To compare LSL and Barack Obaman is like comparing a person who uses honey to attract bees vs a person who grows the flowers for the bees.

lol what this author is thinking? Obama VS LHL? …

how about …

Abudalla Badawi (malaysia PM) VS LHL

You are comparing someone the whole world admire … with someone the little red dot hate to the core !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Er …

President-Elect Obama was directly elected by the people.
PM Lee happens to be the party chief, that’s all.

There is no comparison.
There is a clown and there is a greater man.

Both the men are ‘Politcians’, they love power and control. One come in to power by people choice, the other was given power. One is admired by the world, most don’t even know who the other one is. We know the track record of one , the other one we don’t.
Too early to compare.

“PM Lee happens to be the party chief, that’s all.”

Not true. PM is not the party chief, he is the party clown, and some despondent’s useless offspring. A chief will be the first in the limelight to speak up when anything goes wrong but a clown will be in the backstage asking his colleagues to take charge when thing amiss.

Hey joe,
What is a greater man? How do you come to this conclusion?

One is ELECTED by the CITIZEN , another ERECTED by NEPOTISM.

Somehow, I can’t seem to associate the word LEADER with LHL.

“I can’t seem to associate the word LEADER with LHL.”
One is a LEAder, another is a LEEder

Called it Monday morning if you wish, but I’m terribly disappointed in this article. It’s a selected comparison between Lee Hsien Loong and Barack Obama: what is considered one of PM Lee’s worst public speeches is compared to Obama’s best one; the photo used shows the PM in a “difficult” pose while Obama’s is inspiring.

Reminds me of Chee Soon Juan’s complain that the MSM always pick the worst pictures of him when reporting on him.

it’s sacrilegious to make comparison with a world class act…we should compare our PM with Houdini..for disappearance acts!

We do not know him as well,
maybe ask our ministers to compare him with Barrack can get a better comparison.
I am sure their comments WILL be different than those found here.

Please do not insult Obama.

“Please do not insult Obama.”

Indeed, rather than comparing outright with Obama, we should have compared our clown with Osama (bin Laden) who went into total hiding, at least this is a fair comparison in term of behaviour to satisfy #10

This article is a joke, it should not be written in the first place. How can LHL be compared with Obama. it will be like comparing a Mayor of a US city to the President of the United States of America. No comparison at all. Please take that into perpspective.

Perhaps a better comparison may be MM and Obama. Both man are minorities in their times.
LHL though lacking in comparable charima is passionate in what he is doing.

“How can LHL be compared with Obama.”
Make sense. Really how can a coward compare with a hero ?

“Perhaps a better comparison may be MM and Obama.”
How can someone compare a arrogant dictator with ruthlessness and iron fist to someone who is humble and elected is beyond my understanding.

One has been tried and proven a poor choice, the other has yet to be tried and proven. I am afraid Obama will break the hearts of all the youngsters who voted for him on his promise of change; based on his choice of key cabinet members, it appears that he has been changed. Both are politicians and nowadays it is hard to find a politician who really care for the peopel. They mostly sanctify each other and lift themselves above common laws. It would be more interesting to compare their salaries and the scope of their duties and responsibilities.

One collects $3.76 million per year, the other collects less than a million. One always listens to his father before making any decision, the other makes decision himself. What else, the more u compare the worse is our leader.

One is devoid of leadership, while the other gives leadership and hope.

One is poor in giving speeches and are few to speak of, while the other gives speeches that inspires and plenty of such speeches of 2 years period across the states.

One held an election for 9 days and garnered 66% vote in his own estate, the other fight 2 years and gathered a record breaking 62% of the whole US giving him moret han 350 electorate votes. A landslide for a first black president elect.

One fights for the Party, the other fights for his people and unity.

One sing his own praise of good governance, strong leadershit and best people to chart Singapore, while the other gets across party lines and woo best talents from former administration and clintons to form a strong cabinet.

One ask for more pay increments to keep talents, while the other gets passionate volunteers who willing to make history for working with a minority-raced president.

One relies on his father for advise and decisions, while other trust his panel of advisors, experts (warren buffet, summers etc) and the voice of people.

One (while he is FM)is selfish to the people by rasing GST at a time of severe inflation, the other works for the people by asking for tax cuts for the poor-middle class and fights the oil companies.

To compare rotten apple with a red big fleshy juicy apple is truly cannot be compared. Nobody likes to eat rotten apple and would not even buy it but then again the shop keep puttin the rotten apple for sale and there is only one shop there to begin with. People got to change and stop the rot further.

FG

One looks after 4 million people, the other 300 million. Pro rata that and the cost per citizen becomes incomprehensible. The US president’s office has only a Vice-president to assist him. In Singapore’s case, a PM has two DPM, one SM, one MM and an elected president. It is undoubtedly the most top heavy political structure on earth. The mayor of New York looking after 16 million people is paid US175, 000.00 if I remember correctly.

His speech quoted above is most juvenile and would be remembered for the rest of his life and thereafter. Machiavelli would be embarrassed.

Much as I dislike LHL, I think we are giving Obama too much credit.
I think i agree with Xiaxue that the latter has been overhyped.
He is only a first term junior Senator from Illinios yet to complete his
term b4 being elected Prez.
All I can see is he can talk well but at times naive about the geopolitics
of the world. At least McCain in a known factor.
Looking at his cabinet announcements so far, looks like he is bringing
back Clintonism back to the White House.
What kind of change can that be when he’s been preaching that during
his primary and presidential campaigns?

22) john on November 24th, 2008 1.25 pm

Oh my goodness! of all bloggers, you quote Xia Xue, that…… ?

As I dare not compare both of them,
I like to digress and just whine about one thing i feel about Barrack.
So, appologies, i need to digress completely out of context and say

He talks and stands like a man.

Continuation of #20 …

One costs lesser than the other.

One does not demand CEO-like wages while the other does.

One slaps (literally, and metaphorically) while the other accepts ’slaps’ as feedback or gives a fair rebuttal.

One is the peoples choice but the other is the people have no choice! isa lah, bring in the army lah, court overuled lah, lah la la la la. . . . . .

Funny article.. but seriously I think there is no basis for this comparison.

Please lah … what will the world think of us Singaporeans!

Compare LHL to Obama ….

They got one thing in common lah …. BOTH HAVE NOT SHOWN RESULTS YET.

They got one thing in common lah …. BOTH HAVE NOT SHOWN RESULTS YET.

Not really duh, one have not shown result yet but ours have either nothing to show or something that is total screwed up.

You can put the 3 together M,SM,MM plus the 82 Mp’s and they will still never close close to Obama.

Hip Hop Hurray, and CRAP… oh sorry, I mean RAP like video on youtube is so so cool.

They should all start preparing for their next dance moves ….. maybe a Thriller video, where they come out from the grave and dance……. when its close to GE.

Mr Obama, the son of America, whom everyone loves and respects.

Ah Long, the son of his father, the silly clown of Sg, whom everyone hates to the core. He can’t even be compared to Mr Bean!

Agree with Dead Poet. Please don’t insult Mr Obama.

So emabarrassed of #28:
“They got one thing in common lah …. BOTH HAVE NOT SHOWN RESULTS YET.”

Mr Obama has yet to take over the office. He will make the difference and will definitely shows the results in due time.

However, our clown Ah Long, after all these years in the office, has yet to produce any result to the good of the people. Maybe para para dance is all they know.

I like to read The Online Citizen as it positions itself as the voice of the people, reflecting the general public viewpoints and discussions which perhaps then would be less pro-government than Straits Times.

However, articles like the above feels pretty much like coming from someone who just seem to hate PAP and is looking to undermine in whichever way possible…no intelligent thoughts or enlightening debates…just a pure ’see how dumb our govt is ‘ ….Disappointing… why is it even posted? (Editors:???)

What’s the point of showing us this? What about a well balanced analysis of governing style, a discussion on politics or a survey of the general public attitudes or understanding of the two politicians and what they represent…?

How on Earth, do you compare LHL with Obama???
I don’t even think of comparing at all! He’s NOTHING to compare!

Hi CC

I do not think that the author hates the PAP, I t hink he is making a plain comparison just like everyone one of us,without the need to state the obvious.

The best time to test a person is during a crisis, and many of us can see that there is no light at the end of the tunnel when we nominated this govt.

To make matters worse we tend to get this mantra that is chanted over and over again that the PAP govt is good for us, and they are the best talent, that is why we need to pay them sky high salaries.

I am really worried if the ministers take a pay cut, because I was reminded that if we dont pay them well, it could lead to corruption or something to that effect or your grandmas could be maids.

Statements like these echo for a million years…..

So how can our all or any of our ministers be compared to Obama ?

Most of us are Pro Singapore and Pro Singaporeans, it has nothing to do with the PAP.

Like you guys said.. there is no basis of comparison. But both of them have a lot to learn. Times are bad, people get retrenched..the middle class gets poor, the poor gets poorer ..and the few rich gets richer. This is one crisis we have yet to overcome.

I’m haven’t given up yet. Maybe we shouldn’t.

I don’t think it’s fair minded to compare Lee Hsien Loong’s election rally goof up with Obama’s polished election manifesto. More so that this is an unsigned article. I think we can do better than this. Let’s criticize when the situation calls for it, but criticize fairly.

SMS 1003 is right.. of all the bloggers to quote… xia xue? For goodness sake..

Come on Gerald, LHL had the whole machinery behind him for the election rallies, getting the best of locations for their rallies, and even overly confident of routing the rookies in his constituencies.. What is not fair about the comparison of the rally goof up of LHL with Obama?

Humbleness is apparently lacking in our leaders.

a bit of context is lacking, i think.

There is little basis to compare LHL and Obama. Some compared Obama with FDR & JF Kennedy but LHL? ! How does one compare apples and oranges in vastly different political setting.

Partisanship cited by the writer may not be good example because US is more diverse than Singapore and election battles are intense and involve personal attacks.

Obama’s presidential victory is no mean feat, breaking down the steretypes and convention, against the odds. It is a calling only for a man of immense courage to shoulder and resolve two wars and the financial woes. Certainly not motivated by monetary rewards as some leaders regard as extremely important.

An Obama emerging in the world in one generation is rare in USA or the world. How can be expect someone with the ideas and ability to execute them well in tiny Singapore where home grown talent is said to be scarce.

Perhaps this may provide an answer George Yeo’s earlier question of whether the American democratic system would throw up the best leaders? Well, sometimes it does throw up the best and the worst leaders. Would we rather pay and settle for mediocrity, stability, safety and continuity?

Read the ST, Junior has spoken, granddaddy and daddy must be proud. I can see that our future is in safe hands.

And such big headlines for a forum response, guess it contains a very important message to us.

He cut his salary to s$3.08 million, thats still very very high. I dont think he can earn such money now at any big banks and MNC. Even the president still earns too much doing nothing. They should cut 30% of all civil servants salary earning more than $100,000 annually.

25/11/08

Lee Hsien Loong & Barrack Obama are like “Tea & Coffee” and Singaproe and USA are two different nations altogether, and there are no comparisons. I doubt Obama is able to change all things especially those during the 10years of George Bush administration.Today we read in the newspapers, Obama is thinking to put on hold the high taxes on big corporations and I doubt he will give those Americans who earn US$250k and below. Obama is a gimmick and he did not have full support of the White Americans only 43%,he got 95% support from the Black Americans.I did not see him a man of very high calibre, yes perhaps among the Blacks ie he has a law degree from Harvard and he rises very fast in USA politics solely because there were not “La Creme” in the Democrat Party (Senator Hilary Clinto lost to him also because she is a lady and has her limitations like our Ms Sylvia Lim of the Worker’s Party).

Singapore is based on the British Parliamentary system and it has worked well since Singapore independence and there are flaws in the PAP Goverment policies and these flaws must be fined tune for the full benefits of all Singaporeans especially those Singapore born which must be made to feel more at home and be assured that Singapore is their only place called Home and not thinking of migration-how many can migrate, maximum 10% especially those middle class and above, how about the 90% who have to stay behind.Perhaps, our PM Lee Hsien Loong can do more for we local born Singaporeans (he is also local born)

Regards
Andrew Chuah

25/11/08

Correction-I doubt he will give those Americans who earn US$250k and below a cheque.

What Singapore requires is fine tuning of the existing PAP government policies and not total dismantling of these policies and institutions, unlike in USA A Change We Can Belive In-this to me is rubbish and nonsenses.

Regards
Andrew Chuah

40) SAD on November 25th, 2008 10.07 am

Read the ST, Junior has spoken, granddaddy and daddy must be proud. I can see that our future is in safe hands.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Anyone got summaries of news in MSM?
I have not been buying it.
Wonder if there are unrelated blogs here and there that comment on or give summaries of a few articles on the MSM news ?
Like this , I lagi no need find news.

summarise not copy whole sale cans or nots?

Actually only in American politics can you be Presidetn without having experience. Even in the UK, I doubt a small first term minority race MP can be the head on any party and be PM

“What Singapore requires is fine tuning of the existing PAP government policies and not total dismantling of these policies and institutions, ”

Isn’t the gov be finetuning the system since independence ? So what happen then ? What is it getting from bad to worse since the old guards gone ? System that give false sense of assurance and securit ?

We can stop fooling ourselves into thinking that system can be finetuned when vision and mission of PAP are no longer there anymore. It has long been about money. You want to finetune money-making business ?

Finetune what when nobody is going to be responsible for the change ? When the oldman and his son and his family’s mindset are still much the same about no free lunch and running Singapore as corporation. Until there is a CLEAR accountability, transparency and responsbility whether for ministar, MPs, old fart, Woody, one can forget about finetuning the crap.

Really? What’s there to finetune when the system already lost its intended purpose.

I believe the comparison was made with the intention to send a message
to Lee Jr., MM Lee and the mindless PAP members.
It is also for the rest of the world to read what we Singaporeans feel about our own ” leader “.
I recall MM openly supporting Obama’s rival and making unflattering statements.
Now that Obama has officially won the elections, it is timely to compare Lee Jr with Obama for the benefit of the oldfart and the rest of the world visiting TOC.
Lee Jr is a fine example of negative leadership that is forced upon us.

Remember President Johnson – he declined to re-run . Now Obama has won and the news is that he is visiting Indonesia next year. Hope that he will drop by Singapore too.

On the world stage there are few outstanding and charimatic leaders which one can compare for their achievements – a man is judged by his deeds and not his words, Hence the “Lee versus Obama” is premature. It may be good to revisit in 4 years’ time – hope that the TOC is still around then to do the honour.
Looking forward to 2012.

Here’s my comparison;
One has a Heart of Gold, the other… just a Silver Spoon.

I may be late in penning this as i watch numerous talk and discuss about the prospect of a viable opposition. My views for wanting an OBAMA are as follows:
(1) Too much power resides with the current party which is in power for too long.
(2) Incumbent government is too used to getting their ways and ministers are not used to accounting to the public.
(3) Government is too caught up with making money, and clearly rewards those who help them in their endeavour.
Government rules too much with the brain with too little heart. Their focus group is beyond the middle class, and hopes that by rewarding the top those below somehow will benefit from it. I do not think this is happening now. We need someone to drive a movement that focus on the middle class and below, which are the workhorse and fabric of this nation.

Greed that causes the collapse of Wall Street may happen to us. We need someone who listens and is willing to walk the ground and understand the issues. Someone who feels the pain when families run into economic difficulties, who feels the need to find out why NS deferment cannot be granted so that an individual can continue his education, who wants to help expedite the solution for those who lost their money investing in financial instruments, who wants to know how we can delay streaming our students, who wants to help increase the MRT/Bus frequency so that we can have comfortable journey, who is prepared to control cars in the town instead of ERP/financial payment, who wants to reduce National Service commitment at no expense of operational needs and who allows people to tap into their CPF during downturn. This group of people should be chosen because they have the heart to serve the people. The people come first. Where is our OBAMA?

there’s no obama in singapore

simply because we dun deserve one

I think we are missing the point.

I don’t believe that this article was meant to be that in depth and therefore, all the comparisons that are listed on your comments are digging too deep.

By the way, I am not the writer of this article.

But, when I read this article, the only thing I saw was one incompetent mofo trying to justify why he (and his cronies) is dividing the country and a fresh, enthusiastic black man attempting to unite his country.
One sees the cup half empty, the other, the cup half full (and rightfully so, he had just broken one of the biggest barriers in the US by being elected).
One, doing everything in his (and his father’s) power to “fix them”, the other, with every intention to “bring people to the table and get things done”.

Yes, comparing LHL to Obama as a whole, is definitely not comparing apples to apples. I think the writer was just comparing the idea behind one speech to the other speech… which already says A WHOLE LOT.

TW political commentators who do not approve of Bian’s alleged misdeeds also supported the idea of having 2 strong parties, one to check on the incumbent.

Despite the disappointing behavior and performance of the ‘Green’ Party, the commentators who may be pro kmt also recognise the need for the EXISTENCE OF A STRONG ALTERNATIVE PARTY.

TW might be 1 party state before in its past history? anyone knows?

TW might be 1 party state before in its past history? anyone knows? – hum (#54)

Taiwan, like Singapore, adopts the dominant-party system. The dominant party system shares many characteristics with a one-party state and is usually marked by a climate of fear which aids in stifling opposition voices and prevent growth in opposition politics.

Prior to 1986, Taiwan was a dominant-party state under the KMT. Candidates opposing the KMT ran in elections as independents in the past. However, during the 1986 Taiwan elections, many independents grouped together to run and captured more than 20% of the vote. This led to the unofficial formation of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) but the DPP only became a legal entity in 1989. Today, there are 106 political parties registered in Taiwan, with KMT and DPP dominating all upper and lower houses of parliament.

don insult Barack Obama…

one is god..,,others is suck pp blood devil..
so..
seen like one is heaven,,,others is hell..

26/11/08

Hi Gemami & Gilbert Goh-Today’s papers we read Thailand’s PAD has so-called taken over the new airport and Bangkok becomes frozen and the Army is so helpless despite its Chief of Staff called for disolution of Parliament and fresh General Election. Singapore must never be another Bangkok where mob rule and anarchy as Singapore is too small and fragile (don’t tell me we had those up to 1970s).Today, we are Modern Singapore and we must continue to use the Ballot box to fine tune the existing PAP policies and institutions (yes, there are flaws in these but these must not be dismantled at all costs,these only need to be fine tune for better,we dismantle these, we become backward).I am all for a much better Modern Singapore for all Singaporeans.

Singapore belongs to all of us especially we who are local born holding Singapore very dearly to our heart and will always put Singapore above all things.We must continue to do our best for Singapore our only place we called our home and I am sure our Prime Minister Lee Hisen Loong will listen to all of us and make Singapore a much better home for all of us (I am not pro PAP,but all out for a better Modern Singapore and Modern Singapore needs a two party system for good governances and transparencies, and the present two elected MPs Mr Chiam and Mr Lau are not good enough, we need at least three single seats MPs and a GRC in the next Parliament.

Regards
Andrew Chuah

Some say that the comparison is baseless.
Thinking for a while, hmm, okay I’d buy that.

Why don’t we call out those who are currently in their 50s or 60s to ask for opinions / more information on how LHL and his associates were in the past?

I have often enjoyed hearing opinions from the elders as they often reveal interesting insights. Of course, we can’t take everything as a fact, but lets try to look more into the past instead of merely looking at what is happening in the present?

i think it’s too early to be comparing LHL and Obama? we haven’t seen the latter in action yet

One is a real MAN, the other is an ah kuah…… ha ha ha

aiyoyo

small dot vs states???

aiyoyo

2811/08

Hi Daniel *47-What I meant when I wrote “fine tuning” simply refers to when we have a formidable Opposition in Parliament who can then force the PAP goverment to fine tune its policies and institutions which are flaws, and on the other hand should one day the Singapore Opposition comes to power , they continue to fine tune the PAP policies and insitutions, not dismantling them which will spell trouble for Singapore and Singaporeans.

Today’s papers, besides Thailand where mob rules and anarchy, and both the Thai government and Thai army are very weak, this must not happen in Singapore-forget about Singapore up to 1970s (no longer relevant for Modern Singapore)> Singapore must always have a very strong goverment whether PAP or an Opposition party that becomes the government of the day and this strong government will continue to make Singapore a stronger Modern Singapore in all aspect and a home for all Singaporeans to be very proud of.Look at India, her government is weak and has been beseiged by problems one after another and yesterday Mumbai was blasted by Muslims Militants (not to forget Taiwan and South Korea whose governments are still weak and should their communists brothers attack them, I doubt they will be able to defend themselves).

As Singaporeans, we must always put Singapore above all things and always be very objective and focus and not simply wanting to dismantle the policies and institutions established by the PAP government. I am not pro PAP, I am pro Singapore 100% .

Regards
Andrew Chuah

Obama is someone who will lead america *hopefully* out of this current shit hole…while in our case, we are being lead into a shit hole instead by you know who instead….

LHL vs Obama?? That’s a totally wrong comparison!

Perhaps LHL vs. a janitor from India….even the janitor has higher integrity than this self-appointed good-4-nothing singapore roaches.