Encik Goh's future role in the Government
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What do you think will be our Dear PM (ex soon)'s role in the future... He will be no. 2 but what role will he play?
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i thought it was made clear in the reports: hes gonna be the SM, and he will focus on international affairs? sounds very much like what the current SM is doing.
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SINGAPORE : Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong has given an indication of the sort of role he will have in Cabinet after stepping down on August 12.
He made the comments at the launch of a book about Neptune Orient Lines.
But Mr Goh says ultimately his role and designation will be decided and announced by the new prime minister - Mr Lee Hsien Loong.
Before he entered politics in 1977, Mr Goh was the managing director of Neptune Orient Lines.
So it was fitting for him to launch a new book on the success of the shipping line over the past 35 years.
But Mr Goh was not just looking back at how he had helped NOL.
He was also looking ahead to his new role in the Government after he hands over the baton to Mr Lee Hsien Loong on August 12.
Urging Singaporeans to rally around the new prime minister, Mr Goh also spelt out the role he would like to play in the new Cabinet - one which focuses more on international than domestic matters.
"I would like to concentrate on a few projects on the international side because I think the new Prime Minister will have to also consolidate his domestic ground even as he reaches out to have his own international network of contacts. I am very keen on developing better ties with the Middle East," he said.
It has been revealed that Mr Goh will take over Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew as the number 2 in government, and Mr Goh hopes that this will become an established practice.
"If we can set this as a practice for Singapore, I think it is unique to us, it is useful to us, because the experience of the prime minister will not be evaporated overnight," he said.
Mr Goh also dismissed suggestions that keeping both himself and Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew in Cabinet would cramp Mr Lee Hsien Loong's style of government.
Mr Goh said: "We will not in any way cramp the style of the new prime minister...we will know how to contribute to discussions and know that our views should be given but not be imposed upon the new prime minister and his team.
"I can tell you that Mr Lee Hsien Loong makes up his own mind. He takes in all inputs and he makes up his own mind, even inputs from Lee Kwan Yew, the Senior Minister now.
"So I have no problem whatsoever. After sometime, people will get to know the way we work. We are not in this to restrict what the new man should do, otherwise why should I step down?"
Mr Lee Hsien Loong is due to announce his new cabinet line-up on August 10 or August 11. - CNA -
Dont know leh,i think u must ask Lou Lee n young Lee want to give him what jobs to do.Originally posted by greengoblin:What do you think will be our Dear PM (ex soon)'s role in the future... He will be no. 2 but what role will he play?
(joking)