'Hot-headed and inexperienced': WP's Kenneth Tiong gets flak online for 'stupid question' comment
A lack of decorum or a justified remark?
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".
The comment surfaced during a parliamentary discussion on Nov 5 about family offices and sanctioned entities, 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.
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.
"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.
Netizens divided
A video of the exchange was posted on subreddit r/singapore by user @nftskeptics, garnering 231 upvotes and 187 comments at press time.
Most disapproved of Mr Tiong's words.
"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'."
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".
One user commented that Mr Tiong was "saying the right thing at the wrong time", suggesting that the points he raised were indeed valid.
Others referenced a list of "unparliamentary language" posted on Wikipedia, which details offensive expressions used in Parliament around the globe.
This is not the first such incident in the House.
In Apr 2023, then Speaker Tan Chuan Jin was heard muttering "****ing populist" on a hot mic after Sengkang MP Jamus Lim spoke about doing more to help lower-income groups here.
In Nov 1995, then Singapore Democratic Party MP Ling How Doong exclaimed "Don't talk c***" to his fellow MP.
Both men later apologised for their words.
