Source: Strait Times 19 Jan 1989
Cheng Bock tells of S’poreans who fear to speak up
The fear of retribution often cited by Singaporeans reluctant to speak their mind was highlighted by Dr Tan Cheng Bock yesterday.
Recounting instances when he detected such apprehension in Singaporeans he had met, he said the thoughts that crossed his mind were: “Are we so bad? Are we so feared?”
The MP for Ayer Rajah, in sharing these thoughts with his colleagues in Parliament, asserted that if there was to be consultation and participation in the Government’s decision-making process, then ways must be found “to ally the average Singaporean of this unhealthy perception”.
“For we can never get true consensus if our citizens fear to speak alternate views,” he said.
“Their resentments would only be suppressed.”
‘All the woes of a taxi driver’
The perception about the fear of retribution came across to him in two recent encounters, one with a taxi driver, the other with a group of young educated Singaporeans.
On a taxi ride home last week from Raffles City, he spoke to the driver, who complained about the hike in diesel tax and “all the woes of a taxi driver”.
But when they reached Dr Tan’s home and the driver turned around to collect his fare and recognised Dr Tan, his immediate reaction was to apologise for his remarks.
“What caught my attention was his repeated call not to report him or blacklist him and to allow him to earn his living.” Dr Tan recalled.
“I want him to know that I did not take down his taxi number nor did I intend to report him.”
Dr Tan said he was disturbed not by what the driver said about government policies but by the fears the cabby expressed.
“He may not be representative of all taxi drivers but it got me to ask myself: “Are we so bad? Are we so feared?”
At a recent discussion with some young adults on the SBC programme, Contact-Y, the fear of retribution also emerged as a main topic, Dr Tan said.
These incidents were used by Dr Tan to illustrate his earlier comment that to get participation there must be a conducive climate for expression and freer exchange of ideas”.
Further, he suggested that the Government could, for a start, “learn to accept criticism without being too upset”.
Throw of brickbats
In this, he noted how “upset”, “defensive and protective” Communications and Information Minister Yeo Ning Hong had been when “a brickbat or two” was thrown at his ministry, adding however that he did not blame the minister for “it is his job”.
Dr Yeo had responded to Arthur Beng (Fengshan) who was speaking about consensus and consultation style of Government on Tuesday, lamented at the lack of enthusiasm shown by certain ministries.
Dr Tan told his backbench colleagues, especially the newer ones, not to be intimidated by ministers and to speak their minds.
“Throw a few brickbats at them to remind them when they are about to stray away from consultation or (they) take for granted that because the subject matter was raised before there was no further need to consult. Consultation is not a one-time affair. Ministries must not assume that,” he said.
*Article appeared on http://www.tanchengbock.org/speaking-up/tan-cheng-bock-tells-of-singaporeans-who-fear-to-speak-up