JC SiLent:You cant be that far away from me ; if we're looking on the same side of the moon
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
MM Lee: Vital to let young lead before they lose their drive
BEIJING ��� MINISTER Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said one of the biggest challenges facing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is to inject new blood into Singapore's leadership.
"It is impt to give younger people [Mr Lee, wat's ur defination of old? this is a subjective opinion] with the potential [wat qualities is the govt looking for?? try to recruit the potential 50 young potential candiates on the ST then lah. they come fr diverse background then the govt get to listen to their views and make better decision.] a chance to lead before they get too old and lose their drive", he said.
Mr Lee made this point in a wide-ranging interview with Chinese Central Television, which was aired in China yesterday.
When asked for an assessment of the Prime Minister, Mr Lee said: "Well, that's for history to prove, that's for time to prove. If he is leading it the wrong way, the economy will suffer, he will be out in the next elections. [hope PM will bring Spore to greater heights and achievement if nt there will be more quiter. but sometimes cannot blame them mah if they can find better opportunities else where. if MM Lee praises PM Lee, ppl will say he is showing favouritism. ppl are hard to pleased.]
"If he is leading it the right way, he ought to be able to do well in the elections in spite of whatever slowdown in the economy that could happen if there is a world recession. But more impt than tt, he must ensure that at each election he brings in 20 to 30 per cent younger ppl into the leadership, into Parliament, into the Govt. Technology and lifestyles are changing rapidly", explained Mr Lee, and leaders need young people to keep abreast. [youngsters prefer to express themselves thur blog / online forum then Speaker Corner. i wonder wat will attract youngster talents to join politics esp in Spore??]
Turning to China, Mr Lee said he did not see the country as an economic threat to its neighbours. He said: "You noe I look at it in a very objective way ... Spore, Taiwan, HK, Japan, South Korea grew because China, the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and India decided to opt for the planned economy, which did not succeed. So these countries progressed.
"Now it is going to open up, it is going to make it big ... Does that mean we will die? No.
"Does that mean we will be uncomfortable in the process of adjustment? Yes. But we can find oth ways." [i must say Spore benefited fr China's growth in term of economic lah. Spore leaders are positive group as they see China more as a partner then competitor.]
Mr Lee expects that by 2050, China's per capita income will have at least tripled and this will benefit the region. China will give countries in South-east Asia an economic boost that will be significantly greater than what they have experienced in the past as a result of Japanese technology, he predicts. He said China, which is many times bigger, will turn to Southeast Asia for raw materials and to export its products.
Singapore, he says, can be China's base to understanding the region, and help China to sell its pdts and to expand into the region.
& 12:36 am