State funeral for Goh Keng Swee; Shit for Ong Teng Cheong

SneeringTree said:

Someone who retired from politics decades ago can get state funeral, while a DPM cum President cum many other things get nothing. (Not that OTC would actually carve for PAPPY state funeral)

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Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
May 14, 2010
REMEMBERING GOH KENG SWEE
State funeral for Dr Goh
Dr Goh will be remembered, above all, for his role as the prime architect of Singapore's economic success. -- ST FILE PHOTO

FORMER Deputy Prime Minister Goh Keng Swee, regarded as the architect of Singapore's economic and financial policies, died early on Friday morning after a long illness. He was 91.

Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo, who went to Dr Goh's home on Friday morning, told reporters afterwards that arrangements were being made for a State Funeral to be held next week

Dr Goh's body will initially be at his home for family and friends to pay their respects.

Mr Yeo described Dr Goh as someone 'who has done so much for Singapore and is someone to whom we owe a great debt'.

Dr Goh will be remembered, above all, for his role as the prime architect of Singapore's economic success.

Now all the propaganda bullshit start coming out. People need to ask how can a young man at that time, got a brand new degree from LSE, go back to singapore with no experience as an economist, never worked for any financial or economic company, can suddenly become so genius as to be the prime architect of S'pore's economic success? Or could it be really an angmo FT named Winsemius that should have gotten a state funeral? Its really bad karma to usurp someone's talent as your own.

Many of the key milestones in Singapore's journey from Third World backwater to globalised, First-World city can be found in the story of his life, vividly portrayed in the new book Goh Keng Swee: A Portrait by his daughter-in-law Tan Siok Sun.

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Queen Seok Duk said:

I wonder why people are still feeling bitter over OTC not being given a state funeral, as if he was some superhero who stood up to challenge PAP.

I believe this matter was discussed, and why the previously docile DPM suddenly became a maverick EP, was explained more than once.

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Ramseth said:

I think that this is unfair assessment of and comment on Ong Teng Cheong. He took his job seriously. As DPM, it wasn't his business to question the reserves, it's PM and Finance Minister job. As Elected President who's supposed to hold the 2nd key to the reserves, it's only rightful that he asked what's in it. S.R. Nathan asked nothing. That's very clever, or in your opinion, consistent to his loyalty?

Ong Teng Cheong has never been docile, by the way, even in Cabinet, not yet in Istana. He was the prime mover behind Changi Airport and MRT. That was his job then, and he did it well. He straddled and conceded the Nantah demise, that was inevitable and unsalvageable. But he also championed SAP to upkeep certain standard of Chinese language in Singapore in exchange. That wasn't his job, just value-add. He wasn't Education Minister, Tony Tan was at that time. Tony Tan couldn't speak a word of Chinese and couldn't give a damn what happened to Chinese language.

LKY knew his value and contribution. Made him Chairman of PAP, second man only to LKY. He could tell LHL to go fly kite or fuck spider, not others except LKY himself. GCT played the game well, he befriended LHL.

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Papsmearer said:

Wah, your source very good, right on accurate. except about the GCT and Gay Loong part. Now, they are in opposite factions in the CEC.

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Ramseth said:

Of course, OTC taught me how to play 月亮代表我的心 on my little Casio keyboard. As of now, the LHL-GCT relation a bit complicated. Tony Tan objected casino (publicly) and GCT actually supported that stand (not in public but behind closed door in Cabinet). So it's a bit soured.

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Papsmearer said:

Was it true that OTC was about to get whacked (in a political way ala Nair) by Con You for going public with the reserves accounting, but they did not do it because whacking a guy with cancer was really bad PR? But they got back at him by not doing the state funeral.

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TeeKee said:

i am still ze boss!! i can veto any state funeral recommendations!!

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Ramseth said:

What I understand is, yes. GCT already preparing for state funeral but LKY vetoed. GCT wanted it not because he love OTC very much, but it's good opportunity to show how a magnaminous PM he was. LKY wouldn't have any of it, he's still angry with OTC. GCT as PM technically could override LKY as SM and go ahead with the state funeral, glorifying a good minister and president by a current prime minister, very nice. But taking into consideration LHL s/o LKY as successor into equation, GCT decided to forget it.

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Ramseth said:

What I understand is, yes. GCT already preparing for state funeral but LKY vetoed. GCT wanted it not because he love OTC very much, but it's good opportunity to show how a magnaminous PM he was. LKY wouldn't have any of it, he's still angry with OTC. GCT as PM technically could override LKY as SM and go ahead with the state funeral, glorifying a good minister and president by a current prime minister, very nice. But taking into consideration LHL s/o LKY as successor into equation, GCT decided to forget it.

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cass888 said:

Very irresponsible of you to say this.

It was Ong's family who refused the state funeral (probably being indignant that their mother did not get a state funeral). And they came out publicly in the press to say so.

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Papsmearer said:

LKY is petty that way, and mean spirited. Hardly a fitting characteristic for a man claiming to be the father of the country.

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zuoom said:

who/what decides a state funeral?

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cass888 said:

It was Ong's family who refused the state funeral (probably being indignant that their mother did not get a state funeral). And they came out publicly in the press to say so.

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