\n<\/p>\n
A lack of decorum or a justified remark?<\/p>\n
Workers’ Party MP Kenneth Tiong’s comment that National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat had asked a “stupid” question has sparked plenty of online debate, with some calling it “unparliamentary”, “offensive”, and “hotheaded”.<\/p>\n
The comment surfaced during a parliamentary discussion on Nov 5 about family offices and sanctioned entities<\/a><\/span>, when Mr Chee asked Mr Tiong to clarify if the WP’s position advocated a zero-risk approach, or if he would agree to adopt a risk-proportionate approach.<\/p>\n Mr Tiong responded that there is a pattern of ministers asking rhetorical questions, before being told by Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng to respond to the question.<\/p>\n “The answer is no, and I don’t think it is the minister’s point of view that you should, in fact, have a zero-risk approach, because it’s impossible. So he’s asking a stupid question,” Mr Tiong said. He later apologised for the comment.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n A video of the exchange was posted on subreddit r\/singapore by user @nftskeptics, <\/a><\/span>garnering 231 upvotes and 187 comments at press time.<\/p>\n Most disapproved of Mr Tiong’s words.<\/p>\n “Simply put, this is Parliament, the highest forum of the land, where a high level of decorum and etiquette is expected,” one netizen said. “It is still rude and poor form for an MP to outright say it’s a ‘stupid question’.”<\/p>\n Others had a different view, questioning if the same standards applied to other parties , while some suggested that Mr Chee’s question was a “loaded and rhetorical one”.<\/p>\n One user commented that Mr Tiong was “saying the right thing at the wrong time”, suggesting that the points he raised were indeed valid.<\/p>\nNetizens divided<\/h3>\n