What Price Integrity?

Ms Lim also questioned if Mr Lee was not of the view that the Hougang residents are under-represented without an MP. 
Said Mr Lee: "If that is an issue, I would have thought that it is something which the Workers' Party would have considered before deciding to expel Mr Yaw Shin Leong.
"So, if we are in this situation today, it is because the Workers' Party has caused this situation to happen, knowing the consequences."

On reading his exchanges [Link] with WP's Low Thia Kiang and Sylvia Lim, one can understand the frustration of PM Lee Hsien Loong. I do agree with PM Lee that WP is responsible for this situation. However, I would think that Yaw Shin Leong is the source of the issue and Workers' Party had to expel Yaw Shin Leong to uphold the integrity of the party.

I may be wrong but the way I understand it is:

1. Yaw Shin Leong was rumoured to have committed some personal indiscretion.
2. Yaw was asked to appear in WP's Central Executive Committee to clear the air
3. Yaw chose not to appear and went AWOL
4. WP's CEC decided to expel Yaw Shin Leong
5. Yaw informed the Speaker of Parliament that he did not wish to challenge WP on his expulsion
6. A by-election in Hougang must be held
7. PM Lee has to decide when the by election is to be held

Like most, I accept the fact that the decision by WP to expel Yaw has caused a by-election to be held in Hougang. But it is simply too rich for PM Lee to blame WP for expelling Yaw. Come on, just what would the PM or other PAP MPs say if WP were to keep a sitting MP who went *AWOL from Parliament and his constituents? Would not PAP ride roughshod over WP for its irresponsibility in not having a MP representing their constituents and speaking up in parliament? Would it not be a dereliction of an MP's duty?

Oops. . . pardon me. I may be wrong but I have not seen or heard some duly elected MPs, especially those who were relieved of ministerial positions, making their contribution in parliament since the last election. Or are they working on the quiet? I just hope that their absence is not due to post-demotion blues. I'm sure they are made of sterner stuff!

It is never easy to sack someone. It takes guts, reasons and justification. I think WP did right on Yaw. No, not for the reason of his rumoured indiscretion but for his irresponsible absence when he was asked to clear the air. The righteousness of WP in sacrificing a duly elected MP is worth respecting. The courage of WP to go for a rematch, to risk losing Hougang, is indeed an honorable act which other political party can learn from.

Imagine if some deadwood were removed earlier from their ministry, we may not have the current housing crisis, the transportation gridlock, the fight for jobs, the struggle for places in schools & universities, the lamentable fight for hospital beds and other malaises that have caused Singaporeans much unhappiness. So whose fault is it that we now have to fight with foreigners for breathing space? I would think that the cause of such unhappiness is due to the incompetence of certain decision makers.

With the all the smarts, talents and 20/20 vision in PAP, wouldn't they have known that some decision makers screwed up big time? If so, why didn't they sack those blighters? Like what WP did to Yaw Shin Leong. If they had the gumption to sack those slackers then, Singaporeans today may not have to fight tooth and nail for basics like jobs, hospital beds, a place in the bus or train or affordable homes. Singaporeans would be a happier lot today!

In biting the bullet, WP took the bull by the horns and expelled Yaw Shin Leong. Some claimed that the relationship between Low Thia Kiang and Yaw Shin Leong was very close, very tight. If that it so, WP is worthy of even more respect for putting its principle and integrity above protecting its members and covering up for its cronies!

We must salute them for not protecting their own when their own did not measure up!

feedmetothefish

*AWOL - Absence Without Official Leave