Ex-scholarship holder in opposition? No big deal

Ex-scholarship holder in opposition? No big deal

Jan 30, 2010
Ex-scholarship holder in opposition? No big deal

I REFER to the report on a former government scholarship holder joining an opposition party ('Ex-Admin Service officer joins Reform', Jan 20).

While some have hailed this as a significant plus for the opposition, I view it as a non-event.

First, many talented graduates have joined the ranks of the opposition in recent years, but many of them have opted to keep out of the spotlight, preferring to build a credible profile first. For example, Workers' Party secretary-general and Member of Parliament for Hougang, Mr Low Thia Khiang, mentioned recently that his party has been recruiting new members, many of whom are probably academically well qualified.

Second, I agree with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's assessment that we should not judge political candidates based on their paper credentials, but on what they can do for society. Using Mr Lee's yardstick, I judge many opposition candidates favourably as they provide an alternative voice for the people, regardless of their qualifications. In fact, good grades are irrelevant to being a good politician, as the work of serving the community requires the heart more than the head.

It is time we look past superficial measures of success like academic credentials, and pay more attention to an individual's track record at work and in community service, which are more accurate indicators of his calibre.

Ng E-Jay



was the nerd slapping himself as well as all his comrades in the SDP CLAN?

....story soon to come, stay tuned.