Lee Kuan Yew cautions against turning political divide into national divide

[silentisgolden]

[TABLE="width: 789"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD][TABLE="width: 789"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="class: newstitle, width: 500"]By S Ramesh | Posted: 05 September 2011 2028 hrs

[TABLE="align: right"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="width: 20, align: right"] [/TD]
[TD="width: 240, align: right"]

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[TD="class: update"]

<tbody>
[TD="width: 138, bgcolor: f6f6f6"]Photos [/TD]
[TD="width: 47, bgcolor: f6f6f6"]1 of 1[/TD]
[TD="width: 18, bgcolor: f6f6f6"]<input disabled="disabled" id="btnPrev" value="<< Previous" src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_previous.gif" height="15" type="image" width="18">[/TD]
[TD="width: 19, bgcolor: f6f6f6"]<input id="bntPlay" value="Play - Stop" src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_stop.gif" height="15" type="image" width="19">[/TD]
[TD="width: 18, bgcolor: f6f6f6"]<input disabled="disabled" id="btnNext" value=" Next >> " src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_next.gif" height="15" type="image" width="18">[/TD]

</tbody>

Mr Lee Kuan Yew[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[TD="class: update"] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[TD]
[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

<tbody>
[TD="colspan: 2"]

---

[/TD]

[TD="width: 430"] http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1151219/1/.html# 1 Share
[/TD]

[TD="colspan: 2"]

---

[/TD]

</tbody>

SINGAPORE: Singapore's former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has cautioned Singaporeans from turning the current political divide into a national divide.

Speaking to some 1800 undergraduates at a dialogue held at the Nanyang Technological University, Mr Lee acknowledged that one thing which will change in Singapore, and which has already happened, is the political divide.

He said as long as the political divide does not degenerate into a national divide, it would not have much impact on the growth of the country.

But Mr Lee warned that if the political divide turned into constant bickering, like what is happening between the Democrats and Republicans in the United States, then Singapore will become just "another ordinary country".

Turning to the future, the founding father of modern Singapore stressed that his worry is whether Singaporeans would have the best people in the best jobs.

That is because if Singapore veers away from the meritocratic system which has brought the nation to where it is today, then Mr Lee said the country's performance will drop.

-CNA/ac
[/TD]
[TD="width: 329, align: right"][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #cccccc, colspan: 4"][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]



[TABLE="width: 789"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="width: 5"][/TD]
[TD="width: 784, colspan: 2"][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

 

[steffychun]

Not news at all.

 

[kepala butoh]

Singapore is a meritocratic society. Pull the other one buddy.

 

[Confuseous]

Obviously, he is not aware that the train has left the station without him onboard.
Same shit, different day.

 

[Bad New Brown]

A country like Singapore cannot do without Oppositions if not the ruling party will not improve and its will go backward.

That why 39.9% of the Singaporeans cannot allow Singapore to go backward and that ensured the ruling party had to seriously look into the basic living of Singaporeans

 

[steffychun]

He may be right that there is a divide in America but its a lame excuse to use it here

 

[zeddy]

He said as long as the political divide does not degenerate into a national divide,

He and his PAP are the main cause of this National Divide... The Division is already happening... He must be very daft, too comfortable inside his ivory tower if he still does not realise it...

 

[methink]

He may be right that there is a divide in America but its a lame excuse to use it here

And you are the lamest dog to bark at him. Trying to pretend you are anti-PAP issit?

Doggie, do go get a regular job.

 

[Seee3]

This old man sees many steps ahead.

The divide among "indigenous" Singaporean is insignificant although they may support different parties. However, the same cannot be applied to new citizens. With the influx, it is very real that the divide can be destructive. We can already see the shoot sprouting. If the flood gate is not shut in time and they win in the next GE because of the imported supported, it could be the last GE.

 

[KuanTi01]

The same old bogeyman; the same old arguments! Talk of a broken record! Yes, we would rather be an ordinary country with proper checks and balances to guard against PAP excesses!

 

[glockman]

There is a political divide because brave and patriotic Sporeans are waking up, and opposing the govt. Whether it becomes a national divide will depend on LKY and his PAP. The ball is in their court.

 

[neddy]

This is what happen when LKY equate PAP government to Singapore.
No PAP means no Singapore?

This propaganda has backfired on him.

 

[refulgence]

The only divide is between those cognizant of the deception and hypocrisy of the PAP and those still slumbering in ignorance of their servitude under the PAP regime.

 

[DollarsNoSense]

USA just an ordinary country? - more from updated CNA website:

SINGAPORE: Singapore's former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has cautioned Singaporeans against turning the current political divide into a national divide.

He said Singapore could achieve high income growth as compared with its neighbours because during its independence, it had an undivided society that was solidly behind a meritocratic system.

Mr Lee was speaking to 1,800 students at a dialogue session at the Nanyang Technological University on Monday evening. The dialogue - also attended by Education Minister Heng Swee Keat - is part of the annual ministerial forum series organised by the NTU Students' Union.

During the dialogue, Mr Lee acknowledged that the one thing which will change in Singapore and which has already happened is the political divide.

He said as long as the political divide does not degenerate into a national divide, it will not have much impact on the growth of the country.

But Mr Lee warned that if the political divide turned into constant bickering, like what is happening between the Democrats and Republicans in the United States, then Singapore will become just "another ordinary country".

Mr Lee also explained that as Singapore grows more segmented with more diverse educational levels, the country will not have the same homogeneous mass of people to rally behind a single policy.

He said: "What's good for the middle income will be seen by the lower income as unfavourable to them. What is good for the higher income will be resisted by the middle income.

"It is a different society that we face and, therefore, the political leaders will have a much more complicated job of getting the society as a whole to accept a programme which is segmented to meet the needs of various stratas of society."

Another subject of concern during the dialogue was Singapore's immigration policy.

Mr Lee emphasised that a major worry for Singapore's leaders is the fast ageing population, coupled with a drop in fertility rates. Last year, the total fertility rate was at an all-time low of 1.15.

He said: "The birth rate today, the fertility rate, is 1.01. In other words, for every couple, you have 1.01 babies.

"Having said that, the Institute of Policy Studies have the grim statistics of 60,000 migrants a year to keep our economy young. We can't digest that. 20,000 maybe, 25,000 - that's a stretch - but certainly not 60,000."

Mr Lee said the answer is to get couples to have a fertility rate of 1.8 babies or better still, 2.1 babies. Then the population can replace itself.

Mr Lee was also asked about the impact of the recent handing over of the KTM Railway land to Singapore. He said it will benefit ties between the Republic and Malaysia.

Turning to the future, the founding father of modern Singapore stressed that his worry is whether Singaporeans will have the best people in the best jobs.

He said: "My worry about the future is whether we'll have the same national solidarity, the same desire to increase education levels and increase performance and having the best people in the best jobs or holding the most important jobs. Once we veer away from that meritocratic system, our performance will drop."

-CNA/ac

 

[kingrant]

Dear Mr Lee,

Our divide is with the PAP and you. Not Singapore. PAP is not the Nation, and the nation is larger than the PAP, and I am sure you already know that. So please stop the fear-mongering. It is an old trick of yrs, to accuse anybody who takes on the PAP or you, as taking on a democratically elected govt and Singapore's stability and security. The trick would not work anymore as a more educated younger electorate has become more sophisticated to fall for your propaganda and your dumbing down of dissenters.

This country is larger than the PAP. It is growing and cultivating an Opposition bench. It is at last a growing democracy, after decades of being stifled by the PAP and your machinations.

Let there be no mistake about it. If we ever veer away from democracy, only PAP will be the culprit as it clutches at straws to suppress and repress the growing tide of resentment and cries for plurality, diversity, checks and balances, and transparency and accountability.

We dont want the new Old, or the Old new. We want the new New. And in that, you no longer belong. Please bring the old new and new old along with you when you depart.

We will be an even more extraordinary nation still, without you or the PAP.

 

[lockeliberal]

Dear king

Oops it seems that the Aljunied n Hougang PAP PA etc members only got the repent memo n not this new one on healing the national divide




Locke

Dear Mr Lee,

Our divide is with the PAP and you. Not Singapore. PAP is not the Nation, and the nation is larger than the PAP, and I am sure you already know that. So please stop the fear-mongering. It is an old trick of yrs, to accuse anybody who takes on the PAP or you, as taking on a democratically elected govt and Singapore's stability and security. The trick would not work anymore as a more educated younger electorate has become more sophisticated to fall for your propaganda and your dumbing down of dissenters.

This country is larger than the PAP. It is growing and cultivating an Opposition bench. It is at last a growing democracy, after decades of being stifled by the PAP and your machinations.

Let there be no mistake about it. If we ever veer away from democracy, only PAP will be the culprit as it clutches at straws to suppress and repress the growing tide of resentment and cries for plurality, diversity, checks and balances, and transparency and accountability.

We dont want the new Old, or the Old new. We want the new New. And in that, you no longer belong. Please bring the old new and new old along with you when you depart.

We will be an even more extraordinary nation still, without you or the PAP.

 

[kingrant]

It is too late in the day for him to save his son and his party.

Dear king

Oops it seems that the Aljunied n Hougang PAP PA etc members only got the repent memo n not this new one on healing the national divide




Locke

 

[zeddy]

Well said, Bro Kingrant..

 

[rusty]

We shall see who divides Singapore when some US banks which GIC are involved closed after being sued by the govt.

 

[steffychun]

He can't divide? Failed maths?