In many cases, civic participation has strengthened governance by improving transparency and accountability. A greater benefit is the social cohesion that arises from all citizens being part of a national dialogue, and knowing that their voices matter. Recent headlines remind us that we are not immune from threats to our national security, and that vigilance rather than suppression should be the main strategy in tackling such threats.

In fact, studies have shown that one effective way to combat terrorism is to engage in dialogue with radical elements of society, and not to silence or shut them out. Avenues for public opinion may be daunting to those who are less articulate than others, but are equally invested in the future of our country. I applaud the Government's move to widen the scope of public discourse, and, in so doing, make all Singaporeans true stakeholders.

Timothy Tan Rong Jin