ASTANA, March 6 — Kazakhstan’s veteran leader, widely expected to
seek re-election in a snap poll next month, hinted today he might
yet decide to step down but keep the Central Asian nation under his
control, citing Singapore’s “founding father” as an
example.
President Nursultan Nazarbayev, 74, has run Kazakhstan, rich in oil
and gas reserves, since 1989 when he headed the local Communist
Party within the Soviet Union. His current five-year term formally
ends only in late 2016, but he has called an early election for
April 26.
He said then that he had not decided if he would run in the
election, and on today he raised new questions, saying it was time
to “change scene” in his vast steppe nation of 17 million.
“Frankly speaking, my personal plans were completely different,” he
told a meeting with Kazakhstan’s prominent women ahead of the
International Women’s Day celebrated on March 8.
“I have run Kazakhstan for many years already, I stood at the
cradle of its independence, so maybe it’s time to ‘change stage’,
as they say in a theatre. I am thinking about this.”
Nazarbayev oversaw liberal market reform and, balancing relations
with Russia with Western ties, attracted massive foreign investment
to his nation; but he is critcised in the West for his
authoritarian style and opponents are not indulged.
Today, he cited the case of Singapore, where the three-decade rule
of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew transformed a backward city state
into a prosperous “Asian Tiger”.
Lee, 91, who is admired by Nazarbayev, headed the country’s ruling
party and led Singapore in 1959-1990.
He later remained in control, holding the posts of senior minister
and of minister mentor.
“The founding father of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew... once stepped
down, and I asked him why,” Nazarbayev said. “And the answer was:
‘I had ruled for 31 years, and when I watched myself on television,
I did not like myself’.”
“And I said that television distorts things and that well, maybe
it’s not worth watching TV, but I have a similar plan,” he said,
laughing, but did not elaborate.
Today’s remarks are likely to rekindle speculation over a possible
successor, a question that while closely watched by investors has
not been encouraged by Nazarbayev.
His Nur Otan party will hold a congress on March 11. Nazarbayev
will participate as a delegate, but the party has not said if it
will apoint him as candidate to run in the election. — Reuters
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/world/article/kazakh-president-says-he-may-take-page-from-lee-kuan-yews-playbook