One Good Slap Deserves Another In Return ?
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In his National Day Rally Speech, PM GCT spoke about his proposed retirement, and gave a supposedly glowing critique of his successor DPM
The manner it was delivered was similar to the personal embarrassment caused, when LKY had publicly compared the 'wooden personality' of GCT with the preferred afiable TT and other potential personalities to succeed LKY in the PM post.
Here is an analytical article to be considered:
Parting advice
Premier Goh makes the succession official and adds some style hints for his heir-designate
Far Easterm Economic Review
September 11, 2003
By Richard Borsuk and Trish Saywell/SINGAPORE
THE FINAL STRETCH of Goh Chok Tong's tenure as Singapore's prime minister opened with a policy consistent with his style: administer some painful medicine, but in smaller doses than feared. It's a comforting style that some Singaporeans think may fade when his premiership ends.
Citizens were braced to have employers' contributions to their pension plans slashed to 10% of salaries from the current 16%. Instead Goh announced on August 28 a smaller cut to 13%.
In Singapore, where debates between leaders are virtually never aired, it's impossible to know how the decision to limit the pension cut was made. But it fits with the premier's style, says political scientist Ho Khai Leong. Goh "doesn't want to radically implement a policy he knows is extremely unpopular," he explains.
Leadership style and succession were key topics in Goh's National Day rally speech on August 17, when he confirmed that Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong would succeed him before a general election due by 2007. "I have tried to make ours a kinder society . . . I have also put in place a more consultative style of government," he said in what sounded like a farewell address.
The speech has caused a rare buzz in Singapore. While "no one doubts" that 51-year-old Lee Hsien Loong--the eldest son of the island republic's founding father, Lee Kuan Yew--has the ability and credentials to lead, some Singaporeans are "uncomfortable" with his leadership style, Goh noted. "Loong's public persona is that of a no-nonsense, uncompromising and tough minister," the prime minister said. "Singaporeans would like Loong to be more approachable . . . I have told Loong that he has to let his softer side show."
Goh also made cryptic comments about an alleged incident in 1990 when, according to a new book by an Australian academic, Lee Hsien Loong slapped a fellow cabinet minister in a fit of anger. One week after the speech Goh explicitly denied that there was a slap. Lee's press secretary says the incident "was a piece of fiction."
The 62-year-old premier's remarks still spawn speculation about friction between the two men. Some analysts say the popular Goh was just doing to the son what Lee Kuan Yew did to Goh before he became prime minister: publicly noting his shortcomings. To some, Goh wants to show that he has been much more than a mere seat-warmer for the Lee family--and that's what was behind his critical comments.
Goh and Lee Hsien Loong do not always see eye-to-eye on policy. In 2002, Lee--who is also finance minister--spearheaded moves to raise Singapore's goods-and-services tax from 3% to 5% beginning this year. Responding to complaints about economic woes, Goh suggested the tax could be raised in stages. It rose to 4% this year, and will rise to 5% from January.
The premier says he won't step down until there are signs of economic recovery. Some analysts believe that might come as early as mid-2004 while others predict he'll stay on until early 2005. Regardless of when he goes, questions are arising about the power equation in a post-Goh government. What future role, if any, will Goh play? Will Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew resign that post and be succeeded by Goh? Will Lee Hsien Loong's wife, Ho Ching, leave her position as executive director of Temasek Holdings, the government's powerful investment arm, when her husband becomes premier?
Political scientist Ho, referring to the position of Lee's wife, says the government must "seriously consider this arrangement" to avoid talk that political control is heavily concentrated. Meanwhile, another political scientist, Suzaina Kadir, says that if Lee Kuan Yew remains senior minister with his son as premier, "the image that would create is that you would have a political dynasty in power."
Goh has only said of his future that he wants to remain in parliament. For him to follow Lee as senior minister could "be unsettling," notes Garry Rodan, a professor of politics at Australia's Murdoch University. "Lee Kuan Yew's importance to modern Singapore has been such that many people would regard the position of [senior minister] as an exception that they can tolerate. But whether you can say every [prime minister] has an entitlement to this position is another matter."
http://www.singapore-window.org/sw03/030911fe.htm -
As dynasties go, we can be sure this political line stops at LHL. His children do not appear to be as outstanding as their father or grandfather (after all LKY and his wife were both queen's scholars and LHL was a president's and SAF OS), and hence are unlikely to enter politics.
We can be sure that it will be a new generation of leaders after LHL's tenure as the next PM of Singapore.
But in politics, there will always be critics citing the influence the Lee family has had on our society. Let us not get carried away by following the bandwagon so quickly. -
i think LHL would probably last only 1 term as the PM before a PAP revolt happens.
things are going to be very different 10 years from now. -
hmm, me? i like MR Goh better.. He is more of a people person
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Found the following being posted at the Sintercom. The "slap story" just gets deeper and more interesting:
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sintercom/messages?msg=1728.1
Politics and Government - Details on Slapping Incident
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From: GEORGETEOH 12:52 am
To: ALL (1 of 2)
1771.1
Interesting article from the optical. But the strange thing is neither the link provided or the book Governance in Singapore by Ross Worthington can be found at selectbooks.com.sg.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheOptical/message/98
From: The Optical
Date: Tue Aug 26, 2003 9:42 am
Subject: The Slapping Incident-All Secrets Stay Within the PAP Family
In his National Day Rally speech on 17 Aug PM Goh Chok Tong, when officially stating that DPM Lee Hsien Loong will succeed him as PM, 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."
In trying to dismiss this "slapping incident" as just a rumour by "creative Singaporeans" PM Goh sought to dispel it but by relating the "slapping incident" quite a number of Singaporeans who had heard his speech and/or read it in the local newspapers were confused.
People began to wonder if the incident had really happened and why PM Goh mentioned it in the first place. According to PM Goh, it did not happen but here's an extract from a recent book by Ross Worthington entitled "Governance in Singapore" about this "slapping incident."
TheOptical
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Governance in Singapore
by Ross Worthington, Page 150.
{ For more details about this book and where you can get your hands on a copy, click this link at: http://www.selectbooks.com.sg/gettitle.cfm/ID/33636 }
A major issue that has shaped bureaucratic/ministerial relationships for much of the past 10 years is the place and power of Lee Hisen Loong within the ministry and his possible future.
While Lee has many supporters, he has also alienated many because of what is seen as his arrogance and the autonomy he demonstrates in his relationship with other cabinet ministers; characteristics which, seven years after he joined the cabinet under Goh's sponsorship, he had not curbed.
One significant example of this was consistently reported by several respondents. In 1990, an incident occurred in a pre-cabinet meeting which was the beginning of entrenching further among the many in the core executive, resistance to Lee Hsien Loong's long term ambitions for prime ministership. Prior to this meeting Lee Hsien Loong had gone to the office of Richard Hu, the Minister of Finance, and removed a number of files without Hu's permission. At that time Lee's office was on the 48th floor of what is now Temasek Tower and Hu's was on the 50th floor.
At the pre-cabinet meeting Hu took Lee to task for doing this and was supported by Tony Tan. Lee's response was aggressive and insulting, he directly insulted Tan and Hu, a man of his father's age. This was a double insult to Hu, who was Lee's superior in cabinet and a person of an age who should of itself deserve respect in Chinese society. Suppiah Dhanabalan intervened and chastised Lee for his behaviour, demanding that he apologise to Hu, withdraw his remarks and not interfere in other minister's portfolios. A heated exchange occurred into which a number of other issues intruded and eventually Lee lost his temper, and reportedly reached across the table and slapped Dhanabalan across the face.
This caused an uproar in the cabinet and Lee was severely chastised by Goh Chok Tong. Dhanabalan stormed out of the room and did not return for some time. Lee, in response to a demand from Goh, subsequently apologised to Dhanabaln, Hu and Tan. Hu, Dhanabalan and Tan all initially stated that they would leave the cabinet as a result of this incident. Goh later took up the matter with Lee Kuan Yew who reportedly verbally thrashed his son over the matter.
This was apparently followed by a more sober, educational but equally critical assessment from Lee Hsien Loong's mother, a talented though background political adviser. Lee Kuan Yew reportedly met later that day with Hu, Tan and Dhanabalan apologised for his son's behaviour and requested that they not resign, supported by a similar request from Goh Chok Tong.
All held out for some time, but eventually Hu agreed to stay, but Dhanabalan and Tan both resolved to leave. This they did the following August 1991 elections, all without a public word against Lee Hsien Loong, continuing to subscribe to the tenet of all secrets staying within the PAP family.
While this is reportedly Lee Hsien Loong's worse outburst in cabinet and he has obviously learnt from the experience by somewhat moderating his behaviour among the political leadership, he has reportedly not done as much in his dealings with the civil service. Every senior public sector official with whom I discussed the succession issue, off the record, rated Goh above Lee in terms of being of prime ministerial calibre and rated Goh as having far more support than Lee, although Lee has probably been more successful at developing support within the civil service than elsewhere.
THE OPTICAL, Singapore
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From: PIKAMASTER45 5:02 am
To: GEORGETEOH unread (2 of 2)
1771.2 in reply to 1771.1
obvoiusly that bk's been banned!!!!
the (fifteen year-old) pikaamster (now sitting 4 exams)
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