MM Lee is very, very wise!!

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew (peace and blessings be upon him!) has shown is mettle and his wisdom yet again. MM Lee clearly knows that Singapore is unique and must be governed in a pragmatic way, without pandering to the disruptive Western notions of unconditional free speech and association (which would undoubtedly harm Singapore).

MM Lee has the courage to be authoritarian and firm when he needs to be, for the good of Singapore. All forummers should read the Straits Times article attached below and drink from the fountain of his wisdom!

Goh Bock Seng

March 7, 2007
Govt gives citizens every reason to elect it: MM

SINGAPORE'S brand of democracy works because the Government gives the country's citizens every reason to vote for it at elections, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said yesterday.

The country has maintained the principle of British democracy, that the electorate can vote a government out peacefully.

'But we have engineered it so carefully that they must be very stupid to vote this government out,' he added.

The Government solved the housing problem by building public housing using Central Provident Fund (CPF) money. These flats are then sold to Singaporeans at cost price.

For the Singapore citizen, his flat is 'something substantial' that he owns and has to pay instalments for.

'So he must have a job. If you change the government, you have no jobs, the house is taken back,' Mr Lee said.

And as the flats become old after 20 to 30 years, the Government upgrades the buildings, subsidising 80 per cent of the cost.

'Suddenly, overnight, your property goes up in value. Now, you find another government that will do that. If you think you can, you try,' he said.

The Americans try to prescribe democracy by saying governments should allow free association, demonstrations and a free press, he said.

'Here you want to hold a demonstration, you must have a permit first.'

As for his critics who say he is authoritarian, Mr Lee had this reply: 'I say, 'never mind'.

'Do they vote for me? Do I stuff the ballot boxes? No. Is it a secret vote? Yes. Do I win?

'Do I win 99 per cent? No. I win by 61 or 65 or 67 per cent.'

The highest percentage of votes he ever won was 88 per cent, he recounted.

'That was the year the British decided to get out and sell everything. So I immediately held an election. I knew the people will be dead scared.'

I support the public service pay hikes

I fully support the public service pay increases, which benefit all our ministers as well as almost all our civil servants from the most senior to junior officers.

The PAP (may the PAP progress!) has an outstanding track record of good governance, and is transparent, above-board and incorruptible. Under their esteemed leadership, job creation has been steady and the economy has been growing by leaps and bounds despite the volatile economic climate of the past ten years.

It is only natural that in a prosperous, peaceful and secure environment like Singapore, talented citizens tend to seek out the great abundance of opportunities in the private sector. Such a politically stable and harmonious social climate rarely brings forth the kind of revolutionary zeal that characterized our Old Guard's struggle against communism, racism, and the oppressive state of colonialism that engulfed our nation before its independence from British rule in 1963.

It is therefore foolhardy, naive and unrealistic to think that pure idealism alone is sufficient to attract a steady supply of good men and women into politics.

To begrudge our ministers their multi-million dollar salaries would be to penalize them for the good that they have done, because it is they who brought the kind of peace and prosperity to Singapore that makes it more natural for good men and women NOT to join politics.

To pay our ministers less than they are worth would be robbing the PAP of a pragmatic foundation on which to campaign for talented citizens to join them. Indeed, that be would be to miss the forest for the trees.

The public service pay hikes are an imperfect solution implemented by imperfect political leaders for an imperfect world. Yet it is fair, pragmatic, and is the best we can do for Singapore at this time. Hence I call upon all Singaporeans to give their fullest support to the PAP.

Majulah PAP! Majulah Singapura!

Goh Bock Seng

Singaporeans must learn from foreigners

All Singaporeans would do very well to learn from foreigners and emulate their ways! Foreigners bring a wealth of talent and expertise to Singapore. They take up jobs that Singapore are unwilling or unable to do. They fill up gaps in our workforce created by Singaporeans who on their own accord drop out.

Without foreigners, Singaporeans would be mere specks of dust in the wind!

We should give our fullest support to the PAP government (may the PAP progress!). Their Foreign Talent policy is by far one of their best policies. It has become all too obvious that without a constant influx of Foreign Talents, Singapore's population would decline inexorably and Singapore's economy would stagnate. Foreigners don't just impart knowledge to us. They also teach us culture, social graces and manners, which Singaporeans are visibly lacking in. Foreigners make Singapore not just a vibrant economy but also a vibrant home for all of us.

To the Singaporean men here: I say that we must serve National Service with pride, distinction and commitment, and be prepared to lay down our lives not just for our families, but also for all the foreigners living and working here. This is our Great Call of Duty, and National Service for us is not a burden, but a privilege.

Let us give our fullest support to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (may MM Lee and SM Goh be pleased with him!), and let us all rally together in the Great and Noble Cause of Nation Building! Majulah PAP! Majulah Singapura!