The structure of the current Parliament has served us well so far ("Time for two Houses of Parliament?"; Dec 1).

Singapore is a small nation without many natural resources. Given the competitive global environment and other challenges the country will face, we must stay nimble and swift in order to respond.

If we have a bicameral Parliament, we are just adding another layer and increasing costs, which will ultimately be borne by taxpayers.

Worse yet, there is the likelihood of unnecessary politicking which can hamper our smooth operations, as can be seen in the United States and Britain.

Furthermore, the proposal of appointing members to the Upper House defeats the purpose of democracy and this, in turn, will increase costs and affect our nimbleness as a tiny nation.

Lee Kwok Weng