MANAMA, Bahrain: Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong has
confirmed he will stay on in the Cabinet after he steps down.
However, he said what his exact position would be, must be left
entirely to the new Prime Minister to decide.
He said he was doing so to lend his experience and weight to the
new team.
Mr Goh was speaking to Singapore journalists at a news conference
at the end of his visit to the Middle East.
Just when is he stepping down?
Mr Goh said: "The bookies are taking bets on that! I would not want
to help them at this stage!"
With his usual humour, Mr Goh said he was waiting for Singapore's
first quarter economic results before he makes his decision.
But what is clear - he is staying on in the Cabinet.
Mr Goh said: "A role which the new Prime Minister will assign me
and I would say: "Yes, sir! I will do it".
"Basically, it is to help him and help the whole cabinet.
Otherwise, the assets which I have built up over the years on the
day of my retirement will disappear. That argument was put to me -
that my assets should not disappear overnight, so why don't you use
the asset to help the new cabinet and the country? So I said: "Yes,
if you think I can play a role, I will play a role.""
As for the coming Budget, one issue will be to encourage
Singaporeans to have more babies.
Mr Goh assures that it would not just be about giving money.
Mr Goh said: "As Singaporeans tell us, incentives are not
important. Can we have more time, education system, what about
childcare? So all those must be looked into. And since money is not
important, then we do not need to give incentives!
"I think it is total - money of course, it is helpful to many
people. It is a total environment for bringing up children. You
have to make it easier for parents to bring up children."
During his visit to the Middle East, Mr Goh also established
contact with intelligence agencies, and met leaders like the Grand
Sheikh Mohammed Said Tantawi, the leader of Sunni Islam.
Although Mr Goh declined to reveal details of their private
conversation, it had been reported earlier by Islamic Online that
Sheikh Tantawi agreed with Singapore's stand against the wearing of
headscarves or "tudung" by Muslim girls in Singapore schools.
Mr Goh said the Sheikh Tantawi is a wise and practical person, and
his views will also be studied by religious leaders in
Singapore.
Mr Goh said: "We expect the Muslims to take the guidance from the
Mufti and of course, I expect the Mufti in turn to be studying the
work of other scholars elsewhere and apply them to the Singapore
context. So the significance of the Grand Sheikh Tantawi is that -
the Mufti, I believe would also look at his views for
guidance."
On the Middle East, Mr Goh said Singapore does not see the region
as one filled with Muslim extremists.
"We are fortunate coming from Singapore, we have our Muslim
population so we understand what Islam is about and we are not
easily misled by the work of a small number of extremists in the
region," he added. - CNA
[/quote]
once again, our political leaders have chosen to make impt
annoucements while they r overseas.
and now its cast in stone.
getting abit crowded up there...
