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The
Straits Times, 21 Apr 04
Challenging contact with a junior minister
by Laurel Teo
Dr Balakrishnan inspires and enthralls students with his responses
and personal anecdotes on i Contact TV show
FROM the freshest news on Singapore's casino plans to the perennial
funding woes of local arts groups, 32 students yesterday showed a
minister of state how much they know and care about what goes on in
Singapore.
Enthusiastic questions come from the floor as students grab the chance
to question Dr Balakrishnan. In return, they were charmed by Dr Vivian
Balakrishnan's responses in the one-hour recording of Channel i's
i Contact programme.
Dr Balakrishnan, Minister of State for National Development and Trade
and Industry, paid attention to the teenagers' questions and delivered
considered replies. The show is the third in a six-part series meant
for Singapore students to engage a minister in frank debate.
Yesterday's show began with Secondary 5 student Omar Abdullah Mohamed
Sanusi, 17, of Ping Yi Secondary School, asking: 'Where's my place
in Singapore if my grades aren't so great?' As he did with most of
the questions thrown at him, Dr Balakrishnan slung one back at Omar,
challenging him to come up with his personal vision of what he will
be doing 10 years down the road. Omar said he sees himself as a successful
businessman driving a luxury car.
As Dr Balakrishnan chairs the Remaking Singapore Committee, the students
naturally wanted to know why the Government turned down the committee's
proposal to define OB (out-of-bounds) markers for political discussion.
It was because such markers can change with time as society changes,
said Dr Balakrishnan.
Halfway through the hour, he rose from his seat and strolled to where
the students were sitting. And there he stayed for the rest of the
show, sharing his views on public policies as well as personal anecdotes
and learning experiences with the youngsters, who appeared enthralled.
'We had a good exchange,' said Dr Balakrishnan. As he left the studio,
he told The Straits Times he was glad the students, though sceptical,
were not cynical. 'They shouldn't believe everything you say. They
should take it, look at it critically, and come back to you,' he added.
Anglo-Chinese Junior College student Howard Tan, 18, said listening
to Dr Balakrishnan - a one-time critic of the Government - explain
how he ended up joining 'the other side', helped clear some of the
doubts he had about working in the public service. 'The reservation
my peers and I have about joining the public service is that it is
too restrictive on people who are outspoken and articulate, who have
differences in opinion about the established policies. 'I think he
made quite a good case today about how even such people can make a
difference.'
The programme is scheduled to air on Channel i tonight at 7.30pm |
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