Dhanabalan: ‘Why I quit’
-
looks like dhana really got slapped:
Dhanabalan: ‘Why I quit’
For first time he said he left cabinet because of disagreement.
By Seah Chiang Nee, littlespeck.com
Dec 16, 2007
In several little-noticed paragraphs highlighted by TODAY newspaper, Mr. S. Dhanabalan admitted in a dialogue session that he left the government because of disagreements within the leadership.
It was mentioned in quick passing and no details were given in the Q-and-A session with The Straits Times.
The thrust of his message was integrity in the government, during which he said:
”I think Singapore is probably one of the few places in the world where there is the least conflict because the political leadership is honest.
“It believes in having to tell the truth...But I do not deny that there will be conflicts and you just have to make your stand clear,' he said.
The session ended with Mr. Patrick Daniel, Editor-in-Chief, who chaired the dialogue, asking him why he quit politics.
“All I would say is that I had differences which I felt I could not live with. Therefore, I thought it was best to step down and work with the leadership in other ways,” he said.
This was the first time that Mr. Dhanabalan has gone public to speak on the reason why he left the cabinet.
The Straits Times downplayed this part, putting this passage almost at the end of the story.
TODAY newspaper highlighted it, with the comment that “in the seemingly-unexciting world of Singapore politics, some unexpected gems do pop up.
“The reader who bothered to plough through (the ST) report .. would have made this rare find on why the former minister left the Cabinet in 1992: Differences with the leadership that he could not live with.
“In a political system in which exit management is practised with a handshake, a smile and a tacit understanding not to talk publicly about departures, Mr Dhanabalan's candour was unusual.
“But don't expect others who have left or were forced to quit to come out of the woodwork.
”The fear of how robustly the other side will tell its story, and the Singapore culture of not going against the establishment will weigh against others going down Mr. Dhanabalan's route.
The nature of the disagreement was not stated, but Singaporeans recall the widespread rumour, which was dismissed by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong that in 1990 Mr Lee Hsien Loong had (before he became Prime Minister) slapped Mr. Dhanabalan.
In a National Day Rally years later PM Goh Chok Tong, said "You may also have heard this old story about Loong {Referring to DPM Lee}. In case you have not, I'll tell you now.
”Back in 1990, Loong had a quarrel with Richard Hu. S. Dhanabalan sided with Richard. Loong lost his temper.
”He reached across the table and gave Dhanabalan a tight slap. The whole Cabinet was thrown into commotion.
“I then forced Loong to apologise. I must be suffering from amnesia. I just cannot remember this incident. Now you know how creative Singaporeans are."
The ‘slapping incident’ was extracted from a recent book by Australian Ross Worthington.
DhanabalanÂ’s departure was a surprise to Singaporeans.
He was one of four ministers - Tony Tan, Ong Teng Cheong, Goh Chok Tong and S. Dhanabalan – who were originally short-listed to succeed Mr. Lee Kuan Yew in 1990.
In his public account of why he chose them and what he felt were their strengths and weaknesses, Lee said his preferred successor was Tony Tan.
He felt that while the other three were all of Prime Ministerial material, each had a particular weakness:
* Goh was too stiff, lacking eloquence in public speaking,
* Ong was too closely aligned with the Chinese-speaking masses, lacking appeal to other communities.
* On Dhanabalan, Lee felt the 76% ethnic Chinese electorate was not yet ready for an Indian Prime Minister. Lee left the ultimate decision to the second generation ministers themselves, who went on to choose Goh. -
Obviously it is now confirmed by Dhanabalan himself that something has happened in the cabinet which caused him to quit his ministerial post.
One wonders why good and effective people like Dr. Goh Keng Swee, Dr. Toh Chin Chye have had to quit. Is it caused by also some personality conflicts within the cabinet. How can we run a system like that where the honest and effective people are forced to leave and at the end everything is blamed on our lack of talent so that we must pay more for ineffective people who stay behind. -
Goh was too stiif and lacking eloquence?
I think if you compare Goh to other ministers, he doesnt talk like he is reading from a script -
I remember someone did question if PAP ministers will still get paid as well when the move into the private sector?
-
Previously Howe Yoong Chong was the reluctant minister, because he is too honest a man for poliltics. I think he quit after one term.
One of those who attended the talk, IT consultant Tay Kian Tiong, 46, said he was very impressed with Mr Dhanabalan. "He comes across as a man with integrity...." -
Mr. Worthington profile:Originally posted by lotus999:The ‘slapping incident’ was extracted from a recent book by Australian Ross Worthington.
http://wwwarc.murdoch.edu.au/staff/worthington.html
Email: [email protected]
Quote from Ross Worthington-
“all aspects of the governance of Singapore, including the judiciary, are carefully manipulated and ultimately controlled by a core executive of individuals who use their powers to maintain their own power and further their own political, economic, social and familial interests.” -
wow didn't know s'pore had some traits of taiwan's politics in using physical abuse
-
regardless, dhana is still a MIW lackey .....
he can walk away becos he has been in it for long....been there, done that, made my mil$ and let the nextgen MIWs benefit.
in reality, even in PAP, nobody can be 110% behind the party. there will always be rumblings from within but when THE question pops, `Who's your Daddy?', everyone will tow the line.
i read the press reports as a `clever' way to detract the critics...nothing more. are we falling into this and make mountains out of molehills just from the one liner?
In today's Singapore context, it's COOL and UNIQUE to have/be an alternative viewpoint. Sterile, mechanical robots in the administration are not IN, especially if you want to have DFI/FTs come in. -
dhana by most account is a stand up man...he was one of the few who initiated staff not to stand at attention whenever he enters the office...
he's one of the few good men in local politics....as for the slap, it was a joke by ah goh that went bad....this wooden spoon cannot tell a joke to save his life....
we have to sift the good from the bad....he's a rare one... -
I know Mr. Dhanabalan personally.
He's a very humble figure.
And I do like him. -
You so old meh?Originally posted by Hello Kitty:I know Mr. Dhanabalan personally.
He's a very humble figure.
And I do like him. -
me got frds of all ages, can anot?
-
ya.... I heard of the story b4 too
-
i don't think wooden has such bad judgement to crack that kind of joke. Chiam See Tong once called wooden 'big mouth'.Originally posted by countdracula:....as for the slap, it was a joke by ah goh that went bad....this wooden spoon cannot tell a joke to save his life....
we have to sift the good from the bad....he's a rare one... -
Do you know him well enough to confirm if he got slapped?Originally posted by Hello Kitty:I know Mr. Dhanabalan personally.
He's a very humble figure.
And I do like him. -
I had not and would not do that.
He is a man who has reached a wise age; I ought to accord certain respect to him. -
We have to wait for more years to come to learn our true history. The PAP has a grip on its members that is based solely on the FEAR factor.
Even GCT trying to dispel the rumour incident actually made it worse by his "message" convincing many during one of his national day speech that the slapping did really actually take place.
Dhanabalan’s weakness – besides being Indian, is short and his religious inclination is not too popular with some. -
I can only say that we should look beyond.
He is nothing like the stereotypes at all. -
There could have been a misinterpretation.
"The was a slap in the face for Mr Dhanabalan"
This could have been taken literary, and passed on into the rumour mill. -
it was, all clarified by the wooden in the papers a couple of days after he mentioned it during a national day rally, he meant it as a joke but didn't know how to deliver the punchline...perhaps you were too young then...Originally posted by pearlie27:i don't think wooden has such bad judgement to crack that kind of joke. Chiam See Tong once called wooden 'big mouth'. -
disagreedment is good.. better if open and deliberated over...
bad if left to hang in the backdrop...
best if you can convince the other side....
ultimately... the only organization that has no disagreedment.... has to be a one man organization.