SINGAPORE: Maybe it can be chalked up to a rookie mistake, but Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) Kenneth Tiong (Aljunied) calling a minister’s question “stupid” on Wednesday (Nov 5) not only made the news but also sparked a debate online.
Mr Tiong apologised to National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat, but was reprimanded by Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, who also reminded MPs to behave with dignity and decorum.
The WP MP had asked Parliamentary Questions regarding family offices, specifically about the due diligence checks performed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) before tax incentives are granted.
Mr Chee, the deputy chairman of MAS, said that two such family offices that had received tax incentives turned out to be linked to Cambodia’s Prince Holding Group and Chen Zhi, its founder. He added that the incentives have since been revoked. Mr Chen has been charged in the United States for allegations that he was behind a large-scale cryptocurrency scam connected to forced labour camps in Cambodia. Seventeen entities registered in Singapore, as well as three Singaporeans, have received sanctions for reported links to Mr Chen’s operations.
Mr Tiong had also asked in Parliament if those sanctioned in the US operated tax-exempt family offices in Singapore, and then went on to ask supplementary questions.
At one point, the minister said, “Speaker, before I answer the questions, may I ask Mr Tiong to clarify if the Workers’ Party’s position is that we should adopt a zero risk approach, or would he agree with me that we should adopt a risk proportionate approach, set high standards, but also maintain the efficiency and competitiveness of our financial system?”
To this, Mr Tiong replied, “There’s a pattern of ministers and political office-holders asking… rhetorical questions, which have no meaning.”
And when the Speaker said Mr Tiong should simply answer Mr Chee’s question, the WP MP said, “So the answer is no. I don’t think it is the minister’s point of view that you should, in fact, have a zero-risk approach, because it’s impossible. So he’s asking a stupid question.”
The minister called him out on this, asking him to withdraw the comment as well as to apologise, which he eventually did, but not before the reprimand from Mr Seah.
What netizens are saying
Some commenters online agreed that Mr Tiong’s comment had been inappropriate, especially given the setting of his remark.
“No matter how annoyed or flustered one may be with another Member of the House, class and decorum should always be maintained. If you can’t keep your composure, at least be civil. You are in Parliament, not some market,” wrote a Facebook user.
However, others agreed with Mr Tiong’s take on the matter, with one writing, “Nothing is zero risk. It was a stupid question. It is not stupid if a child asks the question. But in Parliament, we expect learned people not to ask the obvious or try to evade questions by asking another question. Our intellects deserve something better. We are no longer in 1965.”
The commenter added that Mr Tiong’s word choice had been inappropriate.
Some netizens offered suggestions for what the WP could have said instead.
“English is a rather powerful language with an expansive vocabulary. Perhaps, it may be better to rephrase: ‘And how does that question help improve the current issue/situation, may I ask?’” one wrote.
Another had a whole list of alternatives. “Instead of ‘stupid question,’ next time try a variation of dry British clapbacks,” which included, “Right, an inspired question — though not, perhaps, in the way you intended,” and “A fascinating question — if we momentarily suspend the concept of reason.”
One wrote that Mr Tiong could have asked, “What’s the point of the question?” /TISG
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