Next PM should be ready in 10 years: PM Lee

ShutterBug SG

Next PM should be ready in 10 years: PM Lee
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the hunt is on to groom his potential successor before 2011, when the next General Election must be held.
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Mr Lee hopes that in 10 years' time once he has pieced together the best possible team, who are now in their late 30s or early 40s "one of them should be ready to take over as Prime Minister".
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Mr Lee, who turned 55 this year, told the House that "Singapore should not have a 70-year-old PM".
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In his speech, Mr Lee noted that Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew retired from the top post when he was 67 and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong stepped down at 63.
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The Prime Minister said building the next team of capable MPs and political office-holders is now his "most important task".
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Mr Lee related how current Law Minister Professor S Jayakumar (left), who is now 67 and will mark his 20th year on the job next year, is "anxious" that his successor be found soon.
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Mr Lee said that he must have that person ready to step into Prof Jayakumar's shoes before the next polls.
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On Tuesday, another minister, Mr Lim Swee Say, who is also secretary-general of the National Trade Unions Congress (right), also indicated that he was ready to make way for new blood.
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Mr Lim, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, said that come the next election, he will be 57, and by 2016, 62.
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By then, the Government has to find a new labour chief, Mr Lim said.
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If such efforts fail, Mr Lim said it would mean the ability to attract the best people to form the best team had run into difficulty. Lee U-Wen
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the hunt is on to groom his potential successor before 2011, when the next General Election must be held.

ShutterBug SG

More young here hit by Parkinson's
Gracia Chiang
[email protected]

DOCTORS are seeing more young people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a degenerative disease usually associated with ageing.
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In fact, of the 5,000 to 7,000 cases diagnosed in Singapore, 15 to 20 per cent are patients below the age of 40, said senior consultant neurologist Dr Tan Eng King at a press conference yesterday on World Parkinson's Disease Day.
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He told Today he has seen a 10-to-20-per-cent jump in the number of new diagnoses in that age group over the last two years at the Singapore General Hospital.
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Why this is happening is unclear, but Dr Tan said this makes early diagnosis and treatment even more important.
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"A young student might think it is just their nature to be slow in their movement, or someone who has tremors may think it is because of anxiety," he said.
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Parkinson's is a brain disorder that manifests itself in uncontrollable shaking, stiffness in the limbs and slowness of movement. There is currently no cure but the symptoms can be managed through medication and surgery.
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Another consultant neurologist at Tan Tock Seng Hospital also said he was "beginning to see more cases of younger patients".
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However, Dr Au Wing Lok noted that this could be because "more of them are aware (of the condition) and are coming forward".
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A local study in 2004 found that the disease affects three out of every 1,000 Singaporeans aged 50 and above. While there has not been a similar study done among younger Singaporeans, Dr Louis Tan from the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) suggested that research could focus instead on the genetic causes of the disease as it has been found that a greater proportion of younger people with Parkinson's carry gene mutations.
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Last year, Singapore and Taiwan researchers identified a mutated gene that doubles the chance of developing the disease and, interestingly, is found in people of Chinese descent.
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More genetic information will "allow doctors to confirm the diagnosis in some patients earlier" and to counsel patients on the risks of their children having the disease, said Dr Tan Eng King.
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Meanwhile, a three-day international symposium on the disease will be held here in October. It will include workshops on rehabilitation therapy and nursing.
Gracia Chiang
[email protected]

jay_rocks SG

wah... scolding lky issit. say should not have mp at age of 70.

guess all the lao jiaos kena sack.

hisoka SG

10 years his son around 30 le can enter politics. then another 15 years just nice pass to the son lor.

by that time if we are unlucky, we have sm, mm, smm, em, sem

mistyblue SG

anything is possible.

shinta SG

Laughing

LazerLordz SG

I've a feeling LHL will leave politics for good when he steps down, maybe remain as an MP.

There's a niggling feeling that there is a rift between him and his father, many policies are speaking that tune. His remark about a 70 year old PM could be interpreted as such, but then again, it could be mere coincidences.

However, in Singapore, coincidences don't really happen, do they? Laughing

cloud210 SG

why not? singapore is so small.. coincidences is as gd as meeting ur frens on the streets Razz

LazerLordz SG

That takes a lot of imagination. Rolling Eyes

Yeah, all we need is a new centrist party to form. Laughing

Fingolfin_Noldor SG

Or perhaps his father realised he was a liability? After all, he slapped a couple of ministers once. Laughing

gerrykoh SG

10 yrs more, he better step down & enjoy his $$$, else like the HK tycoon Nina, die from stress & cancer

will4 SG

I wonder the candidate to be the next fourth PM of Spore?

4getmenot SG

wah.. so i guess in gahmen terms.. soon means ten years time.. Rolling Eyes

i was hoping he would step down after the next election is over...i guess i was dreaming..

Xephone_xenon SG

They should now focus on how to win the next two GE then talk.

rane SG

ha ha may be ah loong now grooming his son, ha ha!!! anyway, hope the next PM will not be someone from the lee family, as 2 from the same family is enough for us to take it already. Please give us a break!!

rane SG

hey, probably it is propaganda!!! They talked about looking for next PM to wanna gain more votes so people will be rest assured we will not have LHL as our PM for very long. AS it is they are aware LHL is not well received by people of Singapore, so not sure if this is the gimmick for them to gain more votes for the next election.

TrixCereals SG

After all, he just received a pay rise. Smile

will4 SG

I remember correctly either education minister or manpower minister is likely to be the fourth PM.

rane SG

U mean Manpower, that ng eng hen? OMG! Don't think he will be a good one. Saw his interview on TV and seems that he is not one who will go all the way for the people. Nope, if given a chance to vote. I will 100% not vote him. Mr. Green

rane SG

he got cancer b4 now he is OK. no prob, even if he has cancer again, think he will be cured.