Dr Tan Cheng Bock's and Dr Kanwaljit Soin's respective articles in 1999. Still worth a read. A similar point of view published in 2007 in the Hong Kong Medical Journal. We must wonder what Dr Tan and Dr Soin would make of the recent clumsy and divisive politicking by their medical colleague, Dr Balakrishnan, the ophthalmologist and current Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (Update: well, Dr Tan has made his views clear). Perhaps we can count it a small blessing that there were no other doctors on the Holland-Bukit Timah slate.
Doctors and Politics III (Local)
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 | Labels: politics, Singapore general elections
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7 comments:
There's a Tan Cheng blog?
I think the real issue being brought up here by Dr Vivian (though in less-than-savvy way)is the idea of misrepresentation. This has been taken out of context and viewed as discrimination against homosexuals.
My concern as a voter, is not about Dr Wijeysingha's sexuality, but more about the misrepresentation of this issue. I do not want to vote for a candidate whom I know and agree with his moderate views, only to find out in parliament that he secretly harboured an agenda that veers towards the extreme. Although how extreme is this 'gay agenda' is up to anybody's interpretation. On the other hand, if he had come right out and stood up for his views right from the start, I would have applauded his courage
On a side note, I find it interesting how, when the opposition takes up an issue with the PAP, we call it accountability and transparency. Yet when the PAP takes up an issue with the opposition, we call it gutter, smear and dirty politics. I guess that is what we call Uniquely Singaporean.
Thanks for the post! Good insights on the courage of these two great doctor/surgeon-politicians in speaking up for what is right and good for the country. We need more of them in parliament!
(Sorry, comment accidentally deleted earlier)
I don't quite understand what Ziying means by misrepresentation.
Did Vincent W ever deny that he is gay? Why are Malay/Indian/Other MPs allowed to bring up Malay/Indian/Other issues (as PM mentioned today, that is the purpose of GRCs) while MPs from other minority Singaporean groups cannot bring up issues related to their own community??
Maybe that is why the doctor MPs generally keep quiet on medical issues???
If you want misrepresentation, what about the person who left the civil service on 13 March or was it 23 March or 17 March????
@Paul: The concerns of different race and ethinicity groups cannot be compared to that of deviant groups that the society may not ready to recognise as a variation of norm. In fact, it should be seen in the same light as groups that try to futher the interests of their religion in parliament.
An absolute no no.
Highlighting his homosexual lifestyle is important because there will be voters who will exclude candidates on the basis of critical failures in lifestyle choices, aka smoking, homosexuality, alcohol abuse.
While many with higher education and greater exposure to western media may perceive the embracement of homosexuality as human rights, there are many Singaporean from the older and/or conservative and/or religious groups who find homosexuality as unacceptable.
Just because you do not see homosexuality as a problem does not mean that it is not an issue for the wider society.
Last time, PAP never accept MPs who are singles, but has done away with it since 1-2 elections ago, with single MPs like Irene Ng coming-in (at that time she was single). I see this (Dr W's case) as liberised in accepting another category of people in parliament, whose homosexuality is not by choice I believe, just like most singles remain single not by choice and asked not to be discriminated, by the govt, from those who are married, who heed their call of procreation. Impt thing is he ensures that this topic is not in his agenda. A person's private life does not matter to me if it does not come into picture in his political performance and he still stands respectable.
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