EDUCATION Minister Ng Eng Hen responded in detail to Nominated MP Viswa Sadasivan's motion that the House stay mindful of tenets in Singapore's Pledge when it debates national policies.

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Dr Ng made it clear that reality has to match ideals enshrined in a Pledge. But he showed that this was a tough call, illustrating with the tumultous experiences of Rwanda, France and Thailand despite gloriously worded anthems and pledges.

Rising to speak on the motion in Parliament yesterday, he began in a conciliatory style before delivering almost a point-by-point rebuttal of arguments laid out by Mr Viswa on Tuesday.

The minister said he was glad the motion had been tabled this year, as the 50th year of self-government was an 'appropriate' time to reflect on ideals found in the Pledge.

He also agreed with many aspects of the NMP's speech on Tuesday, including the point that the the Pledge is a 'vital and powerful tool' to teach national values to children and unite Singapore.

'We treasure this Pledge,'' said Dr Ng. 'But the power and resonance come only when our actions match those words.'

'Far from compromising these ideals in the pursuit of economic growth, we (the PAP government) have been defenders of these ideals in building a nation,' he declared.

He said the future that Mr Viswa prescribed for Singapore was one with more political parties and more newspapers to print what they like, more welfarism, and re-politicising of schools and universities - which implies staging 'public rallies whenever they want on whatever topics they like'.

Mr Viswa, he felt, also wished for this political scenario: 'When political leaders are impugned or maligned, relax, take it in your stride, don't defend yourselves. Ditto, Government policies. Be thick-skinned.'

He questioned Mr Viswa's view that these were 'conventional practices of democracy', and asked:

'Is it so blindingly self-evident that they will work magic for us? If multiple parties and newspapers ensure stability, then how do we explain the problems of India, Philippines, Taiwan or Thailand, who have an abundance of them - parties, newspapers and problems?'

They have not moved faster, he said. 'Singapore has progressed because we did not seek to be like others, but chose our own paths.'

Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.