speak but need only to speak from your heart.
You can email us at [email protected].
See you soon Singapore.
Event organiser
Gilbert Goh
7 July 2017
