Workers’ Party MPs have abstained from voting on the Bill that will give MAS legal standing to block the Income-Allianz deal.
They didn’t vote “Yes” or “No”. They abstained from making a decision.
In essence, they told Parliament, we don’t want any responsibility in passing the Bill. You make the decision. It’s your call.
The responsibility now rests on PAP MPs to pass the Bill so that the Income-Allianz deal can be halted.
An established pattern of behaviour from the WP
Abstaining from decisions is an established pattern of behaviour from the Workers Party. The roll call of WP abstentions from important bills is long.
All WP MPs abstained from the Presidential Elections Bill. All of them abstained from the Human Biomedical Research Bill. Two WP MPs abstained from the repeal of Section 377A.
In this respect, the WP cannot be relied on to make tough choices, especially when public views are divided. They are populists.
WP MPs even abstained from their own motion on the NCMP in 2016, when they were readying ex-WP member Prof Daniel Goh to take the seat that Ms Lee Li Lian declined to fill. Incidentally, Prof Goh was expelled from the WP in 2023 for calling out the WP leadership.
WP abstained from a party position on Section 377A
Abstaining is a way to dodge and weave. You can claim credit for the speeches you made, but you don’t have to take blame for making any decisions.
In the case of the repeal of Section 377A, two WP MPs abstained from the Bill. The Workers’ Party even abstained from having a party position on the issue. They consistently refused to state their party’s position on the repeal of Section 377A.
The WP, as a party, did not want to take a stand on this matter. It did not want to be seen as supporting the repeal and it did not want to be seen as opposing the repeal. They wanted to be all things to all men, and not too much of anything to anyone.
This is an avoidance of responsibility. Singaporeans elect members of parliament to take decisions on their behalf, with their interests at heart, not to shirk away from hard choices.
If this pattern of behaviour is already happening when the WP is in Opposition, what more the likelihood of it happening when they are forced to make real decisions for Singapore? Can they make the hard choices if they are ever given the reins of government? There will be no one else to pass the buck to.
The PAP government will never shirk from tough decisions
The PAP government has the courage and conviction to decide in the best interest of Singapore, even if these decisions are tough to make and unpopular. In the case of Section 377a, it required years of engagement with religious groups, and LGBTQ organisations, engaging in dialogue, building trust and ultimately leading by making the tough decisions. This is the difference.
The PAP does not deal in dodging and weaving. It is not in our DNA to shirk the responsibilities of leading the country. We are open and transparent in the information that we bring to Parliament, at the earliest possible moment we can. That is why the Bill to amend the Insurance Act is being tabled in the first place.
We put our positions clearly to the people of Singapore. We make the hard choices, with full acceptance of the political cost. We must, because it is our duty, responsibility and privilege to do so.
In 2014, then PM Lee Hsien Loong asked the Workers’ Party in Parliament:
“Where do you stand on what the Government is doing? Is the Government doing right? Is it doing wrong? Do you agree with the Government? Do you have a better view? Or do you abstain? Or do you abstain from abstaining?”
Ten years on, and we are no closer to any answers.
The Workers Party abstains.