Under One Roof Again...

Plenty of action has been surrounding parliament lately. The budget debate is heating up and the GST hike is taking centre stage.

Various Members of Parliament (MPs), both PAP and non-PAP ones, have been raising tough questions about GST. There is talk about using other forms of revenue to offset the reduction in corporate tax, instead of the GST hike that is being proposed. In essence, MPs have been asking: Is the GST hike the only way to go for Singapore’s economy?

This question is a welcomed respite from the standard fare of reasons behind the hike. The government’s side of the story has been so widely covered by the press since last year that we almost forget that the hike was merely raised by the Prime Minister and not even debated and passed by parliament yet.

At least the lively debate concerning the GST hike prevents parliament from becoming a mere formality. It is indeed a breath of fresh air to hear alternative opinions on what is otherwise a foregone conclusion.

It is not a case of “ask for the sake of asking” as well. In particular, questions raised by non-PAP MPs have been deemed important enough to solicit thorough answers from the Ministry of Finance in defence of the GST hike.

It might seem redundant to question the executive branch of the government (the Prime Minister and his Cabinet), but the legislature (parliament) must be actively involved in the decision making process as well.

The debate of various ideas in parliament is an essential part of that process in order to arrive at the best answer for the country’s economy, even if the best answer happens to be the Prime Minister’s proposed GST hike.

Through the ongoing debate in parliament, citizens will know the various alternatives that have been raised and considered by the government and might then be more accepting of the GST hike. It also reduces the impression that the GST hike is something arbitrarily conjured up by the government and thrust upon the people.

Indeed, questions close to the heart of the public have been raised. The issue of necessities like bread and food being excluded from the hike was discussed when a PAP MP raised the point. This allays the fear that the government does not understand the worries of the people.

Of course, it is still up to citizens if they are willing to accept the answers with regards to the questions raised in parliament. Some may, after reading the clarifications on the GST hike in the newspapers, decide for themselves that they still disagree with it.

But an informed member of the public is still more desirable than one who is simply blindly opposing the GST hike, without knowing the various arguments for and against that the government has already considered.

Now that MPs are stepping up to challenge the budget plans of the government, it is our responsibility as well to reflect our views and concerns to our MPs. To do so, we must be savvy to the national debate surrounding the GST hike. Only then will we be able to articulate our concerns in a thoughtful manner worth considering. Mere disgruntled rants only serve to display our ignorance to a matter that affects all of us.

If more Singaporeans are willing to make their voices heard in an informed and rational manner, and MPs make a concerted effort to listen, they will be able to reflect the public’s views better.

The GST hike is but one of the many issues worthy of national debate involving every citizen. It is high time we start practising to speak up, and MPs start paying attention to what we have to say.

Only then will they truly become the peoples’ voice in parliament.