PM Lee urge S'poreans to build consensus on country's future

QX179R SG

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has stressed the need for Singaporeans to build a consensus on the future they want.

What Singapore will be in 20 years depends on Singaporeans, he said in an interview on Singapolitics.sg.

If the decision is to have a place that Singaporeans are proud to live in and where others look up to, Mr Lee said the country can get there.

He said Singapore has the resources and it is prepared to thrive.

But Singaporeans need to have a "toughness of mind" to do that.

Should Singaporeans decide on a more relaxed pace of life, with less pressure, Mr Lee warned that new pressures will come.

The challenge is when a consensus cannot be reached, he said.

Asked if the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) will be dominant in future, Mr Lee said the question is whether Singaporeans can come to a consensus on the direction they want to go.

If 'yes', then there can be one party which has a strong mandate and can work on behalf of citizens effectively.

He cited countries like the US and India where divisive politics has led to gridlock and dysfunction, which can happen to Singapore.

"If we don't have that consensus within society, like in America where there is a deep divide between the Republicans and Democrats... then you have gridlock, dysfunction and it can happen to Singapore," said Mr Lee.

Mr Lee noted that coming to an agreement is harder now because interests are more diverse and citizens differ on what they feel are important to them.

He said the country needs to build more strongly that sense of being Singaporeans together.

It's a serious question, which he urged citizens to focus on.

"The temptation is always to focus on immediate issues, rather than future things, because it's remote, it's not tangible, it's hard to make sense of what's going to come. But we must ask ourselves... down the road, (if our) children want to live in a special and successful place, what must we do to help them get there? And I think then we frame the question right and we can decide what we need to do. Otherwise, we are just navel gazing and I think that's not constructive," said Mr Lee.

On whether he sees himself still as prime minister when he's beyond 70 years old, Mr Lee, who is 60 now, said if he still is, then "something is seriously wrong".

He said Singapore needs a younger prime minister who is in tune with "that much younger and very much different generation".

Asked if he sees a potential PM in the current Cabinet, Mr Lee only said "it's early days to say".

On what would be Singapore's optimal population size, Mr Lee said he is hesitate to put a figure to it.

While the country's masterplan puts that figure at 6.5 million, Mr Lee noted that's not a target but a possibility mapped out.

How big the population grows would depend on how Singapore develops, expands its land area and develops as a city while providing a good quality of life for the people in an urban environment, said Mr Lee.

Singapore's population currently stands at 5.2 million.

- CNA/cc/ir

the Bear SG

6.5 million??

that's some mighty powerful crack he's smoking

bycai SG

"The temptation is always to focus on immediate issues, rather than future things, because it's remote, it's not tangible, it's hard to make sense of what's going to come. But we must ask ourselves... down the road, (if our) children want to live in a special and successful place, what must we do to help them get there?

it's not tangible and is remote, the future yet to come. Be the present and let the politic be in the politic amongst the politic arena. Probably PM has to look around a model that is special and successful place for singaporeans, PR and future singaporeans to live on and dream along.

underthewater SG

why not? just build more human bird cage. moree and taller one.

Medicated Oil SG

It reminded me of a joke.

Air Stewardess: Do you want chicken or beef ?

Customer: Chicken

Air Stewardess: We only got beef.

Customer: Then why are you asking me for both ?

Air Stewardess: We are just following SOP.

He already have his answer in mind when he asked his questions.

Why bother to ask and waste our time but, in the end, execute your model answer.

Beside packing the place with foreigners in the disguise for service industry labour shortage, what vision do he hold for the place as a leader ?

Please do not give the excuse that it is our land and we should provide the answer.

The same scenerio as "What do you think".

Are they not Singaporeans too ?

lce SG

if he wan consensus , scrap GRC to see how the people unite

Medicated Oil SG

He keep going in circles with the issue of foreigner influx.

There is no innovative strategy or policy to bring Singapore up to same level as Korea.

We are just a market full of cheap and lower quantity labours.

Once there is another market providing cheaper labour eg Indonesia and Philippines, the local market collapses.

Just like the national sports.

Over-reliance on foreigners and neglecting the local players.

troublemaker2005 SG

don;t tok about that foreign players 1 lah. that guy cheering so happily at london when our 'foreign' players win some medals.

Lazybumy SG

Asked if the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) will be dominant in future, Mr Lee said the question is whether Singaporeans can come to a consensus on the direction they want to go.

If 'yes', then there can be one party which has a strong mandate and can work on behalf of citizens effectively.

Can the singaporean have a consensus and give another party a strong mandate? How come to him only if the strong mandate is given to PAP then singaporean come to a consensus, and if it is given to another party, then it is not consensus?

troublemaker2005 SG

they sacred we giv consecious to sarong party girls, or nicloe siah seah party

BadzMaro SG

6.5 mil.. u know what that smells like ? Smells like moolah. That's why you guys should just accept the inevitable 6.5 mil.. the question is how to milk it.

lol

troublemaker2005 SG

see lah, election vote for blood suckers at citizen's expense.

SJS6638 SG

Since when are we given the freedom to decide future in Singapore?

Meia Gisborn SG

The PAP’s definition of “consensus”: Arrive at a major policy decision with absolutely no public consultation, ram it down the thoats of a protesting citizenry, boldly claim that the decision was reached with the full backing of the public, then pat themselves on the back for a job well done.

SJS6638 SG

Bingo!

charlize SG

It reminded me of a joke.

Air Stewardess: Do you want chicken or beef ?

Customer: Chicken

Air Stewardess: We only got beef.

Customer: Then why are you asking me for both ?

Air Stewardess: We are just following SOP.

He already have his answer in mind when he asked his questions.

Why bother to ask and waste our time but, in the end, execute your model answer.

Beside packing the place with foreigners in the disguise for service industry labour shortage, what vision do he hold for the place as a leader ?

Please do not give the excuse that it is our land and we should provide the answer.

The same scenerio as "What do you think".

Are they not Singaporeans too ?

troublemaker2005 SG

It reminded me of a joke.

Air Stewardess: Do you want chicken or beef ?

Customer: Chicken

Air Stewardess: We only got beef.

Customer: Then why are you asking me for both ?

Air Stewardess: We are just following SOP.

He already have his answer in mind when he asked his questions.

Why bother to ask and waste our time but, in the end, execute your model answer.

Beside packing the place with foreigners in the disguise for service industry labour shortage, what vision do he hold for the place as a leader ?

Please do not give the excuse that it is our land and we should provide the answer.

The same scenerio as "What do you think".

Are they not Singaporeans too ?

its not the answer, but its what he wants. why he ask an option for chicken also is becasue he want to spy and see how people answer, and the easons why so. like that he learn and copycat. next time he encounter this type of situation he can apply what he listern and tok rot. my ex-company is like that. got 2. one senior purchase manager tok rot only, and one assistant manaegra lso largi same. listen careful both like to copy other things peope say and tok nonsesne actually in loops. the otehr ah gua ugly dark manager is woprse, listen to some R and D guys bull and go bull in front of suppleirs. i really pity our suppliers. haiz....

bycai SG

Wow! Amazing & awesome - Gross National Happiness rather than GDP as a measure to assess the progress of the nation

The small country, with 700 000 inhabitants located between India and China, once again attracts the attention of the international community, after a few years ago, decided to use the Gross National Happiness rather than GDP as a measure to assess the progress of the nation .

bycai SG

troublemaker2005 SG

do we even have a say?

when we make some noises you only hold a few talkshow for show.

the problem still stays.

i hope time wind forward to 2016, so we can have elections again.

see, you implemented policies for free uncontrolled influx of cheap labor, a dupe for our local small and medium company to take. of course now restrict the dosage of the drug side effects sets in feel difficult lah.

if in the beginning we had not used the open (and i mean too opened) door policies and the main ostrich head poke onto the ground solution, and used alternate source of utilizing our existing manpower to the fullest, from young to old, then things will not be in this posied state like now!

and also, if the f-stop 2, 2 f-stop and stop at 2 ppoliy had not been in effect, sg will not be in this state like now!