DAVOS: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said society and the population will not remain static and Singaporeans and the leaders have to work together to find a new way to govern Singapore.
He made the point at a session at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong said the rapid changes in Singapore society had caused
certain unease and disquiet among some segments of the population, and
it showed at the polls last May.
As to whether one can expect
significant political reform in the next five years in Singapore, Mr Lee
said the situation will continue to change, and Singapore must find its
own way forward.
"It is not so simple as to say if we have more
political parties we will have a perfectly functioning government. You
need more openness, you need more engagement. At the same time you need
people to pay more attention to what is happening in their lives and
think about what is happening to their country and to us as
Singaporeans. This calls for effort on both parts - Singaporeans and
government," said Mr Lee.
Rising inequality in the world, a hot
topic at the meetings here in Davos, was also raised during the
interview with Mr Lee. And he said Singapore tackles the issue in
multiple ways.
That includes making education, healthcare and
public housing more accessible to the people, as well as the Workfare
scheme to help supplement wages.
"We make sure that everybody
starts with some chips in life, you don't start with zero. If you're
poor in Singapore, it's no fun, but I think you're less badly off than
in any other country in the world, including in the US," said Mr Lee.
Mr Lee was also asked why the ministerial pay was revised recently.
He
said that ministers' salaries became an issue at the 2011 general
election and he had appointed an independent committee to look into it
after the election.
"They decided that the principles were
sound - you have to pay competitively - but they recommended a different
benchmark and a different number and we accepted it. I don't think it
will be the last word on the matter but it is a very difficult issue
because it is important that we get the right quality of people into
government," said Mr Lee.
There were also some light moments
during the interview, where Mr Lee was asked about following in the
footsteps of Mr Lee Kuan Yew and what it is like to have that legacy.
"I don't know I have never not had it. (laughter) It's tough enough but you have to live with it," said Mr Lee.
And was Mr Lee Kuan Yew a strict disciplinarian?
"He
had expectations... but he left me to do my own thing, he didn't push
me into this, and neither would it have worked had he done so. I had to
make up my mind whether I wanted to go this way," said Mr Lee.
Similarly, Mr Lee said his children will have to make up their own minds about going into politics.
But he said the odds are not on it at the moment.
- CNA/cc
Originally posted by QX179R:Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said society and the population will not remain static and Singaporeans and the leaders have to work together to find a new way to govern Singapore.
After your father Harry Lee Kuan Yew is dead, the question of minority over majority better be sorted out.
That is the only way to inject life into Singapore. There is no other way.
Originally posted by QX179R:Similarly, Mr Lee said his children will have to make up their own minds about going into politics.
I reject more minority over majority rule. 50 years of minority over majority, peranakan over chinese, I consider to be enough. Father and son and other peranakan allies all in power for long time already. Now all the chinese and other local cultures all weakened due to this problem of minority over majority.
The problem should be settled in a progressive way, not reactionary way.
we'll try to work for our living but the gabrament should try not to work on the people..
The gahment don't come and suppress my culture I happy already.
Depend on that anglophile bastard to help boost my culture? I go die first.
Start introducing business administration course to the secondary schools
GY, whose the one taking salasry? why must we work together. you do your own work, while we the people have our own work to do, if not all the jobs taken by cheapo foreign labor arh so free issit?