Tag Archives: Prime Minister

Workers' Party's Chen Jiaxi Bernard suggested for PM Lee to take a leave of absence and assign an independent committee to look into the Lee family allegations. "This is not about how much Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang has/ has not contributed to Singapore. This is about what Lee Hsien Loong had allegedly done. And he has to be accountable to our institutions, as well as the very people who have given him the mandate to govern... We need an independent inquiry. Prime Minister Lee, if you really mean what you say and represents all that you said your party represents, please take a leave of absence and appoint an independent committee to look into the allegations. It is now more than urgent that Parliament convenes and appoint an independent ombudsman. More than ever, moving forward we need an independent parliamentary ombudsman."

The international media has been feverishly reporting on the “family feud” (this is the term used by most of the international media), and argubly making a mockery of Singapore’s sterling reputation which was built over the last 51 years. After scores of pages of statements by both sides, including the Government – the nation has arguably, become deeply divided by this issue. If there is rule of law in a country – there should only be one issue and one solution – is the will of our late former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew valid? And therefore, only a court of law can determine this, provided the parties involved submit themselves to go through the proper legal process. It should not be decided, or in a way be decided by proxy debate, by a specially formed ministerial committee (which was not made known to Singaporeans), the Government, or the media.

Khan Osman Sulaiman talks about the upcoming Presidential Election and highlighted some of its problems. He thinks it is condescending to reserve the election for Malays as it shows that they cannot stand on their own merits. "It places the Malay community as a pawn in a chess game. To be used only when needed". He said the reserved presidency with its strict conditions is only for the elitist and described the President position as a lame duck.

In a 10 year plan announced during the new year in 1982, then-prime minister Lee Kuan Yew spoke of having a fully Singaporean workforce that was not dependent on foreigners by 1991. His message: “A wholly Singaporean workforce without any work permit holder at all by 1991."

Dear PM Lee, I am somewhat perturbed by the Law Minister's remark on the City Harvest case saying "this matter is not over yet". Is this fueled by public outcry over the reduction or is part of our highly revered judicial system?

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says that ethnic considerations are still a consideration for Singaporeans when choosing a prime minister. He made these remarks during a wide ranging interview with BBC HARDTalk on Wednesday when Stephen Sackur asked whether Lee felt that Singapore was ready for a non-Chinese PM.

Vote for the PAP if you must but imho do not vote for them in the hope of bringing back strong economic growth - this is not going to happen. The PM himself said we are maxed out. There is nothing much left to do than to set the incentives and set the appropriate monetary policy.

I wrote the article (below) in Aug last year after the PM was feted in a state dinner at the WH. It is an occasion that international leaders covet, but also one that doesn't come for free. The event was Obama's not-so-subtle way of telling China that Singapore remains firmly in the US' geopolitical orbit. But as I say in the piece, the US has no friends, only interests. And with changes in the presidency, policies and tactics also change. With Trump as president, is America still as committed to Asia? Will he rely on diplomacy or resort to force over the SCS dispute?

I read with interest Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Facebook posts once in a while. Not all of them are bad, some are quite good. However, this latest post by PM Lee makes me quite uneasy.

Aye Tharman, why you like that one, you got clear mandate from the people but also don't want be PM. You say you not PM de 'liao' and not interested, but how you know when you never even try leh? I also dunno why LHL want to have minority president to prove meritocracy, but this will only be tokenism. But if you become PM, this will be the epitome of true meritocracy of Singapore. I think you lan lan must become PM lah!