Beyond active participation, Forward Singapore should reach consensus on difficult issues: Observers

DPM Lawrence Wong on June 28 called on Singaporeans to offer ideas to shape a more compassionate and equitable Singapore. PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE - The latest engagement exercise involving the Government and Singaporeans has to go beyond encouraging participation to arrive at broad societal consensus on difficult issues and agreed-upon solutions that keep the trade-offs in mind, said political observers on Wednesday (June 29).

Whether the new Forward Singapore exercise will be "more of the same" also depends on how wide-reaching and open its dialogues are, otherwise it could be seen as a paper exercise that is more form than substance, said Associate Professor Eugene Tan from the Singapore Management University's Yong Pung How School of Law.

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