'Lack of substance': Ex-MP pans quality of opposition's debates

Former Damansara MP Tony Pua said the quality of debates among opposition MPs in Parliament lacked substance.

“One of the most obvious things you see today in parliamentary debates… is the near absolute lack of substance among opposition MPs when debating.

“The topics and issues are always single-dimensional - about race, religion, alcohol, and dressing.

“Running a country involves so many other things and all you can talk about is race, language use, religious issues, alcohol, and dressing. That’s all you can talk about?” he questioned.

There needs to be more understanding of the basics of public policy, Pua (above) said, adding that issues raised in Parliament were better during Pakatan Harapan’s time as the opposition.

He said this on a podcast hosted by fellow DAP colleague Ong Kian Ming.

Shadow cabinet

Ong, who is the former Bangi MP, also asked Pua’s opinion on opposition coalitions creating a shadow cabinet as a check and balance to the government of the day.

Pua said forming a shadow cabinet worked in theory but posed different issues in reality, such as allocating specific ministerial portfolios to parties in a coalition.

“We have three parties in the coalition so why should a certain party get the shadow minister of (a certain ministry)?

“Say if the (shadow) finance minister happens to be a Chinese or Indian, (people will question) why.

“These disputes will not come just within the coalition but the public fighting over shadows before the actual ‘war’ or election. It’s not worth it,” he said.

Pua instead suggested that coalitions form committees made up of members from each party to discuss policies, which was Harapan’s approach in the past.

Asked if it was a successful strategy, the DAP man said it was the most viable option.

“Even if shadow cabinet ministers were appointed, he or she would have relied on a team of people to come up with the so-called shadow policies.

“So, to me, the likelihood of fighting over positions that didn’t even matter before an election will overwhelm any positives from appointing shadow cabinets.”

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