AFTER Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's statement in Parliament, several MPs sought clarification over the issue of responsibility and accountability within the Government.

One exchange the Prime Minister had was with Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang.

Mr Low asked: "Was this the result of what MM has said that Singaporeans are being complacent and expecting too much from the Government?

"Secondly, I would like to ask the Prime Minister whether he sees fit for his Government to apologise to Singaporeans over the lapses and resulting in the escape of Mas Selamat?"

PM Lee replied: "I think this is not an exercise in spreading adjectives around.

"The complacency was in the Whitley Road Detention Centre. I think it is true that Singaporeans have very high expectations of the Government and, therefore, whenever there's a lapse they take it very seriously.

"In other countries, things go wrong, well, things regularly go wrong. In Singapore, things do not go wrong and we make sure things work.

"When something messes up we take it seriously, the public takes it seriously. I think that is a fact. And it's not a bad thing."

But, then Mr Lee, added: "Apologising? That was the first thing which Mr Wong Kan Seng did as Deputy Prime Minister the day after this occurred in Parliament, and I think that is adequate.

"I would say that when the Deputy Prime Minister speaks, he speaks on behalf of the Government."

Later, Mr Low asked another question: "Does the PM agree that this is not a question of a witch-hunt as to who should be directly responsible?

"It's a question of accountability of the Government and at what level and what responsibility a Minister should take.

"And I think we will remember that when we debate the Ministers' salaries in this House, we're talking about pitching the ministers' pay to corporate world, the private world.

But in (the) private, corporate world, when something goes wrong, heads roll including (the CEO's).

"But whereas here when something goes wrong, we're talking about honest mistakes.

So I think a lot of people, including myself, cannot reconcile the principle on which the Government applied in looking at salary of the Minister pitching to corporate world vis-a-vis when it comes to accountability and responsibility.

"Would the PM clarify?"

To this, Mr Lee replied: "I thought the member would eventually come (to) this question.

"I've explained where lines have to be drawn. Even the member has not suggested that I should resign because I appointed Wong Kan Seng and Wong Kan Seng was the Minister, and the soldier under him let this happen.

"A line has to be drawn somewhere. We have to see this in perspective. Even in the private sector you have to see things in perspective.

"Company turns turtle, CEOs leave. Problems happen in the company, CEOs have to stay to sort them out. Companies which change CEOs every two months or every two years do not prosper.

"So I have to make a judgment who is responsible at what level, and I've discussed this with the DPM and I agree with his judgment and I have confidence in him. The DPM was here, theMember yesterday had full opportunity to question him. If there are any questions which he finds unsatisfactory in the answer, he could have pursued the matter."

Closing the matter, Mr Lee said: "Let me ask the member whether he thinks the DPM ought to resign because of this."

When Mr Low did not reply, Mr Lee said: "No answer. So, I think that settles the point."

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