LHL: 13 More Years
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Lee Hsien Loong
Thirteen more years
For reason of age, present cabinet ministers won’t make the grade; the next PM could be a a party outsider who knows nothing about politics or statecraft. By Seah Chiang Nee, littlespeck.comApr 4, 2008
In most democracies, a Prime Minister who tells his party colleagues that they can rule themselves out as contenders to succeed him would have a political rebellion on his hands.
Evidently not in Singapore, where leadership succession is centrally planned, possibly decided by a handful of people.
This mass exclusion is what has just happened in Singapore, when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 56, made the following points: -
- He will remain as Prime Minister until 2021 when he will be 69 years old.
- He will urgently “look and groom” contenders, including a successor. Because of the long gestation period, the next Prime Minister must currently be in his 30s or early 40s.
- This virtually rule out the entire batch of current ministers by reason of age, if nothing else. Unless, Mr. Lee added, he is “run over by a bus” in which case one of them will take over.
I do not know who had the bigger shock when first given the information – the general public or People’s Action Party cabinet ministers who had aspirations for the top post?
The first question I have is: Why was such a big national issue not made in a policy statement to the nation or delivered in Parliament? Instead, it was made in an interview with two newspapers.
In fact, why was such a topic, which affects every Singaporean and his children, not discussed in Parliament first?
There have been no comments from any senior leader. Every one who is in it knows the game.
There had been PAP conflicts in the past but always confined within four walls with the losers quietly leaving. After the Barisan Sosialis (Socialist Front) breakaway, there had been no open intra-party confrontation.
This explains a large part the PAP’s longevity.
There will be unlikely be any immediately impact in the cabinet to Mr. Lee’s bombshell possibly at most one or two ministers resigning “for personal reasons” over a decent period of time.
It is unrealistic to expect many people to walk away from two or three million dollars a year.
Why the move?
The answer: The Charisma of Power!
To be effective, a political leader in Asia has to be seen as being able to exercise control over his subordinates.
For nearly four years – especially during the past year or so - Mr. Lee, who once suffered and was cured of cancer, has publicly been a rather quiet Prime Minister.
It contrasted sharply with his much more assertive, high profile father, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who at 84 is 28 years older, and seen as overshadowing the Prime Minister.
Lee Senior still makes the important speeches and trots all over the world to carry out state matters.
Recently, there had been periods when the Prime Minister had not attended a big function or delivered a major speech (the last was when he announced hosting the 2010 Youth Olympics).
This had led to frequent questions in the Internet whether he was ill and receiving treatment or if he was contemplating quitting in the next five-10 years.
The first order of the day is then: To make it clear that he will be around for a long time and himself “find and groom” contenders from whom a Prime Minister will be chosen.
In other words, he still retains the charisma of power.
The Prime Minister had to impress on his people – and his party subordinates - that he wields this power and ready to use it.
His father, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, is advancing in years. No one can foretell if very one in the party hierarchy will stay united behind him once the Minister Mentor is no longer around.
PM Lee had to consolidate his power by putting in people of his own choice into the cabinet, so a future without Lee Kuan Yew will be less vulnerable.
The recent cabinet reshuffle – with more changes to come – was seen as part of the process.
For the moment, the objective has been achieved.
As long as Mr. Lee Kuan Yew continues to exert such powerful influence over the country, the party remains under his control.if he thinks he wants to remain as pm until 2021, then i'll like to remind him:
man proposes, god disposes.
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This mass exclusion is what has just happened in Singapore, when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 56, made the following points: -
- He will remain as Prime Minister until 2021 when he will be 69 years old.Very cocky.
I want to get rid of him.
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I don't think he will last that long, a relapse may occur any time
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Originally posted by t_a_s:
I don't think he will last that long, a relapse may occur any time
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further proof that this is singapore inc. we are living in.
1. planned succession,
2. profit maximization, not servitude
3. certificates over passion to serve
LHL is bold to state his intent to be around this long. However, he needs LKY to be around as well to be able able to last the distance. LKY will be 97. If LKY is indeed still alive, he will be the all-time world record holder for a person holding a critical political position in office.
long live rock n roll!
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Either make them the royalty or get rid of them.
More and more cocky and deluded.
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LHL might be cocky n said that he will be PM until 69 years old,but life is full of unpredictable factors.He might get assasinated during his reign as PM,he might get kicked out from his party if he lose a major number of seats to opposition parties,he might striked by lightning,die of air crash during his visit to other nations etc....
Or,his cancer might occur again n this time,devil appears n take him to the hell....
Like i said,anything can happen in this world,we are not living in wonderland u know.
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Well... the lee dynasty still carries on...
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When LKY dies,there wont be any Lee dynasty anymore.Just like China Emperor Ching Shi-Huang dies,his empire also fall.
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How bout LKY's grandson?
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Greed, power and evil know no bound where ah kua lhl is concerned. He can't be bothered to find out from the people of Singapore how he is doing as a pm but insist what he wants. If he stays that long as a pm, Singaporeans be rest assured your life in Singapore can only get worse.
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So this means I would only marry 13 years from now.......??????
All left is the wrinkles....
Singapore is easy to be controlled and run by dictator much like Cuba thanks in no small part due to its small population...
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Originally posted by lotus999:
Lee Hsien Loong
Thirteen more years
For reason of age, present cabinet ministers won’t make the grade; the next PM could be a a party outsider who knows nothing about politics or statecraft. By Seah Chiang Nee, littlespeck.comApr 4, 2008
In most democracies, a Prime Minister who tells his party colleagues that they can rule themselves out as contenders to succeed him would have a political rebellion on his hands.
Evidently not in Singapore, where leadership succession is centrally planned, possibly decided by a handful of people.
This mass exclusion is what has just happened in Singapore, when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 56, made the following points: -
- He will remain as Prime Minister until 2021 when he will be 69 years old.
- He will urgently “look and groom� contenders, including a successor. Because of the long gestation period, the next Prime Minister must currently be in his 30s or early 40s.
- This virtually rule out the entire batch of current ministers by reason of age, if nothing else. Unless, Mr. Lee added, he is “run over by a bus� in which case one of them will take over.
I do not know who had the bigger shock when first given the information – the general public or People’s Action Party cabinet ministers who had aspirations for the top post?
The first question I have is: Why was such a big national issue not made in a policy statement to the nation or delivered in Parliament? Instead, it was made in an interview with two newspapers.
In fact, why was such a topic, which affects every Singaporean and his children, not discussed in Parliament first?
There have been no comments from any senior leader. Every one who is in it knows the game.
There had been PAP conflicts in the past but always confined within four walls with the losers quietly leaving. After the Barisan Sosialis (Socialist Front) breakaway, there had been no open intra-party confrontation.
This explains a large part the PAP’s longevity.
There will be unlikely be any immediately impact in the cabinet to Mr. Lee’s bombshell possibly at most one or two ministers resigning “for personal reasons� over a decent period of time.
It is unrealistic to expect many people to walk away from two or three million dollars a year.
Why the move?
The answer: The Charisma of Power!
To be effective, a political leader in Asia has to be seen as being able to exercise control over his subordinates.
For nearly four years – especially during the past year or so - Mr. Lee, who once suffered and was cured of cancer, has publicly been a rather quiet Prime Minister.
It contrasted sharply with his much more assertive, high profile father, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who at 84 is 28 years older, and seen as overshadowing the Prime Minister.
Lee Senior still makes the important speeches and trots all over the world to carry out state matters.
Recently, there had been periods when the Prime Minister had not attended a big function or delivered a major speech (the last was when he announced hosting the 2010 Youth Olympics).
This had led to frequent questions in the Internet whether he was ill and receiving treatment or if he was contemplating quitting in the next five-10 years.
The first order of the day is then: To make it clear that he will be around for a long time and himself “find and groom� contenders from whom a Prime Minister will be chosen.
In other words, he still retains the charisma of power.
The Prime Minister had to impress on his people – and his party subordinates - that he wields this power and ready to use it.
His father, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, is advancing in years. No one can foretell if very one in the party hierarchy will stay united behind him once the Minister Mentor is no longer around.
PM Lee had to consolidate his power by putting in people of his own choice into the cabinet, so a future without Lee Kuan Yew will be less vulnerable.
The recent cabinet reshuffle – with more changes to come – was seen as part of the process.
For the moment, the objective has been achieved.
As long as Mr. Lee Kuan Yew continues to exert such powerful influence over the country, the party remains under his control.if he thinks he wants to remain as pm until 2021, then i'll like to remind him:
man proposes, god disposes.
i think those 2 newspapers must be local otherwise he will be bombarded by the journalists! -
eh, no la, he said a new prime minister will be out within the next 15 yrs leh.
i dun think he will wan the seat so long.
GCT only sit for 11 yrs or wad nia.
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Will the situation be like what had happened in the last Malaysia General Election?
Will PM Lee say if the percentage of around 50+% who voted for the PAP to be considered as good?
What if the ruling party loses a GRC or perhaps a few of them? Will he consider that as good performance too? As they still managed to retain over the government.....Will his term be shorter than?