Mistakes of GCT administration

robertteh SG

SM Goh has not solved many of the problems attributable to LKY during his tenure as PM. He was not insightful to foresee the collapse of the region economically and politically. He had assumed a straightline economic growth for Singapore being overconfident of its continuous growth and past initial success.

He under-estimated the need to develp management excellence at every level and role of ordinary non-elites and non-scholars. He pushed ministers' and civil service costs way too high beyond tolerable or competitive limit the economy can bear. Singapore lost out in economic competitiveness.

Therefore Goh has made major mistakes and caused quite a number of problems as posted under the 20 major problems with autocracy which was deleted by CNA moderator earlier. Moderator was probably afraid repercussions of truths. He does not understand the importance of truths and implications of reporting truths to the vibrancy of economy. The politicians have not matured to understand this aspect of govenance. Later may be.

Goh was not insightful enough in projecting the likely growth prospect of property and his overly anxious push of HDB prices have caused backlash and subsequent total collapse of the property market. If he has more insight and foresight he would have retained the original policy of HDB and prices would not have gone over-board resulting in a collapse that resulted in many bankruptcies. Till today 8 years after the collapse the property market is still suffering from overhang and oversupply due to his numerous mistakes.

Rhetoric and inabilities to restructure the economy to high technology and knowledge applications is another problem.

His slowness in addressing the problem of elitism and class division is yet anothe.

The credits of his reign are not a great deal. He looks kinder and gentler but he also postponed solutions by warming seats for perpetuation of LKY wrong policies which LKY is beginning to admit. May be Goh was unlucky to have inherited the excesses of elitism and egoitsm of LKY and that had caused his over-confidence about the economy. He had underestimaed the power of people who can react in many more ways than LKY cares to remember. The economy was finally taking a dive not because of world problems or external factors as people are made to believe but the slow attribution from people's lowered spirit already at the lowest ebb.

That being the case, it will make LHL's job look easier by comparison with GCT as the world began to recover after LHL took over in Aug 2004.

OH-FF SG

people's lowered spirit already at the lowest ebb.

Its not quite right to mention that it is people's worse. It is always yet to come.

Reading into history always makes the Critic seems right. However what needs to be done is to allow people with the correct contributing mentality into the parliamental picture to make adjustments and contribute to growth and changes.

People will then experience worse adjustments with the "restructuring" yet again. Which the current administration have tried with minimal efforts to enhance with change. (They are still having the industrial age mindset). Which really is pathetic and this, (hint) gives the opposition parties the edge which they can be empowered with the voices of the people , if you are able to garner enough voices and support.

drawer SG

If compare to the Lees family n some PAP politicians here,Goh “maybe” can graded A2 to B3.But if compare to Global politicians like U.S Clinton,Taiwan Lee Teng Hui,Malaysia Dr.Mahathir,then our dear Goh can only rated as F9 grade.

countdracula SG

generally, i agree gct was not a good pm. tony tan with a higher intellect and humility would have done a better job.

however, to draw comparision to clinton, taiwan's lee and ego mahathir, most leaders would do better then them...

mistyblue SG

hai … pass on the issues to Lee’s son mah…

Atobe SG

The biggest mistake that GCT made was to take the highly personal comments from then SM LKY - and made publicly at a National Day Rally - that GCT was wooden and had no personality or style in his dealings with people; and that GCT was not LKY's first choice.

Some other epic mistakes made by GCT

was that he treated LHL as his own 'little' brother, and called the best medical specialists from East and West, so as to look into LHL cancer diagnosis.

was his refusal to assert his PM authority, and take over the Chairmanship post on the GIC Board of Directors, (when as PM, he was not even on the Board; this Chaiman position remains with MM LKY since being a PM; and now we see that LHL is a member of the GIC Board, when GCT could not even come near to whiff;

was his inability to neutralize MM LKY's influence over the Ruling Party, and change the ground rules that placed so much power in the hands of LKY.