Ho Rui An
On Lee Kuan Yew’s 86th birthday, Netina Tan raised a question that has lately been discussed with increased urgency – will Singapore survive Lee Kuan Yew?
Birthdays are usually a cause for celebration, but I couldn’t help but feel a little precarious as our Minister Mentor hit his eighty-sixth year mark earlier this month.
Tan believes that the government’s gradualist, pragmatic approach towards a seamless leadership succession will ensure the viability of a Singapore independent of Lee Kuan Yew. I’m not so sure about that.
The Omnipresent Lee
I lived through my schooling years during the Goh Chok Tong era. My schoolmates and I have never experienced living during the heydays of Lee Kuan Yew, then the young, robust politician armed with his nation-building ideals.
More often, we saw him in the mainstream media as a bald, old man speaking in a slow and measured pace. But despite that, somehow, in our eyes, Lee was the nation’ supreme leader. In school, whenever we were made to name our idols, a number of us would mention Lee Kuan Yew.
But that is hardly puzzling, considering that the man graced several chapters of our social studies textbooks that dutifully documented his progressive triumph over his adversaries.
We learnt that our independence was hard-earned and that we owed it all to the PAP. The other parties were positioned as either antagonists or an irrelevant supporting cast.
It was only in my later years that I realised that I never really did study the history of Singapore. What I was taught was more of a chronology of the PAP’s trials and tribulations.
The textbooks provided an interpretation of our political history as a rambunctious battle that pitted the PAP with its opposition that eventually culminated in the historical zenith that is its political dominance.
Naturally, with this, Lee Kuan Yew, the face of the PAP, assumed a kind of quasi-mythical status in our unsophisticated minds. Years after he has stepped down, Lee Kuan Yew remains omnipresent.
At almost each National Day Parade, we see the immortalised black-and-white footage of him in tears on the big screen.
The cameras document the changes in his facial expressions, however mundane and imperceptible.
Rarely in any other country do we see a former national leader venerated in this manner.
The closest equivalents that come to mind are the gargantuan images of a deified Kim Il-Sung in North Korea.
Over the years, a subtle cult of personality has been developed surrounding Lee.
More pertinently, this has made the workings of the PAP one that is not driven solely by pragmatics, but by personality.
While Lee Kuan Yew has supposedly taken a backseat in parliament, the rare occasions that he does rise to speak demonstrate the amount of power his identity bestows upon him.
Often, in his determined effort to shatter the arguments of any opposing party, one would see him unapologetically lending the weight of his identity to artificially boost his arguments, effectively silencing those who fear that their disagreement would be seen as disrespect.
Most recently, in his much publicised rebuttal to Nominated Member of Parliament Viswa Sadasivan, he reinforced his identity as an absolute authority:
“I thought to myself, perhaps I should bring this House back to earth and remind everybody what our starting point is. If we don’t recognise where we started from, we will fail. Nobody can speak with the knowledge that I have; I knew the circumstances in which the Pledge was made.”
His rhetorical approach is the same in face of foreign castigation. At a dialogue held by the Economic Society of Singapore last year, Lee accused the persistent criticisms of Singapore’s illiberal climate from international human rights organisations as a “conspiracy to do us in”. Characteristic of his combative style, Lee threw in the gauntlet.
“My question is to them, have you ever run Singapore? Do you know how we got here? What were we? What we are now? And how we can become better?… We are not stupid people. They give us all these advice… Who are they? Have they ever run a country, created jobs for community and given them a life? We have and we know what it requires.”
In questioning the intellectual and moral authority of his critics, he was effectively asserting his own absolute authority. More importantly, Lee sent a stark reminder of the fact that Singaporeans had much to thank him for the material comforts we enjoy today.
Even the young who have never witnessed Singapore’s post-independence transformation feels strangely indebted to him, not out of a conscious knowledge and heartfelt appreciation for what he has done, but for who he is.
A Disguised Gerontocracy
This assertion of assumed authority and seniority as rhetorical muscle is not the strategy of Lee alone. Come elections period, we would see the senior leadership of the PAP collectively participate in the denigration of the opposition, using their perceived intellectual and moral authority to pass character assassination off as valid, qualified judgement.
One can hardly forget the electoral battle in Cheng San Group Representation Constituency in the 1997 General Elections. The PAP incumbents faced the fiery competition of a team consisting opposition veteran J.B. Jeyaretnam and a senior lawyer, Tang Liang Hong.
Tang was particularly problematic as he fervently positioned himself as a candidate who could more adequately represent the interests of the Chinese electorate than the PAP.
(Left: Tang Liang Hong and James Gomez in Australia, Photo Credit: Think Centre)
The prime minister, his deputies and the senior minister all weighed in for the fight, labelling Tang as an anti-Christian, Chinese chauvinist. Tang retaliated by calling them liars. He faced thirteen defamation lawsuits.
The 2006 elections presented a kind of déjà vu in the form of James Gomez. Apparently, Gomez claimed to have submitted the minority-race candidate application form to the elections department when he did not do so in reality.
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Deputy Minister Wong Kan Seng seized the opportunity and called Gomez a “liar”, with the former daring the Workers’ Party to sue the government for libel.
It must be noted that the existence of this supposedly advisory panel of political elders is a peculiar phenomenon. More so is the creative title of “Minister Mentor”. This year, Senior Minister S. Jayakumar joined the pantheon, signalling the possibility of its further expansion.
And this in itself is a cause for concern. The election strategies of the PAP in past elections has already demonstrated how the party appears to be drawing its political legitimacy from the perceived moral and historical authority of its group of elders, particularly that of octogenarian Lee.
Are we then becoming a kind of disguised gerontocracy, where seniority becomes equated with absolute, unquestionable authority? Are we then voting in the PAP not for the values they uphold, but for the people we are made to feel indebted to?
Change that Comes, Surely… but Slowly
The government’s gradualist approach towards leadership succession is actually a reflection of its general attitude towards managing political change. The new will always come, as an inevitability, but a vestige of the old will still linger on as a haunting spectre.
Take the 1998 Films Act as an example. Section 33 of the Films Act bans the making, distribution and exhibition of “party political films”. After eleven years, the ban was lifted, but partially.
With this kind gesture of the government, films that are “objective” and “factual” are now allowed. It is the incompleteness of this supposed liberalisation that turns out to be more troubling.
The space has been widened a little but the establishment has left ample room for it to counter any undesirable, after all the definitions of “objective” and “factual” are entirely up to their discretion. Wait a minute. Do “objective” and “factual” films even exist?
At that time, Acting Minister Lui, who controls the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, explicated that a total ban on all party political films was no longer tenable because political films could easily be uploaded and viewed on the Internet.
In other words, the “liberalisation” came as an inevitability arising from the government conceding defeat to the pervasive new media. As it seems, change only comes belatedly in face of the inevitable. But how belated does it come exactly?
The person who knows this best would probably be Chia Thye Poh, one of the longest serving political prisoners in the world. Chia and 22 other Barisan Sosialis leaders were arrested on 29 October 1966. All but Chia were eventually released as Chia persistently denied the claims made of him.
In 1989, he was “released” to a one-room house on Sentosa. Weeks later, he was permitted to get a day job on the mainland. In 1992, he was granted permission to live on the mainland, but had his activities largely restricted. The restrictions were gradually lifted and at the age of 57 in November 1998, he was “rehabilitated”.
Change will definitely come, but we have to wait a little longer.
For a government which hardly hesitates to institute major overhauls to economic policies, change in the socio-political front is moving at the speed of a sedated sloth. It approaches any slightest form of political change with deep apprehension and hesitation, as if any perceptible shift could sweep the population off their feet.
But this painfully gradual approach comes at a dangerous cost. It puts the population on a perpetual life support system, insulating us against any form of clamorous, dramatic change and consequently creating a generation of political infants.
What happens when a dramatic political transformation comes suddenly and inescapably? How ready are we to cope with drastic and inevitable political change?
Of all the first-generation leaders, only Lee Kuan Yew has remained. Change will eventually come, but belatedly. And it will come with the costs and ramifications that the future generations of Singaporeans have to contend with.
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An extended version of this article can be found here.
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I’ve been wondering about 2 things:
1) Will the PAP split into the conservative and more liberal wings once LKY passes on? This could never happen now because of the fear of how LKY would respond- it would bring back reminders of the Barisan Sosialis split in the 60s. Once he goes, there’ll be no-one from that era left. This will allow the papered-over cracks in the party to open up fully.
2) Will all the new citizens vote for the PAP?
Since they haven’t been as indoctrinated or exposed to as much propaganda about the PAP’s role in developing Singapore, will they be more critical than the average Singaporean, who is always threatened with no upgrading, MRT stations, etc if s/he doesn’t vote for the PAP? Some of these new citizens come from countries with robust electoral systems (e.g. India), so they’ll be more used to changes in government. However, others come from one-party systems (e.g. China, Burma), and are as depoliticised as Singaporeans. So, it’s hard to figure this out.
What do you guys think?
The kingship that has been bestowed on him since day one,will eventually die with
him when he goes into eternity.I still hold a belief that he is here as a PM and MM is
for a reason.After his passing,a new parliament would then emerge and the citizens will have a truly prime minister and parliamentarians who dare to debate issues concerning this country.So for now,let us give him some ‘face’ and let him spend his
remaining years to himself and his family.Peace to you.
Singapore could have survived without the PAP and LKY. It is pure propaganda that we need them to survive. I’m sure there will be more Opposition parties formed after he has left. I pray for the golden age of reform to come sooner.
Well written Rui An. A study in concise form of PAP and authoritarian-octogenarian LKY.
I am lucky to live in the era of LKY when he was a young man full of aspiration and certainly fighting for the independence of Singapore. Those were the difficult years.
We cannot deny Spore’s transformation without his leadership. I would aptly put as collective leadership. Though LKY stood out.
The formative years and the latter years of PAP dominance, are best described as for the people in the former and for themselves in the latter.
The obsolute power control blinds one’s sense as strong as LKY into his own world of total control. Unable to let go of the glamorous hold of power even now.
Stagnation of power change and leadership succession. All below LKY are deemed as subordinates to his whim and fancy. Apart from Goh Chok Tong who did publicly made clear to LKY after LKY criticised him of being ‘wooden’.
To this day, even LHL is so quiet as PM. Playing second fiddle to the father. Sad.
LHL made the wrong move to create a MM title for his old man. He got to live with it now.
Who is next after LKY, after LHL? Your guess is as good as mine. Many second- stringer Ministers now especially the younger scholars co-opted into the PAP through the easy route, only harping the musical tone of LKY. No originality. Lui Tuck Yew, Mah Bow Tan, Wong Kang Seng, Vivian Balakrisnan etc, and MP Irene Ng and Ah Lian Lee Bee Wah are mouthpieces. One Lady MP that stood out is Lily Neo. Kind-hearted and compassionate for the old folks. Never forget the incident in parliament with Vivian B about increasing mere $20 for the poor on the dole. And what Vivian answered Lily Neo has gone down the annals of Spore history. Do we need this kind of leaders to look after us?
Singapore will survive without LKY. No one is indispensable. His reverence is elevated due to political dominance and social highlighting of LKY’s.
LKY will remain a legend of our times only if he graciously retired himself.
PAP’s leadership succession is hanging in the balance. Power will last but will also
pass. Time is of the essence. No party stays on forever. Eternity is in heaven !
In running a business, the only thing indispensible is the person paying the bills – this is usually the client. In politics, the clients are the electorate. If they don’t vote, politicians don’t get their authority granted to them.
Towards that, no one person is indispensible. Sure, some people are more useful than others but to say we cannot function without a particular person is a setup for failure, both short term (lack of opportunities for other talent to grow) and long term (groupthink leading to inability to innovate and grow).
I think it’s time we grow up and reflect this maturity through our choices in the elections that will probably pop up around CNY. I’m guessing that this timing is to take advantage of $200 goodies the govt will give out as part of the CNY practice of elders treating the young ones, keeping them comfortable and static.
The problem is, we’re too young to be comfortable.
As mentioned in one of my previous posts, the recent highlighting/rehashing of LKY’s role in Singapore political development, reconciliation with past enemies and high profile in the press gave me a very disturbing sense that he is PAP’s last trump card that they could hope for in clawing back some credibility and votes. We all know the current leadership has failed miserably to instil confidence with its policies and their vision for the future does not inspire any confidence or aspirations in the people so they really have nothing to offer Singaporeans for the next 10 years. The only political currency PAP have left is LKY. But we all know we cannot hang on to the past. As the writer clearly points out, the longer PAP resists change, the harder it will be for the future. Cearly we are witnessing PAP stand at the crossroad of self-interest vs national interest. 5000 yrs of recorded human History does not give us an optimistic view of where human nature would go, especially for those who hold on to power for too long and do not believe in checks and balances?
The point is not PAP’s succession but Singapore’s succession. And Singapore’ succession should include a strong opposition.
Good article Rui An. Like you, I grew up under the “stewardship” of GCT.
I guess Singapore is pretty much an ok place until this crazy influx of foreigners.You do your NS and realize your foreign classmates in University are getting allowances from the Singapore government…..
I believe LKY started with Singaporean in mind…but along the way I guess he lost his way a bit. He built up Singapore to be a home but its becoming a hotel. The irony is that the true blue Singaporean who have given the most to this nation building is not reaping the benefits of our progress.
One FT from india actually told me ” I pity you Singaporeans” …says alot….
Hi Rui An,
A great article reflecting the reality of Singapore’s politics engineered by and for a megalomaniac’s purpose.
If LKY continues to be representative of Singapore, then Singaporeans are heading for the twilight years. The momentum of change has to pick up speed indeed.
Though LKY was a graduate from Cambridge and is essentially very much influence by things Western, he does not believe in democracy, freedom of speech and the free press.
When he was the underdog, he acted as a lawyer for the trade unions (did not charge them ), appealed to freedom of speech and the free press, rode on the back of the unions and got to power. Once in power, all this democracy stuff was conveniently thrown away.
Currently, he is only a shade better than Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.
PAP is LKY, and LKY is PAP, when he passes on, PAP would die with him. It is a party Singapore is better without. Sinagpore cannot (do any worse) but improve when the PAP is out of the way.
It is a myth and fable that Singapore owes its existence to LKY. When one compares the three similar states (Chinese majority) Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong; Taiwan and Hong Kong are doing so much better than Singapore.
Hong Kong is a great financial capital, Taiwan is great at manufacturing almost anything you can think of (the number of Taiwanese companies in China is staggering) http://jp.fujitsu.com/group/fri/en/economic/publications/report/2003/report-155.html
Singapore is far, far, far behind. It has become a money-laundering hub; soon casinos, prostitution and loan-shark business will thrive.
“will Singapore survive Lee Kuan Yew?”
Questions:
1. if singapore CAN survive without him, why is he still into politics?
2. if singapore CANNOT survive without him, it would show that there is no excellent leadership renewal.
to me , a country can survive without 1 person technically speaking.
did china survive without mao?
did tw survive without Sun/Jiang?
did usa survive without reagan / abraham?
did britain survive without Thatcher?
did any country not survive without anyone?
so, feel free to enlighten me if i not enlightened.
can u imagine he actually outlived Safire? Well DEATH is an equalizer…I shall wait!
those that went :
1. JBJ.
2. Safire.
3. ???
can someone fill the list or order it for me?
[i]Who are they? Have they ever run a country, created jobs for community and given them a life? We have and we know what it requires[/i]
off course you are not stupid people what? if you retired you will defitenitely looked stupid..wouldn’t you?
you asked have they run a country? well beside you..
german still have a woman president runnin on 2 terms..so is new zealand includin the former british dame the iron lady..the list goes on..
any of the mentioned countries i mentioned have alot of foreign talents mey? alot of erp poles as well? beside earin over $100,000/month run with 82 overpaid useless MPs…
it this a minimum requirement to run a small tiny reddot country?
not just using a 2gig DDR ram will do the job?
12) Karmatic Mythology
those who went:
1) JBJ
2)Seafire
3) LHL
4) LWL
5) LHY
6) The Old woman in the freeze.
My geomacy of my reading is 85% correct.
He must see his sibling die in front of him.
He look very fix, because he is putting pressure into is sibling & other Minister.
No doubt the Great things which has been build in our S’pore that credit
doesn’t go to him. Goh Keng Swee, Dr Weheimers the (Jew Economics Designer) for S’pore encomics. The most crucial mistake committed “Policy Stop at Two” has murder 1/2 million of innocent & defendless fetus, destroying the population of Todays Singapore.
I’m the Prophet From Hell wait to Chain him to Hell.
This is one of the scariest prospects for Singapore simply because I think life as we know it will come to an end without a Mr Lee. So, I hope he lives as long as possible. No matter how many safeguards he puts in place, no matter how many “trained, scholarly brains” be puts in high office, it will never be the same.
The truth is Singapore lacks real leaders.
Actually, I have the good fortune of growing up in the LKY era; I have lived through a time when we need to drag water out of a well & blackouts were a norm for our daily lives. In school, we learnt more history on the Ancient Romans & Greeks than our very own; amazing, isnt it? The school text books didnt write about our forefathers’ struggles & it surel didnt write much about who REALLY built Singapore. Perhaps, that’s why most of us dont really have a strong sense of belonging here in Singapore & since we are being treated like hotel guests nowadays, we might as well set the bathroom on fire & destroy the whole place like some drug crazed rock stars & move to another hotel!
Looking back, I do have to agree that Singapore is a much comfortable place to live than the Swinging 60s. WE now have electricity & clean running water & we could eat chicken/duck/fish everyday, if we want to! Credits should go to LKY & his old guards, but then, he also had the good fortune to lead a group of smart & willing-fighters, namely our parents, to build Singapore to what it is now. It’s never going to be a one-man show cos when you watch Seinfeld, you know it’s not just Jerry but also George, Kramer, Uncle Leo & various casts.
I am grateful to LKY for bringing me from the days of Q-ing for water to the present day where I Q to buy Nana chocolate cakes! But, I think HE should just retired & let the new guards help bring my beloved Singapore to new heights. It gets pretty boring when, a few years ago, HE was still trying to remind us that PAP was fighting Communism when the Berlin Wall was already down & the Soviet Union is just another page in Modern European History! Guess, HE has ran out of things to frighten us & with the internet, all of us could voice our opinions & that might not be what HE wants us to do!!
I am just wondering why LKY is not giving his son a chance to lead us; HE should just loosen the apron string & let PM Lee learn to be a real leader. I cant really see that in him, just look at how he handled the Mas Selemat escape & the losses by our Town Councils; kind of like some lame duck, if you asked me! Another thing is, money doesnt always gets you the BEST; just look at those millions of dollars ministers, I dont see any of them capable of solving our REAL problems; with that kind of money, it just create lots of YesMen & in the end, the real citizens will only remember the whole lot of honest mistakes HIS family made.
Just Stop Bull Shitting around!
In Mao Tze Tung Times, the Chinese People had a same nervous too.
But after the pass, thru three or four changes, had already show China is in better shape. Just another forty years China will be in the Road of Prosparity.
Socialism & Democracy Door will be open. Follow up will be North Korean.
Some people had a senile thinking that without the old fart, life will come to an end. This is not Chin Sze Huang (During Qin Dynasty) The subordinate have to be buried with him because they think that life will come to the end without him.
Stupid think. In India & Parkistan most of the citizen have no much education.
They have a dare to change hope for the better. Those People fear of it, because at the current moment they had obtain materialism benefit from the ruling paryt.
they are just double standard people.
Walao.
When I seen the photoraph I just throw out.
A great “Prentender” The Song Yes I am a Great Pretender”
During the Strait Settlement, If I am not wrong.
Sabah & Sarawak + Singapore combine as a Nation to become Independent.
Some Goodu try to be too smart pull in Malaysia (AT that times was Tengku Abdul Rahman rule). A young guy at the age of 36year old trying to play with an Old politician. Tengku After obtain Sabah & Sarawak within Eight month he give him a Red card and he came back an cry in the Media. Crocrodile Tear.
You can wait for changes or you can affect changes.
Some advocated to wait for LKY to die before action.
I wonder, why wait? Why not do something by the coming election, which is in 2-3 years time?
It is time WE, the citizens of Singapore, remind LKY and PAP who is the real masters here.
Let our answer to them be the handing of one or two GRCs to the opposition.
If they do not listen to us, they will be made to listen to our representatives in parliament.
If they want to “fix” our representatives, we will vote more in. How many can they fix? 1? 10? 100?
It is time, we the 33% (soon to be 40% or even 45%) who have supported the opposition have as many percentage of representation in parliament.
For the other 66%, time for you to wake up as well.
Then change will come.
I am a dad, so I guess I know how dads think.
The Father is scared sh*tless that when he dies (which is inevitable), the Son will not be able to hang on to power. Everyone can see that the Son does not have the charisma, stature, and the credibility of a great statesman. Not by any measure. Five long years is enough for any performance appraisal, methinks.
Upon is death, there is likely to be a huge clamouring to open up the closet for skeleton-hunting. Blood is thicker than water, so who can be relied upon to keep the closets tightly padlocked?
His big succession “problem” is not about finding the best leader for Singapore. It’s about finding the “right” leader who will not expose his skeletons.
Me? I’m voting for water. Not blood.
#17) Alex the peasant boy – you must understand how he feels, he is already obsessed that Singapore was his baby and there is no way he could take his eyes off. his succession plan is always him, his family and closest. he is trying to live till 95 to ensure his grandson would be placed strategically inline with pm succession.
singapore is no different from vietnam or china, except in china, they let the more able people run, they wont pass them on to their sons, daughter in law or grandson. in singapore, the power obsession and hold are just too overwhelming. singapore is basically a regime.
many of our bright and capable true blue singaporeans will return for nation building once the regime is being replaced. the priority is set the wheels in motion, vote wisely for the future of singapore and our future generations. It saddens me that one day the true bred and born singaporeans are “last of the mohigans”.
There was a comment about the Strait Settlement, talking about Tengku Abdul Rahman was taken out. Why? so nervous, We clarify that this is a true story .
TOC was a spy blog. Be care
massivelosses_sohow?… I sure hope that day do not come. Cos if it does, we will NEVER break away from their clutches!
From the constant changes to policies, and the constant losses and honest mistakes, time and time again, the current political party has shown how they have taken care of the people who voted them in.
Not that I do not appreciate the progress that we have come so far. But there is a limit to what any average man can tolerate. The same dollar yesteryear buys so little today. And that same dollar yesterday, buys even lesser today. If the government is not for making the life of its citizens better, then why keep them?
The current political party already have this mindset. If you are too old and cannot keep up with your providing abilities to the GDP, off to JB you go!
The same can be done to them from the other side of the fence! If they cannot care for the citizens enough to make all the hard work and taxes worth it, then off they go!
If they are really that good, do away with the GRCs. Give EVERYONE who qualifies to vote the chance to, then we will see who is really the popular mandate. Let the opposition prove their mandate. Then there can be comparison to see between PAP and any of the opposition, who is better at managing the country.
Like some of the earlier posts, many countries have had leaders who came and went, and the country still survived. In fact, they lived better than before. Singapore is no different. I, for sure, ain’t going to stop living and providing for my family when this old man dies. In fact, I still have to earn my keep to survive.
It’s a good article and many of the comments were positive and quite an accurate reflections of the citizen views. We all know, recently Japan and Taiwan had voted in their opposition party. We Sinkaporean could do it as well. Many great leaders had over stayed their time in power. Mao of China was one of them. If Mao had passed away earlier before the cultural Revolution, China may have progress economically further by now. Sinkapore would change for the better once LKY passes on. PAP hopefully will fellow him to the grave but that may not be the case. True talent within the party is hidden at the moment but by then to be associated with PAP’s past might become a liabilty. We need new Singaporean blood in our political landscape. Equally, young Singaporean must be prepared to have their voices heard if the gahment embark on a new course of destruction of the opposition parties. PAP regime had done that before but we are now wiser but we must be prepared to be active participants and not just passive spectators if we truly want to seek change.
I am afraid the following is going to happen when LKY goes ( give him another 3-5 years) [by the way, have there ever been a great leader, over the last few thousand years of history, who in his nineties, was leading a nation?] i don’t think so
LETS BE REALISTIC !!! This is what is going to take place here, in the next decade
1) the PAPies have 100% absolute political power
2) 100% absolute power means the PAPies are in 100% absolute control of all the nations wealth—which runs into 0.3 to 0.5 trillion dollars
3) After LKY goes there is going to be a mad rush by the leading figures of the PAP , who are already now positioning themselves, to grab a lion’s share of this absolute power and control over hundreds of billions of dollars of the country’s money
4) iInevitably the PAPies party is going to break-up into 2 or 3 factions
5) The people of Singapore are going to be in for a harrowing time
6) hundreds of billions dollars of the nations wealth are going to be missing, putting Marcos and Suharto to shame
7)Inevitably the opposition parties will make great headway, and the real history of shame of the PAPies will be revealed to the whole wide world
I must said that LKY and the old guards of PAP has done an excellent job for Singapore, although they are not perfect. I had always been a supporter of PAP until the massive influx of foreigners.
The present system is already a gerontocracy, no need to disguise.
As to why LKY is still clinging to power…hmmm…many dictators or despots in the world (as the late William Safire labelled him) have a lot of skeletons in their closets.
Singapore’s interests at heart? maybe.
if they are only concerned about foreigners, spending millions of dollars to help them integrate here, giving them jobs, while the true-blue singaporeans who grew up here are jobless despite applying for jobs from both private and public sector and the gahmen do nothing, yet, at the same time, they are the first to come and collect bills every month from taxes to water and electricity etc… , so do ppl still want to vote them in?
Haiz, hopeless!
#1 Harminder,
“Will the PAP split into the conservative and more liberal wings once LKY passes on?”
If u ask me, i can only humbly say as of now, as a mere mortal, i do not see there is any FACTION within.
Anything is possible after the thingie.
To be honest, i dun really mind.
To have a meaningful discussion, people here should suggest or assume or suspect which factions exist and who are involved, if any.
Else, its like saying tomorrow there can be an earthquake.
‘can be’ as in technically possible where everything is technically possible especially something that is unpredictable as earthquake.
Even if there is Faction, i see that there will be not much difference in terms of its policies for the people. This may be a concern for many. So, even if there is or will be Factions, is not important, at least to me.
I just want to vote. When huh?
Debra Hong Mui Hoong
post #30 on October 2nd, 2009 11.08 pm
“I just want to vote. When huh?”
me too, my guess is when S’pore population hit 6.5 million…. :?
Let me share with us a recent encounter…
The organiser of the event where I was one of those present asked a group of 20+ attendees age between early 20s to late 50s, “who is your most respectable leader”. The reply is a long hush till the organiser broke the silence. No one mentioned about the Great LEEder.
If LKY & the rest of the PAP leaders are that great as what they make it out to be, then Singapore today would not have to resort to opening 2 casinos to open up the economy and in the same breath, indirectly promote gambling, one of the worst vices known to bring much sorrow in the break-up of young and happy families.
Is Singapore that desperate ? That we need to chase after the gambling dollar ?
If LKY & the rest of the PAP leaders are that great as what they make it out to be, then Singapore today would not have to resort to opening 2 casinos . .
Don’t be surprise who are the major shareholders behind these 2 casinos.
LKY cannot go yet until he is brought to justice for incriminating so many innocent people, resulting in them going to jail, exile, bankrupcy & most recently mental hospital. The victims whole families suffer along with them, and all these just so that he can hold on to power and depriving his people of their choice of govt.
It is a myth perpetuated by the ruling party that Old Harry is more of an institution than an individual of Singapore,without whom Singapore as we know it will not exist.
Once we perceive things in perspective,we realise that he is no demigod who created the miracle of Singapore.It was mere common sense,plus an iron grip on power,plus micro-management,that produced this state of ours.If he were to run a country like Indonesia or the Philippines,with their vastness of land and populations,not to mention natural disasters,will he be able to fashion them into a”First World” country like Singapore?If Suharto or Arroyo were to run a tiny state with a small poulation like ours,and not the sprawling behemoths with the many millions of people that are their countries,you think they can’t make Singapore into what is it today?Only Mr. Lee and his team can?Only our leaders are exceptional political mortals who can run Singapore well,not other leaders, or opposition figures?
It’s time we scorch this propaganda,and see things in their right perspective.
Everyone paints a dismal picture that singapore cannot survive with LKW or his son and band of cronies who call themselves the PAP.
We have seen change the whole world over and no country has collapseto the extent of what the PAP government keeps telling us.this is fear instill in the most convenient way– brainwashing. We never willl know if we dont try and so what if we falter initially. After all we all have to fall and pick ourselves up. We always want to be NO.1. Hey whats wrong in being NO 2 or NO 5. We are all going to die and lets not die for want of trying.
No one is indispensible even Minister Mentor. He will die one day for sure cos thats the one sure thing in life all us know is going to happen to each of us. There is no escaping.
Singapore will survive without the Lee dynasty and history will see to that. Time for a new begining without nepotism or cronism in our country.It seems that in every dept in the government is someone who is related to the lees and every company just about everywhere. I believe in singapore and the people of singapore and its time all singaporeans believe in themselves to be able to live out of the shadow of the Lee dynasty!
You will never know when change may come.
1. news reporting scientists in singapore (means need not be citizens) are working on stem cell research, heart disease research using millions and millions of dollars. If cure found how?
2. news keep reporting about centurions.
The news reads: “half of today’s babies will live to 100″.
This, to me, means:
1. HALF of today’s BAbies WILL NOT! live to 100.
2. We can only see this effect 20 years from now. So, as of now, the current adults 20 years and older, MORE THAN HALF! will NOT! live to 100. So how many can live to 85? Lets not let this 100 thingie confuse us that half of us will live to 85. Whatever it is , there is no ‘WILL’ but ‘maybe’. No one can dictate the future. At best , these are based calculated guess. Anything can happen in future.
Most successful company business case studies told in books written by “researchers” or published by prestiged business schools are after-the-fact stories. They were constructed, though with certain degree of truth, most often by picking up the piece and pieces of the successful companies’ operations and strategem and matched to the various management theories and business strategem.
Likewise the PAP story we hear now.
It’s time to change the dinner party.
I can imagine LKY and LSL on their computers reading the comments you guys have written here. This must be a nightmare for LKY. That is probably why he is so desperate to stay on and prod things up in case his dear son stumbles.
The PAP gangsters are milking the Singapore piggy bank by paying themselves in the millions and the ordinary S”poreans are suffering.
I am glad I am a quitter. I live in Canada. I still love Singapore and hope that I will in my lifetime see my fellow S”poreans throw the PAP out.
When I see the photoraph crying in the Media.
I have to throw myself out.
During the early days of the Strait Settlement, the British gave Sabah & Sarawak +Singapore combine as a National to be Independent. But the Oldfart trying to be too clever to pull in Malaysia. Tengku Abdul Rahman after obtaining Sabah & Sarawak , Within 8month he give LKY a red card and he come back crying in the Media. Shering Crocodile Tear. Don’t get Con.
LKY is no Abraham Linclon just Mao Zi Dong !
No matter how great a person can’t be his only effort alone that build Singapore.
Change will come surely but slowly. A whole new generation will rise up to
challenge the current beliefs.
1) Harminder Singh
/// Will the PAP split into the conservative and more liberal wings once LKY passes on?/////////
Possible answer to your question is In this Hokkien saying ” Chiew toh lau kau suah”
Translation: Tree falls, monkeys disperse.
Thanks Mr KopitiamApek for free lesson on hokkien idiom.
Actually, if we look at ALL, i mean ALL, political discussions on the net, there seems there can be not much effect by commenting or writing.
Its seems clear that THERE IS ONLY 1 WAY OUT.
1. Who is willing to take over the Accountability for ALL singapore’s good and bad, if any, after the stepping down, if any?
2. Last time, in the good old times, in the 90′s, singaporeans already slog like hell to earn a living. That was when there was no reported FIASCOs and Huge Losses.
In future, with this LOSS inherited, how much More Tough will Our Lives be like, if any? A good dose of commonsense is needed to figure out this one.
Succinct comment from a commenter in Lucky Tan’s site.
“I have been watching Switzerland travel videos (wanted to see what I was promised years ago) and was aghast at the difference. PAP has not fulfilled any of its electoral promises. What we have now is a government is seems incapable of surviving and making profits out there in the world. Instead it turns inward to leech singaporeans to pay for everything (their huge losses, multi-million salaries, F1 even votes to suck up to foreigners, muscling into proftable sector and edging out private entrepeurship etc). Complete manipulation of the press to twist facts, deceptive statistics and a “not my problem” and “I don’t have to account to you” attitude. They continue to self proclaim themselves talent when actually going by their performance, they are as trashy as the FTs that they import. They go as far as to dilute the local population in order to garner more votes from 3rd world foreign imports turned singaporeans. Honestly I am aghast to see what singapore has become. The human engineering here is almost the scale of Auschwitz. Singaporeans are being suffocated and drowned into oblivion and silenced by the lack of news coverage and truthful reporting. We are a nation, sorry company that is sinking day by day. I think in the end, like all cities that thrive, we will fall under PAP. Our economical model is non-existent, our manufacturing sector is dying, we obtain surreal profits by inwards speculating and our cultural identity is lost. Any one can build buildings. But to have a soul as a people is what attracts people to live and make a better life here. In the end we may end up becoming a shell, a facade, a seven-eleven for the world and as hollow as the words that PAP says.”
” there seems there can be not much effect by commenting or writing.
Its seems clear that THERE IS ONLY 1 WAY OUT.”
There is always a cause to a effect, like karma. To vote those pathetic clowns out is just a effect, but its cause will be effectively from commenting and writing online to fuel angst and unity. Given that the ShittyTimes is handicapped, and only serve as the mouthpiece of the incumbent, the only way to counter it is from online, and from online, information disseminate through the off-line world. Therefore for a effect to happen, let’s not belittle its cause. Just because we didn’t outrightly see the benefit didn’t mean it is not working. Invisible force at work can neither be seen nor experienced.
Truth be told, LKY is just overrated. People, (most) Singaporeans and (some) foreigners, give him more credit than he truly deserves.
He is just an opportunistic politician, doing what’s expedient for himself and his cronies in his career. Also, he has the gift of words, an invaluable craft honed from his lawyer/Britain days. His son, the current PM of Singapore, on the other hand…
The so-called economic miracle of Singapore? Give credit to Albert Winsemius. LKY did next to nothing.
PAP won’t split unless both MM and PM are gone, that is provided the new leaders do not include any more Lee’s 3rd generation princelings..