A fig leaf covering deep cracks

This is what Chok Tong elegantly put it, a fig leaf covering the deep cracks within the Lee family. Actually the cracks go must deeper and far wider than one would notice. The main show is the fight between the siblings, to fulfill LKY’s last wish or not to grant him his last wish. In Parliament, all the PAP ministers and MPs have taken the side of Hsien Loong, not to demolish the house at Oxley Road. Some when further to cast aspersions on LKY’s state of mind when he signed the will. The main battle is being fought with Hsien Yang and Wei Ling on one side against the PAP govt on the other side led by Hsien Loong.
 
There is another sub plot going on between the Lee Kuan Yew camp aka known as the PAP old guards versus the Hsien Loong camp aka the young turks. This battle blew up when the ST published an article by Kishore, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, criticizing the loud hailer diplomacy coming from the Rajaratnam School of International Studies on the South China Sea dispute. Kishore’s stand was that small states must be more circumspect and know where it stands unlike the days of LKY. Coming soon after the bollocking from China for spouting too much, talking too loud on an issue that affected every country, not just Singapore that has no stake in it, then the after effects of the Terrex Incident and the non invite to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the proponents of loud hailer diplomacy felt like Kishore was rubbing salt into the wound. They responded vigorously and violently calling Kishore’s comments as ‘muddle, mendacious and indeed dangerous’. This was quickly supported by Shanmugam as a brilliant response to slam the professor. Let me quote the Today paper, ‘Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam on Sunday said Mr Kausikan’s response was brilliant as he slammed the professor’s piece as “intellectually questionable”, adding that Singapore did not get to where it is by thinking small.’
 
This was not all. Kishore was accused by Kausikan and I quote the same paper, ‘I disagree, it is a thinly disguised attack on PM’. The immediate thought was that it was a way to divert the target to the PM and Kishore would not look very good or would not be in Hsien Loong’s good book for long. Kishore quickly replied that he wrote the piece a few weeks back and the timing to run it to coincide with Hsien Loong having to defend his position in Parliament was coincidental. ‘Hence, it is obviously not an attack on PM. By floating this canard, the officials are distracting attention from their own contributions to our problems.’ Kishore added. Kausikan responded by saying, ‘I accept that he may not have intended it as an attack on PM, but many read it that way…I am glad he has clarified that was not his intention.’
 
Many would have let this episode come to passé as a bickering between the ex govt officials. But wait a minute. Why was the call by Kishore seen as an attack on Hsien Loong? Why was Hsien Loong in the picture? A Freudian slip has let out a jigsaw piece to explain what all the shouting at China to follow the ruling of the so called ‘UN backed’ Hague Tribunal was all about and also the subsequent events related to Singapore’s relations with China and the USA. This slip makes the picture complete to the observant and why two DPMs have had to make trips to Beijing lately to mend fences.
 
The battle of the PAP old guards versus the young turks has just started. Fortunately or unfortunately, not many PAP old guards, or LKY camp are still around. The days of the old guards are numbered and fading away. The young turks shall rule the day and more loud hailer diplomacy can be expected. They have been bestowed the imperial edict to do so.
 
Kishore must be feeling very lonely. His good advice is like casting pearls to the swine. Where are the old guards? Have they pledged new loyalty given that the LKY era is over?
 
A new era has begun.