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Provide the latest info , Most of your articles are outdated .
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lastly please do not spam all over the forum with the same articles.
Published: 10:00 AM, February 26, 2017
Updated: 10:55 PM, February 26, 2017
SINGAPORE — The most important philosophy that a leader must have is “not to take yourself or your philosophy too seriously”, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong when asked to share his leadership mantra at a closed-door dialogue with about 100 technology innovators and disrupters from around the world.
Speaking at the event held on Friday (Feb 24), Mr Lee also stressed the need for a leader of a nation to be close to the ground and not surround himself with yes-men. In addition, he must be able to accept differing views and criticism, as well as acknowledge his mistakes and to change decisions when merited, Mr Lee said.
“You have to see the world, you have to talk to people, ordinary people. You have to have a sense of what it looks like not from the point of view of the policymaker, but from the point of view of those who are at the receiving end of your policies,” he said, based on the transcript released by the Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday.
Mr Lee added: “I try not to surround myself with ‘yes, sir’ men. That is important because if all you have are people who say ‘three bags full, sir’, then soon you start to believe them and that is disastrous.”
Instead, what a leader needs around him are “people who have their own views, whose views you respect, whom you can have a productive disagreement with, and work out ideas which you might not have come up with, or who improve on ideas you had”, Mr Lee said.
Mr Lee shared that when he is interviewing potential Members of Parliament or political officeholders, he would ask them — among other questions — what policy issues they care about and have a view on, and would like the Government to change.
“That is usually the question which they find the hardest to answer because they are not sure whether to tell us that we are dead wrong on something or other,” he said.
“But if they give us a good answer, we give them very high marks.”
He noted that for government leaders, it is “very hard” to break out of their circle.
“Because it makes so much sense — if only you drew the boxes this way, line things up like that, make that administrative adjustment and everything will work fine. But in fact, every time we draw a box like that, there is a consequence for human beings,” he pointed out.
Leaders can ill-afford to think that they are always right, when in fact they can be mistaken from time to time, Mr Lee stressed.
“Always leave open the possibility, I may be wrong. If the person tells you something, what makes him say that? Could he possibly have a point?” he said.
“You may find that after thinking it over a day or two, he has a point and you have to find some way to accommodate that and to acknowledge that you were mistaken.”
Stressing the need for leaders to consider differing views, Mr Lee said they have got to know when to accept these opinions and when not to.
“If you do not take the views, you must be able to persuade the team that you know what you are doing, please come with me even though this time I did not go with the majority view,” he said.
Mr Lee cited the recent constitutional changes to the Elected Presidency scheme, including a key amendment to stipulate that the presidency has to be rotated between the different racial communities.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
sadfa
Why you post this article but don’t dare to comment n let others comment. Want ppl to kanna is it. Haha
_____
Exchange points dare ma
Why would I want people to kanna ? Please you don’t have to worry about the members in this wonderful forum. Majority of the members here are very intelligent and know what they can say just like you . Anyways a few of the brothers had already mentioned so there is no need for me to repeat it.
PM Lee on S’pore-style democracy, press freedom and gay rights
Published: 1:45 PM, March 1, 2017
Updated: 1:58 PM, March 1, 2017
SINGAPORE — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong rejected an assertion by BBC journalist Stephen Sackur that Singapore is not a successful democracy because it has been governed by the same party since independence and lacks a powerful opposition.
“Just because the voters have voted for me and my party does not mean that we are not open,” Mr Lee said, noting that there are many parties in Singapore and elections are fiercely contested.
To Mr Sackur’s point that there are only a handful of opposition Members of Parliament (MPs), Mr Lee pointed out that there are six elected and three unelected Members of Parliament (MPs) who are not from the ruling People’s Action Party, and said the number would be increased to at least 12.
“But really it is the workings of our democratic system,” he said, adding that Singaporeans voted for the PAP candidates because they have the confidence in the PAP to form the government and to govern well.
“Once the government stops functioning, or for that matter, if I have a Member of Parliament who does not perform his duties and loses the confidence of the supporters and I field them again, the situation will change overnight. It is open,” said Mr Lee.
In a wide-ranging interview, the veteran journalist also asked if the Singapore government would consider repealing Section 377A of the Penal Code — which criminalises sex between men — as a symbol of change in the country.
“It is a matter of society values. We inherited this from British Victorian attitudes,” Mr Lee replied.
Asked whether Singapore today should reflect British Victorian attitudes, Mr Lee added: “We are not British. We are not Victorian. But this is a society which is not that liberal on these matters. Attitudes have changed, but I believe if you have a referendum on the issue today, 377A would stand.”
Mr Sackur then asked if Mr Lee would change his view on Section 377A if his children or grandchildren were gay.
“I think that it’s a law which is there. If I remove it I will not remove the problem because if you look at what has happened in the West; in Britain you decriminalised it in the 1960s, your attitudes have changed a long way but even now gay marriage is contentious,” said Mr Lee, adding that the issue is also a controversial one in America and other parts of Europe.
Pressed for his personal view on the matter and whether he would like to get rid of Section 377A, Mr Lee added: “My personal view is that if I don’t have a problem, this is an uneasy compromise, I’m prepared to live with it until social attitudes change.”
During the interview, Mr Sackur also brought up the possible linking of preferential trade deals with human rights, including freedom of expression and of the press, an issue recently debated in British parliament.
“I do not see you being restrained in asking me questions,” Mr Lee replied.
“I would not presume to tell you how your Press Council should operate. Why should you presume to tell me how my country should run?” he added.
“We are completely open; we have one of the fastest Internet accesses in the world; we have no great wall of the Internet; you can get any site in the world. So where is the restriction?”
When Mr Sackur pressed him on how he would react if Britain were to require that trade deals come with guarantees on human rights, press freedom, workers’ rights and demonstrators’ rights, Mr Lee withheld judgement.
“I would wait to react until I see it,” he said.
But he made clear that he thought the notion impractical. “You look at the Americans. They do not lack fervour in moral causes. They promote democracy, freedom of speech, women’s rights, gay rights and sometimes even transgender rights. But you do not see them applying that universally across the world, with all their allies,” he said.
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One-party rule doesn’t mean Singapore is closed: PM Lee
Published: 1:45 PM, March 1, 2017
Updated: 11:09 PM, March 1, 2017
SINGAPORE — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has rejected an assertion by a BBC journalist that Singapore is not a successful democracy because it has been governed by the same party since independence and lacks a powerful Opposition.
“Just because the voters have voted for me and my party does not mean that we are not open,” Mr Lee said on the BBC Hardtalk programme that aired on Wednesday (March 1), where he was interviewed by Mr Stephen Sackur.
“The politics is open. There is no constraint on people forming political parties, standing for election, campaigning, publishing manifestos,” Mr Lee added.
To Mr Sackur’s point that there are only a handful of Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs), Mr Lee pointed out that there are six elected and three unelected MPs who are not from the ruling People’s Action Party, and said the number would be increased to at least 12.
“But, really, it is the workings of our democratic system,” he said. “Once the Government stops functioning, or for that matter, if I have a Member of Parliament who does not perform his duties and loses the confidence of the supporters and I field him again, the situation will change overnight.”
Asked to comment on claims by human rights groups that he is imposing “a mix of absolute political control and repression of dissenting voices that was the hallmark of his father”, Mr Lee replied: “If it were such a miserable place, you would not be interviewing me. You would be going down the streets and getting ‘vox pops’, and all sorts of people would be saying terrible things about the Government and some of them would have emigrated.
“But the fact is, Singaporeans are happy, they have chosen this Government. We are governing the country and the people to the best of our ability. Millions more would like to come if we allowed it.”
During the interview, Mr Sackur also brought up the linking of trade deals with human rights, an issue recently debated in British Parliament. He cited how the leader of the Liberal Democrats in the UK, Mr Tim Farron, had argued that Britain should raise issues of freedom of expression and freedom of the press in any trade talks with Singapore. “I do not see you being restrained in asking me questions,” Mr Lee said in response.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
kuasimi
100,000 more foreign workers needed: PM Lee
http://forums.$$$$$$$$$$$$.com.sg/current-affairs-lounge-17/good-news-pm-lee-wants-bring-100-000-foreign-workers-into-singapore-2838428.html
suggest Singaporeans go somewhere else to be foreign workers or ask that this 100,000 join the political industry in Singapore instead.
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http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/07...needed-pm-lee/
100,000 more foreign workers needed: PM Lee
By Angela Lim – July 15th, 2010
Email Facebook Twitter Print
Fuelled by the record growth the government is forecasting for the economy this year, more than 100,000 foreigners are set to enter Singapore’s workforce, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told The Straits Times.
Dear bro it is certainly nice to see you posting but however would appreciate if you could do the following :
Looking forward to your kind understanding and cooperation .
K Shanmugam asks people to trust how Govt use money; Can there be more transparency then?
By Leong Sze Hian on March 6, 2017 Commentaries
I refer to the article “Trust the Govt to be efficient with its use of money: Shanmugam” (Straits Times, Mar 5).
The article writes:
“As the Government spends more in areas such as healthcare, it also needs more revenue, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam at a dialogue with residents on Sunday (March 5).
“Money is not going to come from the sky… We have to pay for what we use, and we just have to trust the Government to be efficient with its use of the money,” he said.
He also explained the need for the 30 per cent increase in water tariffs – the first in 17 years – which was announced last month.
He pointed out that one- and two-room HDB households will not see any nett increase at all, while for most other HDB flats, the nett increase will only be between $2 and $11 per month.”
I believe Singaporeans generally trust the Government about its use of the people’s money.
This trust may be further enhanced if there is more transparency on how our money is invested and used?
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https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/201...sparency-then/
So how about the YOG budget that was overspent ?
Can the government be more transparent on the expenditure ? After all it is the tax papyers’ money you are using .
Singaporeans at the centre of Budget, COS debates: Halimah
By Toh Ee Ming
Published: 4:00 AM, March 10, 2017
Updated: 5:40 AM, March 10, 2017
SINGAPORE — Amid the intense discussions about the big picture, and the nuts and bolts of Government programmes and policies, Members of Parliament (MPs) have — over the past fortnight — “never lost sight” of Singaporeans and the country, said Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob yesterday as she wrapped up the Budget and Committee of Supply (COS) debates.
Adding that this shone through very clearly, she reminded the House that “this is as it should be”.
“Singapore and our fellow Singaporeans … are always at the centre of it all,” she said.
Madam Halimah noted that the Budget statement was delivered against the backdrop of “a world in the grips of growing uncertainty in the global economy brought about by disruptive technologies and innovation, and the accompanying rise of populism and protectionist sentiments in a number of countries”.
Despite having different political beliefs, MPs from the ruling People’s Action Party and the opposition Workers’ Party came together “for matters touching on the country’s interests”, said Madam Halimah, who noted a “convergence of views … when it comes to protecting our sovereignty”. This could also be seen at overseas parliamentary meetings when Members are representing Singapore, she said.
While praising the MPs for their “sharp, incisive minds that have become a hallmark of our Parliament”, Madam Halimah did have a quibble: “If only Members could learn to do away with long preambles and go straight to the point raised in their questions and clarifications, they would not need to deliver their speeches at breakneck speeds.”
There were a total of 545 cuts filed by MPs for the COS this year — a 9 per cent increase from last year and the highest in five years, said Leader of the House Grace Fu. The increase “speaks to the scale of the challenges we face and the dedication of the Members”, said Ms Fu, who is the Culture, Community and Youth Minister.
Ms Fu said that the Budget came at a time when Singapore has to grapple with, and adapt to, changes. Businesses are bracing themselves for “difficult economic headwinds”, while workers are not concerned with just the short-term outlook on the job situation, but also their longer-term prospects.
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http://m.todayonline.com/singapore/s...ebates-halimah
Sure of course Singaporeans are the centre of the budget as they will be the ones who will financing your big fat salary and government revenue .
PAP, WP spar over changes to Town Councils Act
By Neo Chai Chin
Published: 12:15 AM, March 11, 2017
Updated: 12:50 AM, March 11, 2017
SINGAPORE — After almost four years in the making, amendments to the Town Councils Act that give the Ministry of National Development (MND) more power to investigate suspected irregularities, among other changes, were passed in Parliament yesterday.
Opposing the Bill, Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Workers’ Party (WP) slammed the amendments over the new powers that will be given to the MND, and this in turn drew sharp criticism from the People’s Action Party MPs.
Under the new laws, the ministry will be able to periodically conduct compliance reviews of town councils, appoint inspectors (who may be public servants or professionals) to conduct the reviews, and order the town councils to take remedial actions. Previously, the MND did not have the authority to get town councils to submit any information beyond annual financial statements, or to intervene where there is non-compliance detected.
The new powers of oversight have the potential for abuse and “would not necessarily ensure good outcomes for Singapore, but rather politically good outcomes for the ruling party”, argued WP MP (Aljunied GRC) Pritam Singh during the debate.
Fellow Aljunied GRC MP Sylvia Lim said corporate governance experts have noted that having town councils report to the MND is “problematic”, as the Minister and his deputies are also involved in running town councils. “Is the Minister a suitable gatekeeper, with these massive conflicts of interest?” Ms Lim asked. She also asked if it was tenable for public servants to be inspectors of town councils run by, say, the Minister for National Development or the Prime Minister.
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Right to free speech not absolute in any country: Singapore’s High Commissioner to the UK
Posted 17 Mar 2017 14:47
Updated 17 Mar 2017 14:50
SINGAPORE: Singapore’s High Commissioner to the UK Foo Chi Hsia has responded to a recent article in The Economist alleging restrictions on free speech in Singapore.
Ms Foo said no country gives an absolute right to free speech. “When this right is extended to fake news, defamation or hate speech, society pays a price,” she wrote in a letter to the UK-based weekly, citing the Brexit campaign and elections in the US and Europe.
“Trust in leaders and institutions, including journalists and the media, has been gravely undermined, as have these democracies,” she added. “In contrast, international polls show that Singaporeans trust their government, judiciary, police and even media.”
The article in The Economist, titled Grumble and be Damned, alleged that while the Singapore Government says it welcomes criticism, its critics still suffer.
Specifically, the article cited the case of blogger Han Hui Hui and two other activists who were involved in a protest over the management of the Central Provident Fund (CPF) at the Speakers’ Corner in 2014.
In response, Ms Foo said: “They were not charged for criticising the government, but for loutishly barging into a performance by a group of special-education-needs children, frightening them and denying them the right to be heard.”
Ms Han, 24, was found guilty and fined S$3,100 last June for disrupting the charity event for special needs children at the Speakers’ Corner at Hong Lim Park, by leading the rowdy protest which she organised without approval from the National Parks Board.
In her letter published in the magazine’s Mar 18 issue, Ms Foo argued that Singaporeans have free access to information and the Internet, including to The Economist.
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Good communication vital to Singapore’s success: Shanmugam
By Koh Swee Fang Valerie
Published: 4:00 AM, April 10, 2017
Updated: 6:58 AM, April 10, 2017
SINGAPORE — People know that a strong internal and external defence, provided by the police, civil defence and armed forces, has been the foundation for prosperity, safety and confidence in the Republic.
But Singapore’s success was also partly due to the Government’s ability to communicate, and grassroots leaders going around to explain, the need for National Service, which was “deeply unpopular” in 1967, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said yesterday.
And amid the terror threat around the world today, communication remains vital, stressed Mr Shanmugam at an NS appreciation ceremony in Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency.
“Because if there’s an attack, you want the grassroots leaders to go out into the community, assuage concerns, tell people not to be worried, tell them not to listen to rumours (and say) these are the facts, let’s keep calm, come together … and we’ll defeat the terrorists,” he said.
The People’s Association’s community networks are critical for this task, he added, especially as part of the SGSecure movement. This was also a role played by the PA during the Konfrontasi conflict with Indonesia in the 1960s.
Mr Shanmugam recounted how the PA worked with the police to administer the voluntary vigilante corps from 1964 to guard crowded places and key installations.
He also spoke about the circumstances faced by Singapore in 1967, when NS began.
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