PM Wong answers questions at youth dialogue, including on conflicts of interest and why MPs are allowed to have full-time jobs
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SINGAPORE - Allowing MPs to have a full-time job is a pragmatic arrangement, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said at a dialogue with students on July 2. Responding to a question on why this is permitted, he noted that all political office-holders, such as minisPM Wong answers questions at youth dialogue, including on conflicts of interest and why MPs are allowed to have full-time jobs
SINGAPORE - Allowing MPs to have a full-time job is a pragmatic arrangement, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said at a dialogue with students on July 2. Responding to a question on why this is permitted, he noted that all political office-holders, such as ministers, also have to balance between their full-time job governing and their duties as MP. «In the same way, just to be pragmatic about it, we recognise that some people have other private sector commitments,» he said. «We let them do it, but we fully expect them to discharge their MP duties well.» There are consequences when MPs fail to do so, he said. Either the party decides not to renew them, or voters do so. «Voters will know if their MP is working hard or not. And voters can decide,» said PM Wong. Here are PM Wong's responses to some questions that students asked. On conflicts of interest The same student also asked if Singapore deems it a conflict of interest if politicians push the agenda of their backers or corporate interests ahead of the state's interest, as is the norm in some countries.