SINGAPORE : Students and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew engaged in
a lively question-and-answer session that lasted more than an hour
on Monday evening at the annual Kent Ridge ministerial forum.
Opening Singapore's political space and speculation about the next
general elections were some of the issues raised by the
students.
Mr Lee, in turn, threw down his challenge for those who called for
political alternatives to become the alternative themselves.
It was a spirited exchange between students and the Minister Mentor
- kicking off on a student's concern about young Singaporeans
lacking ownership of the country.
MM Lee asked: "What will give those friends of yours who don't feel
they own this place a sense of ownership?"
"I don't know that's why I am asking0" replied the student.
MM Lee said: "You are prescribing a malady which I don't know
exists - which has been talked about. This is a phase Singapore is
going through because a younger generation feels they're entitled
to a bigger space, that they should be in charge - they will be in
charge but only some of them will be in charge not everybody. But
everyone will be given the chance to give inputs."
In response to those who felt they're not being heard, the Minister
Mentor suggested starting a publication or a website on the
Internet.
This open and frank discussion saw many students queuing up to pose
questions which ended with Mr Lee throwing his challenge to the
students.
One student said: "I believe oppressive acts like the Printing Act
and the Internal Security Act should be reviewed since maybe they
are no longer relevant as we have reached a stage where stability
is here."
MM Lee replied: "There is nothing to prevent you from advocating
that strenuously and getting your political party to adopt that
platform and put it to the vote. My message is a simple one -
remember how we got here and before you make fundamental changes -
make sure your alternative is viable. This is not an ordinary
country. If you have two election terms of a dud incompetent
government, it will set Singapore back so badly, it may take
decades to recover or never."
He noted that some of the limitations of the Republic do not
change: size means vulnerability "to be overcome by an
extraordinary effort...if we are just ordinary we will fail - we
have not failed because we are not ordinary". - CNA