<!-- headline one : end --> PM says party must evolve,
reinvent itself and engage S'poreans CHANGE must come to Singapore
- but within the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) rather than in
the form of a two-party system.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday stressed that the PAP
must constantly evolve to keep up with the times. This means
renewing its membership and leadership ranks, and coming up with
fresh ways to engage Singaporeans.
Mr Lee, who is secretary-general of the PAP, said: 'Change has
to take place in Singapore but change must take place not (between
parties) but within the PAP.
'As long as the PAP changes itself, and continues to provide
clean and good government, and the lives of Singaporeans improve,
the country is much better off with one dominant, strong, clean,
good party.'
Addressing more than 1,000 cadres at the annual PAP Conference,
Mr Lee acknowledged the desire for change among electorates across
the world.
'It has happened in Australia, it's happened in New Zealand
recently,' he noted. And most notably, in the United States, too,
where Democratic candidate Barack Obama swept to victory on his
campaign platform of change.
'So the country is set on a new direction. And if Obama
succeeds, that's good.
'If he doesn't succeed after four years or eight years, the
Americans will try again with a new president, change party, the
Republicans set a new direction.'
But while the US is a big country with a big pool from which to
find political talent, there is no such guarantee in smaller
places, he said.
'In Asia, it very seldom works because having two or more
parties has not guaranteed good governance or progress,' he added,
citing Taiwan as an example.
In the last decade, its unhappy voters had swung from the
Kuomintang (KMT), to the Democratic Progressive Party, and back to
KMT again.
'By Western definitions of democracy, Taiwan qualifies because
it's got two changes of government - in, out, in.
'But it is not a political system which is working properly. And
I don't think you want that kind of political system in Singapore,'
he said.
But this does not mean the PAP has a blank cheque: It has to
account to voters at the polls every five years. New parties will
emerge quickly to take it on if 'something goes wrong with the
PAP', he said.
Neither does it mean it is the PAP's job to build up the
opposition. 'It's hard enough to find one team to look after the
country. How can you find two? As a small country, we must have a
first division team, an outstanding group of people who can make up
for our many limitations,' he said.
The PAP has managed to survive more than 50 years because it
kept itself 'vigorous, lean, relevant, able to win elections',
adjusting its leadership styles to 'suit new generations of
Singaporeans'.
He cited initiatives such as the PAP Policy Forum in which
younger party members discuss policymaking issues, intra-party
elections to district committees, and establishing a presence in
the new media.
It is difficult for political parties to stay vigorous, he
allowed.
In Japan for instance, the Liberal Democratic Party has been in
power for half a century, but 'has not sustained its vigour'. With
no nurturing of younger talent, there is a loss of energy and fresh
ideas, observed Mr Lee.
China's Communist Party, however, is trying to keep itself
strong, vigorous and tied to the ground. This was why it was
interested in Singapore's political experience, and sent many study
teams here.
But Mr Lee cautioned that this does not mean the PAP had found
the magic formula to keep itself strong.
'It is always difficult to carry out self-renewal, to respond
creatively to new challenges, to reinvent ourselves. But it is
vital for the PAP to make every attempt,' he said.
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_303218.html
What make they think that they should only be the ruling
party?