Wooden is one of the archetypal Singaporean who does well academically but is basically stupid. LKY's public dismissal of him as "wooden" - "kayu" in Malay, a label given to a person who is stupid, a buffoon - was not just about his stiffness but his stupidity. LKY, being a Peranakan who was well versed in Malay, made it very clear how he felt about Wooden.
LKY knew that anyone competent or charismatic who succeeded him could well thwart his plan for his effeminate son's accession to the PMship. Or worse, like Ong Teng Cheong, would have the charisma, intelligence and potential to set up alternative power centres in the country. And so Wooden became LKY's useful idiot, an idiot he could make use of to warm the seat for his son.
Wooden, being the dud that he was, deluded himself that his ascension to the PMship was because of his intelligence, performance and competence. He got carried way, particularly as the gullible electorate initially welcomed and celebrated his ascension to the PMship as they thought that he would usher in a "kinder and gentler" society.
The 2015 election where Wooden, as ex-PM and "anchor" could muster only 64.1%, was particularly telling, embarrassing and disgraceful. To use a language this dud is very familiar with, it was si beh lau kui. It was the lowest PAP win for a 5-member GRC. It was even lower than minority-led GRCs: Shanmugam, Nee Soon GRC - 66.8%; Tharman, Jurong GRC - 79.3%; Yaacob, Jalan Besar GRC- 67.7% and Halimah, Marsiling-YT GRC - 68.7%. The game was up for Wooden. The electorate was able to finally see him for the fool and dud that he was, and which he continues to be.
Wooden tries to keep himself relevant by spouting inane nonsense, the latest being this "mediocre" rubbish. This useful idiot to LKY is too dense to realise that his "medicore" label is a perfect description of himself and suits him to a T. He will now get his five minutes worth of fame, being in the news and spotlight but will otherwise, matter very little to the country. Those in his party and the senior echelons of the civil service are fully aware that this once useful idiot is no longer useful nor does he matter to the country, nor in the larger scheme of things.
LKY knew that anyone competent or charismatic who succeeded him could well thwart his plan for his effeminate son's accession to the PMship. Or worse, like Ong Teng Cheong, would have the charisma, intelligence and potential to set up alternative power centres in the country. And so Wooden became LKY's useful idiot, an idiot he could make use of to warm the seat for his son.
Wooden, being the dud that he was, deluded himself that his ascension to the PMship was because of his intelligence, performance and competence. He got carried way, particularly as the gullible electorate initially welcomed and celebrated his ascension to the PMship as they thought that he would usher in a "kinder and gentler" society.
The 2015 election where Wooden, as ex-PM and "anchor" could muster only 64.1%, was particularly telling, embarrassing and disgraceful. To use a language this dud is very familiar with, it was si beh lau kui. It was the lowest PAP win for a 5-member GRC. It was even lower than minority-led GRCs: Shanmugam, Nee Soon GRC - 66.8%; Tharman, Jurong GRC - 79.3%; Yaacob, Jalan Besar GRC- 67.7% and Halimah, Marsiling-YT GRC - 68.7%. The game was up for Wooden. The electorate was able to finally see him for the fool and dud that he was, and which he continues to be.
Wooden tries to keep himself relevant by spouting inane nonsense, the latest being this "mediocre" rubbish. This useful idiot to LKY is too dense to realise that his "medicore" label is a perfect description of himself and suits him to a T. He will now get his five minutes worth of fame, being in the news and spotlight but will otherwise, matter very little to the country. Those in his party and the senior echelons of the civil service are fully aware that this once useful idiot is no longer useful nor does he matter to the country, nor in the larger scheme of things.
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