A new age has dawned on Singapore with the election of 10 opposition MPs for the first time since independence.

We are seeing the beginning of participative contribution to governance, which will bode well for our future (House sees spirited debate on issue of minimum wage, Sept 4).

We must acknowledge that those committed to serving the larger public good cannot be prejudged as unwholesome when they speak up to debate and deliberate on matters that concern citizens' well-being.

In some countries, we see dysfunctional politics, while in others, those who persist in perpetuating oppositional politics for their self-interest risk destroying themselves and their nation's future.

Democracy, in particular the kind of parliamentary democracy that we have in Singapore, cannot be a personality cult or a one-person show.

For a democracy to truly reflect the will of the people, those elected to represent them must work for their well-being and serve as partners, not rulers and lords.

Whether they are MPs of the ruling party or the opposition, they share the same mandate of serving the public good.

Singapore can show the way towards enlightened governance when ruling party MPs, entrusted with the fundamental responsibility of nation building, collaborate with opposition MPs for the good of the nation.

This is how the citizens of Singapore would like to see a citizen-centred government work.

Thomas Lee Hock Seng (Dr)