Parliament: PM Lee, Pritam Singh cross swords over 'free rider' election tactics
In a charged debate on Wednesday (Sept 2), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong crossed swords with Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh on the issue of encouraging Singaporeans to vote for the opposition, with the assurance that the People's Action Party would still form the government of the day.
Any political party that does so is a "free rider" and this tactic will eventually result in the system failing, PM Lee said.
Stressing that elections are about voting for who will run the government, he added that the country's political system can only work if people vote "sincerely, honestly, in accordance with what they really want".
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Ho Ching on PM Lee-Pritam Singh debate: A free rider is not a free loader
Ms Ho Ching, the CEO of Temasek Holdings and wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has taken to social media to weigh in on a term over which Mr Lee and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh had crossed swords in Parliament on Wednesday (Sept 2).
In the debate on the President’s Address to Parliament last week, Mr Lee touched on the issue of Singaporeans being encouraged to vote for the opposition, with the assurance that the People’s Action Party would still form the government of the day. He said that any political party that does so is a “free rider” and this tactic will eventually result in the system failing.
Mr Lee said: “If you say vote against the Government because somebody else will look after getting the PAP Government and you just become a free rider, and you vote opposition, no harm, the PAP will still be there, then I think the system must fail.”
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A free ride: Singapore’s prime minister in a muddle
Often when Singaporean politicians stray from the script, they produce gems, phrases for the ages, words destined for internet meme stardom. Yesterday I was on my way home from town when four buddies messaged me on separate chats: “Did you hear what he just said?”; “Did you see the exchange?”; “Free riders? Hmm.”
Like the fan who is late to the game and has missed the opening goal, I scoured YouTube as soon as I got home. I watched Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore’s prime minister, describing a segment of opposition voters as “free riders”, in a parliamentary exchange with Pritam Singh, the leader of the opposition. Mr Lee was specifically referring to Singaporean voters who voted for the opposition even though they expected the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) to win the election. “But if you say, vote for for me, somebody else will vote for the PAP, and therefore the PAP will be the government, that, the economists will call a free rider. It means that you’re taking advantage of somebody else who’s doing their duty of electing a government for the nation.” (Video)
This is an awful thing for a country’s leader to say about its voters. Here are five reasons why:
- Economics 101 FAIL
- Why do Singaporeans vote for the opposition?
- By that logic, are PAP voters free riders too?
- You are not a free rider if you believe you may be penalised
- Are immigrants and others also free riders in terms of national defence?
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PAP has been enjoying the mother of all free rides – until GE2020
Life is no longer a free ride for the People’s Action Party. If last week’s Parliamentary proceedings are any indication, it will get tougher for the ruling party and it has to seriously up its act in the battle for the hearts and minds of Singaporeans.
The party seems anxious to put on an appearance of accepting Singaporeans’ growing desire for checks and balance and diversity of political voices. Even before PM Lee Hsien Loong’s NDP Rally replacement speech in Parliament, it allowed a number of its MPs to sound more like Opposition MPs than PAP ones.
For example, Patrick Tay (Pioneer), an NTUC assistant secretary-general, in an earlier session debating the President’s address, noted the many MPs had argued that more had to be done to strengthen the Singaporean core – a big issue during GE2020. “In fact, I was doing a count as we progressed through the speeches – and the phrase ‘Singaporean core’ has been mentioned over 40 times in the last four days alone,” he said. Well, what do you know, good for him.
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PM Lee, Pritam Singh spar over ‘free rider’ opposition voters, use of reserves and what happens if PAP is voted out
What followed was a robust 40-minute exchange on day three of the parliamentary debate on the President’s Address between the chiefs of the People’s Action Party (PAP) and the WP on governance and politics.
Broadcast live on television and the internet, the exchange covered the WP’s position on the use of reserves, the role of public servants in a government takeover, and voters who had voted tactically against the PAP, whom PM Lee called “free riders”.
It veered into issues arising from the recent General Election in July, with PM Lee cautioning Mr Singh on the “moral danger” of campaigning on the platform that the WP would not be able to form the government.
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Fiery exchange between PM Lee & WP's Pritam Singh reveals each leader's fundamental beliefs
PM Lee chokes up in Parliament
Parliament was the scene of a fiery showdown between Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong and Leader of the Opposition (LO) Pritam Singh on Sep. 2, during the debate on the President's Address.
PM Lee had just finished his more than an hour-long speech, which touched upon issues like Singapore's Covid-19 response, strengthening social safety nets while keeping them sustainable, and how to manage the inflow of foreign workers into Singapore.
He also covered local politics, and made several references to the Singh's Workers' Party (WP).
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PM Lee Calls Opposition Voters ‘Free Riders’ Who May End Up With Govt They Don’t Want
Voters Are “Free Riders” If They Don’t Vote For Who Forms Government, Says PM Lee
During GE2020, there were shots fired on every side of the political spectrum. On one hand, the opposition, like the Workers’ Party, campaigned on the premise that voters should make their vote count. These parties called on voters to use their vote to bring more diversity to Parliament.
On the other hand, the People’s Action Party warned that voters must vote for the party they wish to govern. This issue came to a head again on Wednesday (2 Sep), as PM Lee brought up something he heard from Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean. PM Lee was making a speech on Singapore’s Covid-19 response in Parliament today.
A middle-aged voter had asked Senior Minister Teo on the 2nd last day of the GE2020 campaigning about something that concerned her, PM Lee said. She’d heard from others that it’s okay to vote for opposition candidates as the PAP will remain in charge. The voter also heard upgrading programmes promised by the PAP would come to fruition even if voters voted for the opposition, shared PM Lee. This way, they could have 2 sets of people serving them, instead of 1.
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By calling non PAP voters “free riders”, is PM Lee suggesting that non PAP voters do not contribute to state coffers?
In a lengthy speech delivered by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Parliament on Wednesday (2 Sept), he called people who did not vote for the Peoples’ Action Party (PAP) “free riders“. This rightly incited the ire of Pritam Singh, who as Leader of the Opposition refuted Lee’s assertions.
A day after the general election of July 2020, Lee had said :“My team and I will serve all Singaporeans, whichever party you vote for……Whether or not you voted for the PAP, we will listen to you, do our best to address your concerns and try to win your support.” In just two months, it seems that Lee has changed his tone where non PAP voters are concerned.
How can he pledge to “listen” if in his mind, he has already labelled them “free riders”? How can he do his best to address concerns and win support if he has already dismissed them as some how lesser than PAP voters? Lee’s statements yesterday were disappointing and makes his July pledges seem completely disingenuous.
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We thank the Prime Minister for alerting us to the presence of free riders in our midst
Although Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has been saying that the People’s Action Party won a clear mandate for GE2020, it is clear that he has been stung and shaken at the loss of 10 seats to the Workers’ Party. In calling the WP and opposition voters “free riders” in Parliament yesterday, PM Lee showed his true colours.
Not many of us are familiar with the term “free riders.” PM Lee mentioned that economists use it – in that context, free riders are people who benefit from something without expending effort or paying for it. PM Lee was referring to those who voted for the opposition while wanting the benefit of having the PAP as the ruling party.
The WP’s Pritam Singh took exception to the labelling of opposition voters as “free riders,” saying: “I don’t think the residents in Aljunied, in Hougang for 30 years now, and even Sengkang, as a result of the last election, will appreciate being called free riders. They are not free riders.” Are the 39% of Singaporeans who voted for the opposition free riders?
related: It’s not helpful at a time of crisis to cause disunity and label voters of alternative parties as “free riders”, says PSP’s Francis Yuen
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Writer asks: By PM Lee’s logic, aren’t PAP voters free riders, too?
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s remarks in Parliament earlier this week about free riders have ruffled more than a few feathers. On Wednesday (Sept 2), he referred to Singaporeans who voted for the opposition while expecting the People’s Action Party (PAP) to remain in power as “free riders”.
“But if you say, vote for for me, somebody else will vote for the PAP, and therefore the PAP will be the Government, that, the economists will call a free rider. It means that you’re taking advantage of somebody else who’s doing their duty of electing a government for the nation,” Mr Lee said.
Workers’ Party (WP) head and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh responded by saying: “I don’t think the residents of Aljunied, Hougang for 30 years now, and even Sengkang, as a result of the results of the last election, would appreciate being called free riders.”
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Who's the Real Free Rider? Singapore’s Government Reserve Racket
A dispute broke out yesterday in Singapore’s parliament over how Singapore’s reserves should be spent.
Opposition Leader Pritam Singh said yesterday that more of Singapore’s reserves should be used for “healthcare, aging, the same Singaporeans who have worked hard, have toiled hard, and who are now in their retirement years.” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong swatted this idea aside. He said that his “fundamental mindset” is that “we do not depend on another little bit from the reserves,” because it will only lead to “getting a little bit more pregnant,” and “that is not the way we should think.”
Lee, ever eloquent, made his point most clear when he said, “You have to be able to spend what you are able to earn.”
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WP Sengkang MP & trained economist Jamus Lim: Opposition voters can't be defined as 'free riders'
The Parliament session on Sept. 2, 2020 saw a crossing of rhetorical swords between the leader of Singapore and the Leader of the Opposition (LO) over a slew of issues.
However, the buzzword of the day, which managed to seize the Singapore public's attention, was "free-riders" -- a concept thrown into the fiery exchange and igniting some impassioned arguments across the political divide.
Following the marathon seven-hour session on Wednesday, Workers' Party (WP) Sengkang GRC MP Jamus Lim took to his various social media accounts to explain why he felt opposition voters cannot be classified as free riders in Singapore's political system, just because they did not pick PAP candidates to represent them.
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Jamus Lim Says WP Voters Aren’t ‘Free Riders’, Know Costs & Value Alternative Voices
Jamus Lim Debunks PM Lee’s Comment On WP Voters In Parliament
It’s only been a few days since the Parliament sessions began, but already we’re catching some noteworthy moments.
One particularly memorable one was when Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong called opposition party voters ‘free riders‘, which provoked a strong response from WP Chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh.
Not one to miss the action is fellow party member Jamus Lim, who later shared his two cents’ worth on Facebook.
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Free Rider Problem
What Is the Free Rider Problem?
The free rider problem is the burden on a shared resource that is created by its use or overuse by people who aren't paying their fair share for it or aren't paying anything at all.
The free rider problem can occur in any community, large or small. In an urban area, a city council may debate whether and how to force suburban commuters to contribute to the upkeep of its roads and sidewalks or the protection of its police and fire services. A public radio or broadcast station devotes airtime to fundraising in hopes of coaxing donations from listeners who aren't contributing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Free riding is considered a failure of the conventional free market system.
- The problem occurs when some members of a community fail to contribute their fair share to the costs of a shared resource.
- Their failure to contribute makes the resource economically infeasible to produce.
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Free-rider problem
In the social sciences, the free-rider problem is a type of market failure that occurs when those who benefit from resources, public goods (such as public roads or hospitals), or services of a communal nature do not pay for them or under-pay. Free riders are a problem because while not paying for the good (either directly through fees or tolls or indirectly through taxes), they may continue to access or use it. Thus, the good may be under-produced, overused or degraded.
The free-rider problem in social science is the question of how to limit free riding and its negative effects in these situations. The free-rider problem may occur when property rights are not clearly defined and imposed. The free-rider problem is common with goods which are non-excludable (meaning that non-payers cannot be stopped from getting use of or benefits from the good), including public goods and situations of the tragedy of the commons. A free rider may enjoy a non-excludable good such as a government-provided road system without contributing to paying for it. For another example, if a coastal town builds a lighthouse, ships from many regions and countries will benefit from it, even though they are not contributing to its costs, and are thus "free riding" on the navigation aid.
Although the term "free rider" was first used in economic theory of public goods, similar concepts have been applied to other contexts, including collective bargaining, antitrust law, psychology and political science. For example, some individuals in a team or community may reduce their contributions or performance if they believe that one or more other members of the group may free ride.
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related:
GE2020: 'Free Rider' Tactics
GE2020: Winners and Losers
GE2020: Official Results
GE2020: Polling Day
GE2020: Cooling-Off Day
GE2020: Dancing around 10 million people
GE2020: 8-days Campaign
GE2020: PM’s Brother Not Running for Election
