looks like dhana really got slapped:
Dhanabalan: Why I quit
For first time he said he left cabinet because of
disagreement.
By Seah Chiang Nee, littlespeck.com
Dec 16, 2007
In several little-noticed paragraphs highlighted by TODAY
newspaper, Mr. S. Dhanabalan admitted in a dialogue session that he
left the government because of disagreements within the
leadership.
It was mentioned in quick passing and no details were given in the
Q-and-A session with The Straits Times.
The thrust of his message was integrity in the government, during
which he said:
I think Singapore is probably one of the few places in the world
where there is the least conflict because the political leadership
is honest.
It believes in having to tell the truth...But I do not deny that
there will be conflicts and you just have to make your stand
clear,' he said.
The session ended with Mr. Patrick Daniel, Editor-in-Chief, who
chaired the dialogue, asking him why he quit politics.
All I would say is that I had differences which I felt I could not
live with. Therefore, I thought it was best to step down and work
with the leadership in other ways, he said.
This was the first time that Mr. Dhanabalan has gone public to
speak on the reason why he left the cabinet.
The Straits Times downplayed this part, putting this passage almost
at the end of the story.
TODAY newspaper highlighted it, with the comment that in the
seemingly-unexciting world of Singapore politics, some unexpected
gems do pop up.
The reader who bothered to plough through (the ST) report .. would
have made this rare find on why the former minister left the
Cabinet in 1992: Differences with the leadership that he could not
live with.
In a political system in which exit management is practised with a
handshake, a smile and a tacit understanding not to talk publicly
about departures, Mr Dhanabalan's candour was unusual.
But don't expect others who have left or were forced to quit to
come out of the woodwork.
The fear of how robustly the other side will tell its story, and
the Singapore culture of not going against the establishment will
weigh against others going down Mr. Dhanabalan's route.
The nature of the disagreement was not stated, but Singaporeans
recall the widespread rumour, which was dismissed by Senior
Minister Goh Chok Tong that in 1990 Mr Lee Hsien Loong had (before
he became Prime Minister) slapped Mr. Dhanabalan.
In a National Day Rally years later PM Goh Chok Tong, said "You may
also have heard this old story about Loong {Referring to DPM Lee}.
In case you have not, I'll tell you now.
Back in 1990, Loong had a quarrel with Richard Hu. S. Dhanabalan
sided with Richard. Loong lost his temper.
He reached across the table and gave Dhanabalan a tight slap. The
whole Cabinet was thrown into commotion.
I then forced Loong to apologise. I must be suffering from
amnesia. I just cannot remember this incident. Now you know how
creative Singaporeans are."
The slapping incident was extracted from a recent book by
Australian Ross Worthington.
Dhanabalans departure was a surprise to Singaporeans.
He was one of four ministers - Tony Tan, Ong Teng Cheong, Goh Chok
Tong and S. Dhanabalan who were originally short-listed to
succeed Mr. Lee Kuan Yew in 1990.
In his public account of why he chose them and what he felt were
their strengths and weaknesses, Lee said his preferred successor
was Tony Tan.
He felt that while the other three were all of Prime Ministerial
material, each had a particular weakness:
* Goh was too stiff, lacking eloquence in public speaking,
* Ong was too closely aligned with the Chinese-speaking masses,
lacking appeal to other communities.
* On Dhanabalan, Lee felt the 76% ethnic Chinese electorate was not
yet ready for an Indian Prime Minister. Lee left the ultimate
decision to the second generation ministers themselves, who went on
to choose Goh.
