Focus on the positive

Someone saw the photos of me with Chiam See Tong at this appreciation dinner organised by The Online Citizen. He asked if I am giving the message to be pro-opposition and anti-PAP.  I replied to him that he should see issues in a wider perspective and focus on the positive. I like to explain this concept.

I attended the appreciation dinner on the invitation of the organizers (but decided to pay for the tickets as the organizers needed to defray their expenses). I see the positive aspects of Chiam See Tong - courage, perseverance and a love for Singapore. I shared these values.

When the NSP and SDP asked me to speak at the election rallies, I accepted. I was able to share some of their values and spoke on these positive points. I also wanted to speak for my friends, Goh Meng Seng (NSP) and Tan Jee Say (SDP) and focus on their positive points. I will let their opponents talk about their negative points (of which I am not aware of any).

If the PAP were to invite me to speak at their rally, I would also have accepted. There are positive points to speak about the PAP as well, i.e. what they have done for Singapore, their honest attempts to address some of the issues of concern to the people, etc.) They also have their negative points, but if I were their guest, it would be inappropriate for me to talk about the negative points (and in any case, I do not wish to judge them).

Talking about the positive points of any person is being positive and also being honest. We have to accept that each  person has positive and negative points and that no person is perfect. We do not need to focus on the negative, when we have the chance to focus on the positive.

Most importantly, we should avoid labelling a person as pro-PAP or pro-Opposition. Each of us should be guided by our values and should use these values to promote the positive aspects of other people (if they share similar values).

Tan Kin Lian