Forum: Constructive feedback from elsewhere can be useful too

A progressive nation will not make xenophobia or the offhand rejection of views from other nationalities the pillars of its philosophy. PHOTO: ST FILE

While it is true that Singapore's affairs are strictly the concern of its citizens alone, the test of whether policies are sound or not comes from whether they can withstand robust criticism (S'pore doesn't need armchair critics 10,000km away, by Mr Patrick Tan Siong Kuan, Dec 4).

A progressive nation will not make xenophobia or the offhand rejection of views from other nationalities the pillars of its philosophy.

Singaporeans do not live in a utopian society, and the country's policies, while determined to be the best for its citizens, will always carry perceived drawbacks that must be explained to the rest of the world.

In fact, stuck on a little island which Singaporeans often mistake to be a microcosm of the world, they may not see the forest for the trees and a contrarian point of view is often reinvigorating.

The proviso, of course, is that a differing or even antithetical analysis must be bona fide and constructive.

There are always lessons to be derived even from negative feedback given positively. Whatever the source, it pays to deal with negative feedback rationally, without emotional encumbrance. Where there are falsehoods, we can opt to debunk them.

Yik Keng Yeong

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 06, 2019, with the headline Forum: Constructive feedback from elsewhere can be useful too. Subscribe