Budget 2015 - Popularity v hard truths

Monday, 9 March 2015

THE STRAITS TIMES
FORUM LETTERS

Popularity v hard truths


Published on Mar 6, 2015 12:41 AM

NOMINATED MP Chia Yong Yong is not going to be very popular with her comments in Parliament that "if we lean too much to the left, we will not have much left" ("NMP opposes greater flexibility in withdrawal of CPF savings"; Wednesday).

But I am grateful for her candour.

I imagine the day when my son and grandchild will be discussing life issues at the dinner table and my son turns to my grandchild and says, "Your grandpa had it good in his day. But your grandpa's generation only made sure they had it good for themselves but left a mess for you and me". May such a day never come.

I am heartened that the debate in Parliament regarding the Budget featured most MPs asking if we are being accountable and transparent to the next government, the next generation, or whether we are setting ourselves up to enjoy the now at the expense of our future and kid ourselves that we can sustain this.

What we value collectively as a nation determines our survivability and success because what we value is what will keep our leaders accountable.

Singapore's continued success came not with the wave of a magic wand, but by the sheer grit, diligence, pragmatism and farsightedness of our forefathers and the current generation.

I am concerned that the MPs who spoke of their concerns regarding the sustainability of this generosity by the Government will become less popular with their constituencies and lose their votes to those who drum up the enjoy-it-now sentiments.

For our future's sake, our children's sake and generations thereafter, let us leave a legacy of being accountable to our future that is beyond the now, by supporting those who brave popularity loss to speak the inconvenient truths.

Steve Chiu Shih Tung