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5 Years all it takes to ruin Singapore


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5 Years all it takes to ruin Singapore 'I know how we got here and I know how we can unscramble it,' he says By Lydia Lim, Senior Political Correspondent

 

ONE freak election result is all it will take to wipe out Singapore's success in building up the city state, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew warned last night.

 

This could happen if voters became bored and decided to give the 'vociferous opposition' a chance - out of 'light-heartedness, fickleness or sheer madness'.

 

'In five years, you can ruin this place and it's very difficult to pick up the pieces,' he told 650 participants of a dinner forum at the Shangri-La Hotel.

Mr Lee was responding to a Bangladesh delegate who asked if Singapore would continue to thrive in his absence. The delegate also expressed sorrow at the news of Mrs Lee's illness, and Mr Lee thanked him.

 

In his reply, Mr Lee returned to themes he has spoken on often - the need for a system to ensure good leaders emerge, and the danger that voters plumping for more opposition MPs might end up with an unintended change of government.

 

Larger countries rich in resources can survive such a freak outcome, but not Singapore, he said.

 

'When you're Singapore and your existence depends on performance - extraordinary performance, better than your competitors - when that performance disappears because the system on which it's been based becomes eroded, then you've lost everything,' he said.

 

'I try to tell the younger generation that and they say the old man is playing the same record, we've heard it all before. I happen to know how we got here and I know how we can unscramble it.'

 

He said a country needed three elements to succeed.

 

First, a government that people have confidence in and will trust when tough decisions need to be taken.

 

Second, leaders who are above board, who make decisions based on necessity, not how they will personally benefit. He said Singaporeans know they have such leaders because, over the years, 'we have not got richer, Singapore has'.

 

Third and most importantly, a country needs able men in charge.

 

The problem with popular democracy, he said, is that during elections, candidates are not judged on how well they can govern, but on their persuasive power.

 

The forum, chaired by Mr Kishore Mahbubani, dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, was a highlight of the first World Cities Summit and International Water Week.

 

In his opening remarks, Mr Lee spoke for 20 minutes off the cuff, recounting his 40 years of striving to build up Singapore's independent water supply. He was determined because as long as Singapore was totally reliant on its neighbours for water, it would remain a 'satellite'.

 

During a 30-minute question-and-answer session, participants from around the world probed him about water management and political leadership.

He also presented the first Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize to Dr Andrew Benedek, a pioneer in the field of membrane technology for water treatment.

 

A key outcome of several sessions held yesterday was the setting up of an informal network of 16 countries - comprising the Asean 10, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand - to share ideas and expertise on how to go about pursuing sustainable development.

 

And the World Bank announced plans to set up in Singapore a regional hub for training urban planners, which will draw on the Republic's success in city development.

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_251688.html

 

Sorry ur time is up. U given so much chances. MSK is still on the loose, murderer can wait the street to penang, elite drug user can argue their way out of the noose, ur guards behave like hooligans, ur hen failed to bring down the price of oil, rice and kopi, the ERP is literally a lemon lim, and the complusive gamblers in ***** losing the millions upon millions in rescuing banks is already doing an excellent job ruining SG, no nid to wait for peasants.

 

It's in ur gene to live tat old. It's not in my gene. I know I wud probably not live as old as u, and it wud be a PITA to hv to wait HOPELESSLY for 84 before i can collect my CPF which will not happen. I can't wait tat long either, ur measly payback of 3% using MY $$ to invest is not enuff to pay for 7% inflation. In fact, I'm losing $$ parking in special scam acct.

 

Freak electioN? PP and Hougang have shown that wards in Opposition hands did not succrumb to ghetto. Sure u hv been applying pressure on them, we've seen it, be it giving free parking to MIW linked Grass root leaders, including free carwash, polis escort for opposition members during rallies incl toylet breaks, and the sue cases, we have seen them all. Using taxpayer's $$ for ur own political gains.

 

I'll take my chances .. so far, Penang and other states in MY hv shown that having more Oppositions in Parliament is not a bad thing.

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the 5 years all it takes to ruin singapore applies to ruling or opposition party if the 'party' did not run singapore properly. (ie complacency? [lipsrsealed] )

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muiahaha... desperate liao is it.... use scare tatic.

 

wat so bad for a change???? any way if someone sit there too long, he'll starting thinking he's playing god n always do wats always "good" for u.

 

 

 

dont forget everyone starts off as an opposing force....until everything is inline with ur flow with some friction, u'll be the main... otherwise, u'll still be the opposing force

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if the next 5 years, things going as bad as it is now, i dun mind betting on the other side...

 

anyway...only 2 outcome..better or worst...so it's a 50-50 outcome

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Neutral Newbie

so will you convert all your S$ to RM now?

will you buy property in Malaysia now?

since you want neighbour as example......or talk only? [:)]

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did property prices fall to 10% of value before election in Penang?

 

r there more crime now in Penang?

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Turbocharged

that's what i felt also when i read it... more like they "worry" tsunami will hit them...

 

actually, weird that this round, he didnt mention the Peasants are important for singapore to succeed since sg dont have natural resources, peasants are their "crude oil"...

 

i dislike the way he put the elements to succeed for a country..... so full of themselves again.......obviuosly, they think they are the best... .....and when he say 'we have not got richer, Singapore has'.... the We refering to??? and singapore refering to???? subjectives and can agree and disagree.. smokey leh........

 

He said a country needed three elements to succeed.

 

First, a government that people have confidence in and will trust when tough decisions need to be taken.

 

Second, leaders who are above board, who make decisions based on necessity, not how they will personally benefit. He said Singaporeans know they have such leaders because, over the years, 'we have not got richer, Singapore has'.

 

Third and most importantly, a country needs able men in charge.

 

overall, i think the old man is worry, very worry to have said those words...... [laugh]

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Turbocharged

nope... still very peaceful and safe in penang......but on the other hand, JB is under BN all the time and they are the worst in terms of crime and has the most poverty..!!! [:p]

 

if want to invest property, go any part of MY except JB hor.. [laugh]

 

i like ipoh a lot... [sly]

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Neutral Newbie

go & find out yourself.

You think Malaysia election result is good for a change, then convert all your S$ to RM now, it will appreciate fast if all people think like you.

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ya, bro, Penang very nice and serene, nice old world charm, nice for a variety of reasons. :-)

 

keep blessed

+

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(edited)

look at taiwan

 

dpp (opposition) took the throne from kmt (ruling)

 

dpp stay 4 years as ruling party

 

dpp stay 4 years as ruling party

 

kmt (opposition) took the throne back from dpp (ruling)

 

do opposition means 'sure' bad thing ?

Edited by Wt_know
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Turbocharged

old man is worry liao... maybe he surfs forums often and read a lot of displeasure...

 

farking 3 success elements: all talking abt good leaders and gahmen?

so citizens are not important? so arrogant and full of themselves!

another excuse to give their back a pet and raise their salary again?

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well, DPP actually removed alotsa things that wud hv been impossible to see now.

 

ppls can nw sue their president.

 

politicians do not hv to worry abt triads coming into parliament or their houses to bash them up or even fear for their lifes

 

there r no more beggers that during KMT time.

 

they added 101 tower plus high speed rail to KS.

 

nope.. definitely not in ruins...

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well, u still hvn't answer me

 

if u can't it only means i'm correct, Penang is not in ruin.. but ur skewed and prejudiced view r

 

wave.gifwave.gif capital L

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Neutral Newbie

haha...why should I answer you? you don't have the answer yourself?

you have not answered me either, why don't you convert all your S$ today to RM?

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Neutral Newbie

WOW, fierce sia.

 

Think good about another country then got to convert all saving to their currency.

 

Then why don you also convert all your saving to US$ many uears back when everyone was thinking they are GOOD!

 

Don Tok Rubbish!

 

This is a forum meant for pples to make thier view, not for someone to express his arrogant!!

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