Follow-up on ST editorial: Being prepared for the unexpected

[dr.wailing]

On page A20 of The Straits Times, February 17, 2015 titled "Being prepared for the unexpected" the editorial is asking why there's a lack of a clear sucession plan for the Lee Dynasty (or in British newspapers' terminology, the FamiLEE business.)

Thanks to a little bird from the West, I'm happy to answer the above question posed in the ST editorial:

1. Pinky wishes to remain the ruler of Sinkapore for as long as he possibly can, in the footsteps of Old Fart. The latter is over 90 years old and is still making important decisions behind the Iron Curtain. Ask yourself: which dictator you know of willingly relinquishes power, money and influence to a generation of new leaders? Fidel Castro is still the much-feared dictator of Cuba while Kim Jong-Il remained the Dear Leader of North Korea till his death.

2. In the words of Old Fart--and these are his words, not mine--Pinky was chosen to be the successor only because he is able to continue Old Fart's leegacy (a/k/a legacy). Clinging on to power, money and influence is one of the salient features of his leegacy.

3. Old Fart has a deep mistrust of those who are NOT part of Familee to run the city-state and the two sovereign wealth funds. He was the one who decided that the angmoh--the sole candidate for the position of CEO of Temasick--was unsuitable.

4. Teo CH and Kee Chiu can only be seat-warmers for the real ruler of Sinkieland. Who's the real ruler? (see points 2 and 3.)

5. Both GIC and Temasick will be controlled by Familee. Why? (see points 2 and 3.) Moreover, can you imagine outsiders to run GIC or Temasick only to discover massive amounts of funds had been lost during the reigns of the husband-and-wife team?

In summary, The Straits Times editorial is wrong to believe there's no clear succession plan. On the contrary there IS one (refer to the above points.)

 

[shittypore]

Time for Sinkies to gve the Familee a rude shock this Erection.

 

[Zatoichi]

Here's the full text:

Being prepared for the unexpected - Opinion More Opinion Stories ST Editorial - The Straits Times
http://www.straitstimes.com/st/print/3461871

The surgery for prostate cancer undergone by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong evoked much concern for his well-being. Although the operation is said to have gone well and PM Lee is expected to recover fully from his treatment, the suddenness of it all is a sobering reminder of the vagaries of physical health and also of the need for a sound management of succession risks and contingency in government.

Leadership succession plans at all levels lay the foundation of a system that can secure the nation despite the vicissitudes of supervening events. In statecraft, the collective responsibility of the Cabinet has proven to be a useful convention in buttressing a team approach that strengthens overall management without attenuating the prime minister's central role. This has contributed to the "business as usual" disposition here in times of significant political change. Leadership succession since Independence has been orderly, to the extent that the 1990 leadership transition, when Mr Lee Kuan Yew stepped down, was then described by his successor, Mr Goh Chok Tong, as a "non-event".

However, unlike the past two changes at the top, it is less clear now who might step into PM Lee's shoes in due time - "someone who can withstand the test and be able to secure the support of the people, someone who will stand out from our team", even as issues are becoming more complex, as PM Lee had noted.

In a sense, PM Lee's latest brush with cancer, together with his age, sharpens the import of changes that might flow from the next election, as his successor is expected to take over the reins during the next term of government. This assumes, of course, even unforeseen political changes remain manageable, as Singaporeans have become accustomed to expect. But that might prove to be a fraught premise should the future throw up a particularly discomfiting intersection of events.

 

[laksaboy]

3. Old Fart has a deep mistrust of those who are NOT part of Familee to run the city-state and the two sovereign wealth funds. He was the one who decided that the angmoh--the sole candidate for the position of CEO of Temasick--was unsuitable.

Singapore is really fucked if it is held ransom to the whims of a capricious tyrant who already has one foot inside his grave.

 

[laksaboy]

Time for Sinkies to gve the Familee a rude shock this Erection.

Sometimes, a coup or civil war are more viable options. Especially if those who count the votes are biased towards the incumbent powers.

 

[Zatoichi]

Sometimes, a coup or civil war are more viable options.

Maybe in other countries, but not in Singapore, I'm afraid...

Even with LKY and LHL both dead, the PAP government and their cronies (including certain powerful foreigners) still control the SAF and SPF, and they are likely to outright massacre all the violent rebels on the streets.

This is one of the main reasons Singapore is so attractive to super-rich foreigners from Southeast Asia, and even from other faraway countries.

In any case, because any group of violent rebels in Singapore would have no guns, they wouldn't even bother to try rebelling since they know they would surely lose; unless their intention is to commit some kind of murder-suicide, like the ancient Japanese samurai or modern Muslim terrorists, rather than continue being slaves of a tyrannical government.

It's unfortunate that we were all born into a world that is governed by crony-capitalism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crony_capitalism), not "communism" or "democracy" or whatever other nonsensical political ideology; but that's the reality, whether we like it or not:

For those of you who are still ignorant of the true nature of so-called "democracy"
http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?110718

The ONLY way the PAP can lose ANY General Election is IF...
http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?200695