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merely some quick notes (I don't trust myself to write coherently, let alone brilliantly, while heated up):
What the HELL is wrong with the students? Ok I understand they're busy with other, more important, stuff, but they fielded poor questions, though as usual there were the few gems (one feels that even these were more accidental than intentional though). They didn’t do much research, were unable to challenge Dr Balaji in anything concrete, and their questions were loosely phrased enough to allow him to trot out textbook answers (he said “balance,” “equilibrium” and “market forces” each at least 9 times, if that’s any indication). I’d like to be able to grill each of the interviewed ministers (after having about a month to prep and research, preferably). Respectfully of course, but grill them nonetheless. In Dr Balaji's instance I’d have liked to ask him, among others, about the Remaking Singapore effort (though Dr Viv is the better authority to question) after having read the full 100+ page Remaking Singapore Report. It's available (naturally) at its Government website.
And no, my regretting that a Minister got off lightly from student questioning is not disrespectful of authority. If anything it is the students who were disrespectful, for not fielding questions worthy of a Minister’s valuable time.
On the other hand, Dr Balaji wasn’t perfect either. Though he did show an acceptably low level of evasion and redirection of questioning, I would’ve preferred it if he showed a bit more steel. I have no doubt he’s got plenty of steel in him (he is a PAP politician after all), but I feel he tried too much to be friendly with the students that he kind of lost a bit of authority over them. Still this is a matter of preference. Perhaps the people do wish for more politicians like him and less of the kind I prefer. In which case, let the elections decide (farcical as that may sound to cynics)
As an interesting but irrelevant side note, I see juniors & friends amongst the questioning students. That doesn’t affect my overall review of the show—it is, as I said, irrelevant to my review.
merely some quick notes (I don't trust myself to write coherently, let alone brilliantly, while heated up):
What the HELL is wrong with the students? Ok I understand they're busy with other, more important, stuff, but they fielded poor questions, though as usual there were the few gems (one feels that even these were more accidental than intentional though). They didn’t do much research, were unable to challenge Dr Balaji in anything concrete, and their questions were loosely phrased enough to allow him to trot out textbook answers (he said “balance,” “equilibrium” and “market forces” each at least 9 times, if that’s any indication). I’d like to be able to grill each of the interviewed ministers (after having about a month to prep and research, preferably). Respectfully of course, but grill them nonetheless. In Dr Balaji's instance I’d have liked to ask him, among others, about the Remaking Singapore effort (though Dr Viv is the better authority to question) after having read the full 100+ page Remaking Singapore Report. It's available (naturally) at its Government website.
And no, my regretting that a Minister got off lightly from student questioning is not disrespectful of authority. If anything it is the students who were disrespectful, for not fielding questions worthy of a Minister’s valuable time.
On the other hand, Dr Balaji wasn’t perfect either. Though he did show an acceptably low level of evasion and redirection of questioning, I would’ve preferred it if he showed a bit more steel. I have no doubt he’s got plenty of steel in him (he is a PAP politician after all), but I feel he tried too much to be friendly with the students that he kind of lost a bit of authority over them. Still this is a matter of preference. Perhaps the people do wish for more politicians like him and less of the kind I prefer. In which case, let the elections decide (farcical as that may sound to cynics)
As an interesting but irrelevant side note, I see juniors & friends amongst the questioning students. That doesn’t affect my overall review of the show—it is, as I said, irrelevant to my review.
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