SM Goh calls for pragmatic leadership to meet global challen
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SINGAPORE: Singapore's Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said pragmatic and courageous leadership is needed to meet global challenges ahead, and key among these challenges is tackling the impact of climate change.
According to a survey, this is a priority among participants at the East Asia meeting of the World Economic Forum held in Singapore.
But besides the environment, Mr Goh is concerned that the world is not doing enough to prepare for an avian flu pandemic.
Giving his address at the close of the two-day forum, Senior Minister Goh said leadership is the mother of all factors that would see Asia through the coming years.
This would then allow the region to achieve the vision of an "Asian century".
He said: "If you categorise governments into the good, the bad and the ugly, track the economic growth of their countries and try to make a correlation, you will discover there is a positive correlation between the good-high growth, the bad-so-so growth and the ugly-negative growth in these countries."
Pragmatic policies by leaders in countries like China, India and Singapore have been critical in sustaining economic growth.
Mr Goh said: "From time to time we will sit down, look at the horizon and decide what steps we must take to adapt ourselves to the future. We had our own thinking on certain matters, for example, casinos. Seeing how competitive other economies are, we asked ourselves what we could do for the future.
"We do not favour gambling, but we decided on the integrated resorts because you can tie in the casino with convention facilities to support larger activities. That's an example of pragmatic leadership in Singapore."
Organisers of the World Economic Forum did a survey amongst their participants to find out which are the leaders' top priorities over the next few years, and it was of no surprise that issues like global warming, climatic change and environmental policies topped the agenda.
In a session with leaders from the private sector, the senior minister was asked if climate change would still be a concern if there were to be a SARS outbreak at the same time.
Mr Goh said: "I think the survey reflects the flavour of the month, which is climatic change. But at the back of my mind is the fear of an avian flu pandemic. I think we are not doing enough to tackle the problem and we are not ready for it – not just in Asia, but in the rest of the world."
Mr Goh also urged the private sector to let governments know about the pro-business conditions needed in a country to benefit both businesses and regional economies.
- CNA/so
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Besides what are stated above, what about pragmatic and unselfish leadership to take good care of the needs of the people of Singapore in the ever constant rise in the cost of living of Singapore to meet the global challenges? -
left ear in, right ear out.
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i dunno.. it looks to me like its more about singapore boasting...
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Huh, he can boast all he can, but there is no deny that the way they "take care" of the people is not up to global challenge.Originally posted by 4getmenot:i dunno.. it looks to me like its more about singapore boasting... 
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The WHO has already advised all countries back in 2005/2006 and gave guidelines on how to cope with the flu pandemic at national and global levels.
I think MOH should be ready by now. No excuse for Singapore to be not ready. We canÂ’t do much if the rest of the world is not ready though.
Why worry about something he canÂ’t control? There are global experts to deal with global warming, climatic change and environmental policies. The most he can do is to wait for their reports and follow the advice.
While waiting, the priority should be to deal with national issues instead. -
When you were the PM, you had the once-in-a-lifetime rare opportunity to do something for the country by recognizing the root cause of problems like rising costs of living by reversing or modifying wrong government policies such as double charging on lands on housing or basic services.
The double charging on lands by HDB in sale of low-cost housing at market prices has been exposed by the public without any credible replies from the HDB or Minister Mah Bow Tan to this day. Mah Bow Tan seems to be avoiding this issue.
So if being the ex-PM, he did not have the courage or ability to check on wrong policies that caused the perpetual rising costs of living thereby undermining the growth and vibrancy of the domestic economy, how could he now offer any good advice to younger ministers when he himself obviously had miserably failed to do so.
So one by one the young ministers will copy his example by keeping quiet about the whole issue hopefully people will forget them over time.
Is this sort of leadership the younger generation wants to have nowadays in the age of globalization.
Do we want to see such pretensions repeated ad nausem in Singapore political evolution? -
What the gahmen should be doing is to be unselfish and pragmatic when dealing with national issues to meet the global challenges. Can they? Are they willing to do so?Originally posted by googoomuck:The WHO has already advised all countries back in 2005/2006 and gave guidelines on how to cope with the flu pandemic at national and global levels.
I think MOH should be ready by now. No excuse for Singapore to be not ready. We canÂ’t do much if the rest of the world is not ready though.
Why worry about something he canÂ’t control? There are global experts to deal with global warming, climatic change and environmental policies. The most he can do is to wait for their reports and follow the advice.
While waiting, the priority should be to deal with national issues instead. -
pragmatic or not is secondary, but if the leaders feel their salaries are peanuts, then they should have the courage either to give themselves a raise or just help yourself to a golden toilet seat.
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Excuse me, are they not paid to do all these ?Originally posted by rane:What the gahmen should be doing is to be unselfish and pragmatic when dealing with national issues to meet the global challenges. Can they? Are they willing to do so? 
,,,,,,,,Oppss.....I forgot they are paid so that they shall not be corrupted.
Please accept my sincere apologies
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He is also worried about the rise in immigration among the local to other countries.Originally posted by rane:What the gahmen should be doing is to be unselfish and pragmatic when dealing with national issues to meet the global challenges. Can they? Are they willing to do so? -
Haiya... WTH for, tok kok sing so much songs, still SSDD...
or rather SSDM... -
I say that WHATEVER they say, is always NOT what they truly mean...
Just look at what the fark happen to Lowering Costs of Living??? -
Mate, i think you got it wrong, we are seriously moving towards the "Swiss cost of living"Originally posted by ShutterBug:I say that WHATEVER they say, is always NOT what they truly mean...
Just look at what the fark happen to Lowering Costs of Living??? ...Err...the rest of it,we are still lagging 
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Commonsense will tell anyone that a government which keeps increasing costs of essential services will end up stifling the growth of the economy or killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Monies get sucked from the private sector to the government coffer preventing or hindering the healthy growth and expansions of the business sector.Originally posted by ShutterBug:I say that WHATEVER they say, is always NOT what they truly mean...
Just look at what the fark happen to Lowering Costs of Living???
With so many scholars and economists working in the government, how many of them bother to implement pro-business and pro-growth policies or correct the wrong policies of the leaders like double-charging on lands and assets which cause all business costs for years to go sky high. (until PSA relented due to migration to port pelepas) -
Then do something to keep people in Singapore. Majority migrated because they are not happy with the way Singapore is run by the ruling party.Originally posted by will4:He is also worried about the rise in immigration among the local to other countries. -
Maybe perhaps they aim to be millionaires by being politicians who earn the super high pay. So far think theirs is the highest in the world, can anyone tell me if I am right?Originally posted by miserable:Excuse me, are they not paid to do all these ?
,,,,,,,,Oppss.....I forgot they are paid so that they shall not be corrupted.
Please accept my sincere apologies -
I read the high rental is causing many foreigner to think about coming to Spore.Originally posted by rane:Then do something to keep people in Singapore. Majority migrated because they are not happy with the way Singapore is run by the ruling party. -
Well, with their current pay check, we easily identify 84 millionaries liaoOriginally posted by rane:Maybe perhaps they aim to be millionaires by being politicians who earn the super high pay. So far think theirs is the highest in the world, can anyone tell me if I am right?