• IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here.

    The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.

Chitchat Straits times: The 6 men pipped to be the next PM of Sinkieland

Jah_rastafar_I

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Where are the m&ds and shit skins? Why all Chinese?

Answer: The rest CMI only Chinese can make it. Yup even kee chiu can make it over the non Chinese. :biggrin:




st_20160904_helm1_2571194.jpg




Insight takes a look - in alphabetical order - at the six men tipped to be in the running to be the next prime minister
Charissa Yong

CHAN CHUN SING

Since his entry to politics in 2011, Mr Chan has developed a reputation for quickly mastering his portfolios and his ability to connect with people on the ground.

Mr Chan's portfolios are significant ones, and complement his time in the Singapore Armed Forces, where he rose to the rank of major-general and was Chief of Army.

He became Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports in May 2011, a politically important appointment then, given the concerns over rising inequality that the People's Action Party (PAP) had to contend with in that year's general election .

Two years and three months later, he was made full minister, the fastest of his batch to achieve the promotion.


Former Nominated MP Eugene Tan recalls watching Mr Chan in Parliament during the Committee of Supply (COS) debates, the annual Parliament debate over each ministry's Budget. Says Dr Tan: "After one year, he was able to go to COS without referring to his file. That was very impressive."

Mr Chan now holds two important positions: secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress - that is, labour chief - and People's Association deputy chair.

This means that he has links to two key groups: the trade unions and grassroots organisations.

Within the PAP, he has also been given heavy responsibilities.

Soon after the 2015 general election, he was tapped to head the executive committee of the party's headquarters (HQ), which oversees the administration and coordination of the PAP's activities across its 89 branches. He is also party whip, ensuring the MPs all vote according to the party line so the Government can pass the laws it proposes.

Topping it off, impressively, not to mention important politically, Mr Chan is fluent in three of the four official languages: English, Malay and Mandarin.

HENG SWEE KEAT

To see how far Mr Heng may go, you only have to look at his curriculum vitae (CV) since he entered politics in 2011: In terms of helming heavyweight ministries and national committees, he stands head and shoulders above his colleagues.

He has been the Minister for Education and is now in charge of the Finance Ministry, critical ministries traditionally on the CVs of current and former deputy prime ministers and prime ministers.

In addition, Mr Heng chaired the Our Singapore Conversation national feedback drive in 2013, and the SG50 Jubilee celebrations last year.

He now heads the Committee on the Future Economy, billed as having the key task of transforming Singapore's economy to ready it for the future. PM Lee headed a similar economic committee in 1985.

Mr Heng has some exposure to world leaders and statecraft, having received Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit here and accompanied PM Lee to the Group of 20 summit in Turkey last November.

And in a sure sign of the Cabinet's confidence in his potential, Mr Heng achieved the rare feat of being made a full minister immediately after being elected as a new MP.

Such a promotion has happened only once before, to former finance minister Richard Hu. Even PM Lee, who entered politics at age 32 in the same 1984 election as Dr Hu, was first appointed as a minister of state.

Before entering politics, Mr Heng started his public service career in the police force and held posts including principal private secretary to then Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew, and permanent secretary for trade and industry - the highest-ranking civil servant in the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

But a big question mark hangs over his health, given the stroke he suffered in May, says NUS political scientist Reuben Wong. He is said to have recovered well and remains in the running. PM Lee himself had lymphoma - a cancer of the white blood cells - in 1992. It went into remission after chemotherapy, and he became Prime Minister in 2004, 12 years later.

NG CHEE MENG

A newcomer to politics, Mr Ng was given roles in the important ministries of education and transport from the get-go.

A few weeks after both were elected last September, Mr Ng and Mr Ong Ye Kung were both made Acting Minister for Education, splitting the heavyweight ministry between higher education and skills, which went to Mr Ong, and schools, which went to Mr Ng.

The Education Ministry is a closely watched one where future deputy prime ministers or ministers can make their mark.

At the same time, he was also appointed Senior Minister of State for Transport, a hot-button ministry given the high-profile public transport breakdowns in recent years.

The appointments may be PM Lee's way of rounding out Mr Ng's strong military experience, giving him more and deeper exposure to the business of government. After all, before Mr Ng entered politics last year, he had risen to the apex of the armed forces as lieutenant-general and Singapore's Chief of Defence Force.

Rounding out his military experience, he was also on the boards of several public organisations such as the Defence Science and Technology Agency and JTC Corporation.

ONG YE KUNG

Mr Ong joined the Cabinet one electoral cycle later than intended, having been part of the defeated People's Action Party team in Aljunied GRC in 2011.

But he seems to have turned that defeat into resilience, returning to politics at the general election last year. His strength vis-a-vis the others is his diverse range of experiences, given his years in the labour movement and the civil service.

Furthermore, between 2013 and last year, he worked in Keppel Corporation as director of group strategy, making him the only contender with corporate experience - a valuable different perspective.

But first, he earned his stripes in the civil service. Mr Ong worked closely with PM Lee as his press secretary and then principal private secretary, was the deputy chief negotiator for the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, and was chief executive of the Singapore Workforce Development Agency. He then joined the labour movement, rising to be deputy secretary-general.

Now the Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills), Mr Ong is in charge of universities, polytechnics, the Institute of Technical Education and SkillsFuture, all at the forefront of the Government's drive to get Singaporeans to upgrade themselves with relevant job skills.

He is also Senior Minister of State for Defence, and was recently appointed to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) board of directors, rounding out his experience in finance. Whether he can make up for lost time should be clearer come a mid-term Cabinet reshuffle.

TAN CHUAN-JIN

Touted as a part of the core of the fourth-generation Cabinet, Mr Tan had a bit of a rocky start but has since settled well into his current role as Social and Family Development Minister.

He was appointed the Acting Manpower Minister in August 2012 and made full minister two years later.

However, in August 2013, Mr Tan was asked to relinquish his second portfolio as Senior Minister of State for National Development, which raised questions at the time about his prospects. PM Lee said he wanted Mr Tan to drop his Ministry of National Development role so he could concentrate on helming the Manpower Ministry.

He proved himself, and a year later at the August 2014 Cabinet reshuffle, PM Lee said Mr Tan had performed well since taking office and had mastered his portfolio.

Mr Tan then succeeded Mr Chan as Minister for Social and Family Development in the April Cabinet changes last year. He was also the anchor minister for the PAP's team in Marine Parade GRC.

However, in February last year, he was diagnosed with pleural tuberculosis, a rare form of the disease which infected the area between his lungs and rib cage. He made a full recovery last October.

As a brigadier-general in the Singapore Armed Forces, Mr Tan led humanitarian relief efforts in Aceh after the 2004 tsunami, Singapore's largest military operation to date.

LAWRENCE WONG

Mr Wong, the Cabinet's youngest minister at 43, has stepped up to bigger roles recently, having been assigned roles in two challenging ministries.

He was initially made Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth in November 2012, and was promoted to full minister later in May 2014. He was also Second Minister for Communications and Information from May 2014 up till October last year, when he was appointed National Development Minister.

He oversees much of the national infrastructure, including the important matter of public housing, which more than four in five Singaporeans live in.

He was previously a high flier in the civil service, having worked closely with PM Lee as his principal private secretary before moving on to head the Energy Market Authority. Mr Wong also has experience in finance matters, having sat on the board of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

He was appointed Second Minister for Finance to assist Mr Heng last month, on top of his National Development portfolio.
 

Leongsam

High Order Twit / Low SES subject
Admin
Asset
Heaven please save Singapore. Without divine intervention the country is doomed.
 

OrLanChowHorFun

Alfrescian
Loyal
Heaven please save Singapore. Without divine intervention the country is doomed.


let it be doomed..................lagi best...............since the people got no brains and no guts...................don't die also no use...............

hope Ah Chan become PM.................see him already you'll laugh..............hear him talk, you'll laugh till you cry...............at least get some entertainment.........
 

JohnTan

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
These 6 are the top scholars of Singapore. With anyone of them in charge, Singapore will continue to do well. I support Kee chiu! He's part of the royal family, isn't he?
 

myfoot123

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Nobody has any clue how to lead the nation, so many wants to compete for the top job?

Chan Chun Sing, Ong Ye Kung, Tan Chuan Jin - all from army cannot and will not be able to lead this country. There is hard evidence these army general WILL FAIL. Look at LTA, SMRT, Liu Tuck Yew and George Yeo. Once they fail, they resigned, and run road.

Lawrence Wong is too shy and too meek. He gave me the first impression of a softie and lacking of courage. Heng Swee Kiat, is a goner. Doctor warned that every patient who kena first stroke, is like to have a 2nd one and more serious than the first. The other acting goon, never heard of his name, pretty low profile.

Can someone please help save Singapore?
 

condom_loong

Alfrescian
Loyal
Who will take over LHL be PM, he ran road from Zika already - SPH

Who be the next PM Hai Gong? Pick the smallest Zika Microcephaly head?!


http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/who-will-lead-singapore-next

Who will lead Singapore next?
Clockwise from top left: Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin, Actin
Clockwise from top left: Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin, Acting Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng and National Development Minister Lawrence Wong.
Published
Sep 4, 2016, 5:00 am SGT
The best-laid plans for succession planning can go awry, as two Cabinet members' health scares this year showed
Charissa Yong

When Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced his new Cabinet line-up soon after last September's general election, he made it clear that planning for leadership succession was a key priority.

Younger ministers and new office-holders were given a range of responsibilities to expose them to new areas of work.

The key assignments given to Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat - such as chairing the Committee on the Future Economy - led some observers to conclude he was the clear frontrunner among the fourth-generation leadership.

So when Mr Heng suffered a stroke during a Cabinet meeting in May, undergoing emergency surgery the same day, many were worried that Singapore's leadership succession plans might be disrupted.

Then, two Sundays ago, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong caused hearts to pound when three hours into his televised National Day Rally speech - moments before he was to announce a recovered Mr Heng's return to Cabinet - he faltered on stage and had to take a break.

PM Lee rested for about an hour before returning to complete his address.

Announcing Mr Heng's return, and talking about leadership succession, he quipped: "After what happened, I think it's even more important that we talk about it now."

These episodes are reminders of the urgency of succession planning in Singapore.

Singapore is famous for its political model of identifying potential prime ministerial material far in advance. But even the best of plans can go awry, says law don and former Nominated MP Eugene Tan.

For this reason, Singaporeans should realise how important it is to have "sufficient breadth and depth in the Cabinet".

It was something PM Lee himself addressed after returning to the podium to complete his speech on the night of Aug 21. "We've now got the core team for the next generation in Cabinet. But ministers or not, all of us are mortal.

"Nothing that has happened has changed my timetable, or my resolve to press on with succession," he said, citing Chinese proverb sui yue bu liu ren, which means "time waits for no man".

With succession now more urgent than ever, Insight looks at the issues and options.
Countdown to next PM picks up speed

Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew watching the National Day Parade with then Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, Law Minister E. W. Barker and their PAP colleagues at the National Stadium in 1985. ST FILE PHOTO

The plane is not just on the runway, it is picking up speed and getting ready for lift-off.

That is the stage Singapore's fourth-generation political leaders are at now.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has repeatedly said that he plans to step down some time after the next general election, which must be held by Jan 15, 2021.

READ MORE HERE
6 men to watch

Since his entry to politics in 2011, Mr Chan has developed a reputation for quickly mastering his portfolios and his ability to connect with people on the ground.

Mr Chan's portfolios are significant ones, and complement his time in the Singapore Armed Forces, where he rose to the rank of major-general and was Chief of Army.

READ MORE HERE
How the 2nd and 3rd PMs were chosen

Mr Goh was not his predecessor's first choice. The late Mr Lee had felt that Mr Goh had a tendency to try to please everybody, and could be awkward when addressing a crowd. But he refrained from naming a successor, citing the need for the next generation to choose their own man.

Besides, in his peers' eyes, Mr Goh was the man for the job. They had already decided this in 1984, and reaffirmed their choice in 1988, despite Mr Lee making his analysis of Mr Goh public in his National Day Rally speech that year.

READ MORE HERE
Next PM will be picked by the young ministers

I am surprised by Mr Han Fook Kwang's article ("Relooking leadership renewal in Singapore", Aug 28).

He, of all people, should know that the process by which we choose prime ministers is anything but "opaque". He has worked on many books with Mr Lee Kuan Yew, and heard Mr Lee describe in detail leadership succession in the People's Action Party (PAP).

We scour the country to find able, honest and committed people to field in elections. Possible candidates go through a rigorous vetting process. This begins the day after every general election.

READ MORE HERE

Pick the smallest Zika Microcephaly head?!
pm.jpg
 

Wunderfool

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
I am sorry to pour cold water on the choices, but all six of them look raw and inexperienced.

We need a strong leader; a leader with a dynamic vision for Singapore. I haven't heard anything visionary from the six men. I doubt the six of them can really make it at the international level. I don't see them at the same calibre level as Tharman or even PM Lee.

With each successive generation, it seems the country is losing the quality of leaders for leading the country forward.

We have to look to heaven for the chosen one.
 
Last edited:

steffychun

Alfrescian
Loyal
I am sorry to pour cold water on the choices, but all six of them look raw and inexperienced.

We need a strong leader; a leader with a dynamic vision for Singapore. I haven't heard anything visionary from the six men. I doubt the six of them can really make it at the international level. I don't see them at the same calibre level as Tharman or even PM Lee.

With each successive generation, it seems the country is losing the quality of leaders for leading the country forward.

We have to look to heaven for the chosen one.

I suggest Chen Show Mao
 

The_Hypocrite

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
All of them are cut from the same cloth...civil service and military,,,none with real world business experience. As a matter of fact..none with real life experience. ...and the 70% voted for this....
 
Top