February 21, 2010 by
2 days after MM Lee gave a speech exhorting Singaporeans to
“bear” with the overcrowding caused by foreigners, he is in the
news again.
The Straits Times carried a report about MM Lee calling on
Sultan Ibrahim Ismail of Johor at the Istana Besar to express his
condolences at the death of the latter’s father, the late Sultan
Iskandar Ismail, last month.
Such news are usually not reported in other countries. What’s
more MM Lee is not the Prime Minister of Singapore, but he is
making the headlines more frequently than his son.
By his own admission, he is not doing “much work” except
“forecasting”. Why then is the state media giving so much publicity
to him?
As of this week, MM Lee has appeared in the papers at least
three times while PM Lee only once which begs the question on who
is really the leader of Singapore.
A former Prime Minister of Singapore, the elder Lee has remained
in the cabinet since relinquishing his position in 1990. While the
exact role of a “Minister Mentor” remains unclear as it is the only
position of its kind in the world, many believe Lee continues to
wield a lot of influence behind the scene.
Over the last few weeks, he has been busy defending the ruling
party’s misguided policies ranging from immigration, public
housing, foreign affairs to even tourism, completely overshadowing
the ministers in charge.
Though he will be 87 years of age this year, he still show no
intention of retiring when all his comrades such as Goh Keng Swee
and Toh Chin Chye had already done so many years back.
Singaporeans should not be surprised to see MM Lee contesting in
the next general election. After all, he once said that he would
“rise from his grave” should he find that something is not right
about Singapore.
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/02/21/another-media-report-on-mm-lees-overseas-trip/