SINGAPORE : Students and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew engaged in a lively question-and-answer session that lasted more than an hour on Monday evening at the annual Kent Ridge ministerial forum.
Opening Singapore's political space and speculation about the next general elections were some of the issues raised by the students.
Mr Lee, in turn, threw down his challenge for those who called for political alternatives to become the alternative themselves.
It was a spirited exchange between students and the Minister Mentor - kicking off on a student's concern about young Singaporeans lacking ownership of the country.
MM Lee asked: "What will give those friends of yours who don't feel they own this place a sense of ownership?"
"I don't know that's why I am asking0" replied the student.
MM Lee said: "You are prescribing a malady which I don't know exists - which has been talked about. This is a phase Singapore is going through because a younger generation feels they're entitled to a bigger space, that they should be in charge - they will be in charge but only some of them will be in charge not everybody. But everyone will be given the chance to give inputs."
In response to those who felt they're not being heard, the Minister Mentor suggested starting a publication or a website on the Internet.
This open and frank discussion saw many students queuing up to pose questions which ended with Mr Lee throwing his challenge to the students.
One student said: "I believe oppressive acts like the Printing Act and the Internal Security Act should be reviewed since maybe they are no longer relevant as we have reached a stage where stability is here."
MM Lee replied: "There is nothing to prevent you from advocating that strenuously and getting your political party to adopt that platform and put it to the vote. My message is a simple one - remember how we got here and before you make fundamental changes - make sure your alternative is viable. This is not an ordinary country. If you have two election terms of a dud incompetent government, it will set Singapore back so badly, it may take decades to recover or never."
He noted that some of the limitations of the Republic do not change: size means vulnerability "to be overcome by an extraordinary effort...if we are just ordinary we will fail - we have not failed because we are not ordinary". - CNA