12/30/2017

Next PM, a succession plan that was not there



The statestimesreview has posted an article on Inderjit’s comment about Hsien Loong’s succession plan, and that is too late and too little. Here are a few paragraphs of the post,

Former PAP MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC Inderjit Singh yesterday (Dec 26) criticised Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for dilly dallying on his decision for a successor, saying that it is already too late to choose one now. The ex-PAP member said the successor should have at least 10 years of experience as a Deputy Prime Minister as preparation before taking up the PM role, like as was the case for Goh Chok Tong and Lee Hsien Loong:

“The next PM should ideally have served for two terms as a deputy and be given the exposure and responsibility on major policies before he or she can confidently take on the job. The future Prime Minister should have started taking key duties by now… It is already too late.”….

Former PAP NMP Eugene Tan told state media Today that he is worried that the new PAP administration have no time to be ready for governance:

“For a government that has always emphasised renewal and succession, this raises legitimate questions about the readiness of the fourth generation leadership, if not about the much vaunted process. By the time PM Lee steps down, he (could) be the oldest of our Prime Ministers.”

There are currently two front runners for the PM race – former army general Minister Chan Chun Sing and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat. The army general however lack etiquette and depth to lead due to his numerous gaffes. Minister Heng Swee Keat may be more thoughtful and measured his words and actions, but his health was a major concern after he suffered a stroke during a Cabinet meeting in 2016. …’


My question, is there really a plan? PAP always bragged about its meticulous planning and thought processes, to be proactive, to plan ahead, and the succession plan cannot be an exception.
Taking Inderjit’s thinking, a typical PAP mindset that foretold of a dynastic thinking behind everything, that a political party is so entrenched that it has taken for granted that all the future PMs will be from the PAP, and PAP would forever be in power.  With these assumptions, a PM must undergo 10 year apprenticeship to be fit to be a PM, to have time to learn the ropes on how to do the job of a PM. Without this training no one is fit to be a PM. This is typical ruling party hogwash.
How many PMs or Presidents in the world have such a privilege and opportunity to undergo 10 years or more of apprenticeship? And how did they perform for those that went through formal apprenticeship scheme and those that did not? Were those that had gone through political apprenticeship performed better than those without?
According to this PAP mantra, the one with apprenticeship scheme must be performing very well against those that did not. So opposition parties that won an election would be bound to fail as they would not have the chance for apprenticeship scheme, not just to be PM, but also as ministers and MPs.
Given that this is a serious premise to start with, why are the two potential PM material not acting PMs like Chok Tong and Hsien Loong to prepare them for the job? Why were the two DPMs appointed when they are not going to be the next PM and having the privilege of acting as PMs, ie learning the ropes?
Is this not queer? If there is a succession plan, it has to be put in place at least 5 years ago, with the crowned prince appointed and going through his apprenticeship. Who is the next crown prince and undergoing apprenticeship training? None? If this is the answer, where is the succession plan? It is one thing to put it into motion and another to talk about it without implementing it.
If Chan Chun Sing and Heng Swee Kiat are the successors and be put to take on heavier responsibilities, then the two DPMs would have nothing to do. How can, paying two multi million dollar DPMs for doing nothing?
The other reality or truth, many heads of govt around the world did not have the privilege of an apprenticeship scheme and are doing fine, very fine, excellent in their jobs. How much value should one put into such a political apprenticeship scheme except for princes of kingdoms and sons of dictatorship?
An apprenticeship scheme is not the prerequisite to become a PM or to become a good PM. A dud will never learn or will not learn anything good. Political leadership often is not nurtured but a product of history, a leader of the time thrown out by society and circumstances to deal with the issues of state and people’s livelihood. A leader in most circumstances is born and made by the events of the time, by history, a calling. A textbook leader is just what it is, a textbook leader.

37 comments:

Virgo49 said...

Aiya, Just one Word- Hogwash.

They are now on Overseas Leave preparing his Successor Son to return home to be the Direct PeeAyam.

Not to worry, I Father will be the Mental, oops Mentor.

Before too many Mentals goes to Mental Hospitals.

All agreed, Said Aye!!!

Knock, knock hard on your side chairs and Shout Aye Aye like the Foolish WestMinisters.

All Ye Parrots under the Tax Payers become my Payrolls.

Rocket said...

That there is NO Succession Plan for next PM means the PAP is NOT going to continue to rule Singapore any more.

That also indicates that LHL is not sincere in what he has been saying.

And also he is not a good planner.

And also he is an indecisive leader with lots of fear in his heart.

And that he is leading Singapore and the PAP to decline and final demise.

And that, very clearly, he cannot do without his father around.

And that he had got his priorities for his party, countrymen and country all wrong.

Last but not least, he is most probably going to put his son to succeed him directly without a seat-warmer like GCT.

Anonymous said...

Rb, it means the dude will stay on for another 10 years or two additional terms till 77. It also means the current 4 th generation batch will be too old to take over so will need to look at 5 th batch candidates like the dude Son etc.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

LKY had a serious advice to the Chinese leaders. Leadership renewal, keep them young. After Deng, the Chinese leaders would step down at 65.

jjgg said...

How to succession plan with so many skeletons in the cupboard? The older leaders don't need to play the game and the younger leaders no big deal..and haven't got the wealth to draw a million dollar check yet.. how to hide in this internet era? Singaporeans don't whistleblow .. other nations will. Koppel may be just the tip.. wait till we learn how decisions are made in gic n temasick.. with all the foreign advisers around you really believe they can all keep their trap shut after they retire? Waiting for the Goodyear memoirs.....)))

Not My President said...

RED DOT LEADERSHIP BEHIND THE SCENE - A HIVE OF LIARS

KEPPEL'S RESPONSE TO MEDIA REPORTS ON ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS ON PETROBRAS:

"Keppel refers to the Bloomberg article dated 3 August 2016 reporting allegations made by Mr
Zwi Skornicki in criminal proceedings brought against him in Brazil. Keppel strongly denies the
allegations reportedly made that Keppel executives authorized Mr Skornicki to pay bribes on its
behalf. None of the individuals named in the article, including the current CEO of Keppel
Offshore and Marine Mr Chow Yew Yuen, have ever authorized Mr Skornicki to make any
payments as bribes."

Anonymous said...

Some opinions about the Chairman of Keppel, Animal Doctor Lee Boon Yang.

https://www.sammyboy.com/threads/lee-boon-yang-useless-bum-forced-to-retire.22668/

May The Force Be With You said...

Speaking to the digital news outlet Initium Media on 5th Dec, 2017, Li ShengWu confirmed that he has no intention to apologise nor return to Singapore to face the alleged contempt of court charge brought against him by the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).

"I am unable to apologise when I did nothing criminal. If there is a grey area, I will just make clarifications. But this matter is clearly straight-forward, so I will just leave it to the lawyers to handle."

Replying to questions about the political situation in Singapore, Shengwu's opinions are

1. That the Singapore government is still using his grandfather’s name to increase their clout;

2. That Singapore no longer needs a leader from the Lee family.

"I believe Singaporeans should not always mention Lee Kuan Yew because the political system should be bigger than the man. I will not join politics or an Opposition party because Singapore no longer needs another Lee-surname leader, whichever the political party."

"This is like US; people reject Hillary even though she is more capable than Trump, because US should no longer have another President from the Clinton family."


ShengWu stated that he would never go into politics because he is not willing to lie about his beliefs, something he believes he will inevitably have to do if he becomes a politician.

In contrast, ShengWu said that his cousin Li HongYi, son of PM Lee Hsien Loong, has been “ambiguous” on his potential entry into politics.

"Li HongYi is being “ambiguous”, he only said he has “no interest” but 20 years ago his father Lee Hsien Loong said the same thing. This kind of statement can be easily retracted.

For myself, I will never join politics. I know I will never be one because a politician needs to lie, and I will not lie even if it is for my belief. I want to be a top grade economist and Maths is my second language, this is where my passion is."


When asked about his relationship with HongYi, ShengWu said they used to be very close but they no longer speak to each other anymore.

"He is still on my Facebook friends’ list, I did not unfriend him."

(Could he be the one who reported to his PM father or AGC about Shengwu's opinion on Singapore's courts?)

ShengWu is currently a Junior Fellow at Harvard University.

Anonymous said...

Will this be the new PAP hierarchy?

Minister ---> Deputy Prime Minister --->
---> Deputy Senior Minister (formerly called Prime Minister)---> Senior Minister

Anonymous said...

Ministers to receive 5.5 mth bonus, Singaporeans to get only 0.5 mth for 2017

The pathetic 0.5 month bonus is only one-fifth of what the public sector’s 2.5 month bonus, and one-tenth of 5.5 month bonus the Singapore Ministers are getting.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong alone will bag S$465,000 as known bonus, not counting the secret components.

Ministers are paid “National Bonus”, calculated off “social indicators” determined by the Public Service Division under the Prime Minister’s Office.

Screenshot from Public Service Division pdf:

Below is an estimated calculation of how much bonus they are getting from taxpayers hard-earned money for 2017:

Real Median Income Growth Rate (2016): 2.6% -> 1 month bonus (100%)

Real Growth Rate of Lowest 20th Percentile Income (2016): 3.2% -> 1.5 month bonus (150%)

Unemployment rate of Singapore citizens (2017): 3.1% -> 2 month bonus (200%)

Real GDP Growth rate (2017) -> 3% -> 1 month bonus (100%)

Total: 5.5 month bonus (minimum).

Bo Pian, this is the result of 70% Daft Votets' wishes to get screwed until orgasm.

Anonymous said...

There are many ceo fire the capable employees to put their own preferred gang into positions under the name of succession plan. Some set the age 50 as old so that the levels under them are below 50.

Then when question about why the ceo oredi exceeded 50 have no plans to replace themselves? Some ceo even cling on to day by day basis when their own contracts are not renewed by the boards.

Talk about a pm job, the scene is the same as ceo mentality. Ownself resign to make way for others to take over. It is not done until he is forced out.

Old fart resigned to make way for some scheme to put his "selected" one on path to be pm. Old fart did not go. He made sure the seat warmer handed over the job to the "selected" one.

Singh said pm job needs 10 years to learn the rope was based on old fart s unique arrangement. Singh was wrong because there was no plan to have "selected one".

One very factual evidence about "mentoring" effectiveness. Once old fart also hired someone to mentor his other "selected one" to be ceo. Many will vividly remember the shit times interviewed this mentor. The reporter asked the mentor to comment the man Tony Fernande. The mentor replied he did not know such name. Asking a fake warrior to comment on real axe waving warrior is not feasible.
A real warrior axes through with numerous injuries on his own pockets. A fake warrior loses nothing.
How to mentor someone who will not lose one cent on the job as pm? It is a waste of time.

The job is made hardest with migrants taking over majority of jobs at manufacturing and service sectors like banking to adjust the salaries to the lowest. And the foreign policy hit at tourists with buying power to come from certain emerging country.
The new pm better not be mentored to learn the dead water strategy for sinkieland economy. It will not work if the same ways are continue through in future. The economy needs internal consumption while the consumers are heavily indebted. They are jobless or making very low salaries. Many consumers are above 50. Therefore if the new pm learn the exact ways and without power to excel on his very own plans, this new pm will bring hardship to sinkies NS men.

By looking at some Kopple cases on illegal deals for 13 years, the hole is unlikely to be one and single one only. The deal was paying $422 to earn $351. Good deals. Brazil s own exchange commission is taking actions on Petro bras s ex executives.
Sinkieland was said to warn those involved liao.
The international standard for prohibiting "under table" ways to cut deals has well established. Sinkieland s own standard of dealing with such matter will lead sinkies businessmen to a "new" standard of behavior in cutting deals.

In short, get any pm is better than the current one: common sense prevails. Anyone will have better common sense to act than those whiten ones. Vote for opposition parties in ge, it s the save way out for sinkies.

Anonymous said...

If a person is caught bribing a police officer, he would be put behind bars even for a few hundred dollars.

Anonymous said...

"Next PM, a succession plan that was not there" - redbean

Dear Sinkies
In a first world democracy, there is always a succession plan.
It's called "voting in the Opposition to form the new government".

Anonymous said...

Bribery in Sinkieland had been dealt with with heavy punishments.

Now that Keppel is involved and proven with committing bribery, what punishment is in store for the top people. Just 'warning' those involved? Must be joking. No wonder WP is bringing this issue to Parliament.

Anonymous said...

From TV & news it's obvious PAPies have been rushing to groom Ong Ye Kung for PM or at least DPM. He has the similar arrogance & lao-laness as LKY to pull it off. However whether he has the same brilliance is still a big question mark.

CCS is a joke both within & without the PAPies party. The semi-joking "heavenly kings" in 2011 which included him as being potential next-gen PM has long gone stale. He is merely tolerated by many PAPies & has to be careful not to offend lest he may be asked to give up his cushy multi-million $$$$$ job at next GE.

TCJ is also another "heavenly king" has-been ... a bit like VB previously.

NCM & LW are the other 2 that PAPies are currently grooming, but probably not for top positions. NCM still thinks & behaves like a SAF general, while LW probably prefers focusing on well-defined job scopes (like KBW).

HSK was the big hope that the entire PAP leadership was pinning on. He has the intellectual capability & probably the EQ capital to get various PAPies to cooperate on policies together. In many ways HSK is the younger Chinese version of Tharman that PAPies will feel more confident of fielding as PM.

So far other than LKY (and LKY was intimately involved with financial matters), no person has been appointed to be S'pore PM without having served senior stints in MOF. If OYK gets a senior MOF appointment, it will confirm he's seriously in the running.

From the way things stand, HSK is still frontrunner for PM especially if regular brain scans can monitor any future occurrences of aneurysm & catch it beforehand. OYK will continue undergoing crash course to prepare as DPM and if necessary to replace as PM.

Anonymous said...

Political leadership often is not nurtured but a product of history, a leader of the time thrown out by society and circumstances to deal with the issues of state and people’s livelihood.
RB

Correct. And one more, and that is having strong opponents to challenge them and through the process nurture them.

If the leader knows he is damn screw up but is very confident to sure win next election, why would he even be bothered or motivated to have good leadership to deal with the issues of state and people’s livelihood?

If I know my boss won't cut my pay or sack me for poor performance, or reward me for good performance, why would I be bothered or motivated to perform, u tell me lah?

Anonymous said...

PAP knows very well that the Sinkie opposition parties are hopeless, and majority Sinkie voters will not vote for hopeless parties to rule them.

And PAP also knows that due to this, majority voters will vote for the lesser of 2 evils, and that is the less hopeless one, and which is PAP.

And this has been proven time and again ever since ruling PAP under Hsien Loong has become hopeless. So why would the next election be any different?

Worse come to the worst, PAP will just have a reduced majority % vote share, but through gerrymandering can still win more than 90% or even 100% seats.

Remember our neighbour PM Najib ruling coalition got majority seats with less than 50% votes in their 2013 GE!!!

So what so difficult for PAP under Hsien Loong to do better than Najib?

So why need or bother to have leadership or leadership succession for the better?

Anonymous said...

Sinkie opposition is really so hopeless that even Tan Cheng Bock, when asked during a forum, had publicly stated that he is not confident of making them united and strong.

And he only added that he can mentor candidates, whether PAP or opposition, on how to win elections. Indeed he has the credentials to mentor, having ever secured 88% votes, the highest in Singapore election history!

Anonymous said...

Looks like from first world to third is staring Sinkieland in the face.

If the rulers are not worried about succession, and voters cannot do anything about it, sure as hell the country will go to the dogs in no time.

What goes up must come down rings true in most things. The downfall can be self inflicted or due to circumstances beyond human control. Nothing is certain or preventable.

Anonymous said...

2:42pm
This ex pap wants media attention and is not real in opposing pap.

Which opposition cannot see him through his compromising attitude. He gives way easily.
No old dog can learn new tricks.

Voters must have wisdom to choose a second path for future when the first path has proven to go straight into dead water.

Pap media would harp on opposition no unity. It is a concept and not something of value. Have pap ask if the overall people have unity in time of need?
Go commission an independent survey to see if sinkies are people of unity. Many NS men know the answer well. When enemy attacking sinkieland, will they spare the non NS men as non pro and thus send to refugee camps? When in war, sinkies will all die due to its policy of all male are trained. Bombs will land freely as the entire population are soldiers, in uniform or not.
That s the problem pap created: many injured and die are not trained, how to spare them hospitals and medicals? 10 millions population ie 7 millions are foreigners.

Voters should not waste time to harp on opposition unity this kind of rubbish. Opposition party must survive on their own, WP or SDP. They cannot survive, they will be like cst. When time to go, the party goes with him. When such characters keeps talking bad about their opponents and not attacking Pap on policies, such characters do not need votes. They are 5 column of opposition.

There are possibly only 2 real opposition parties. One was very focus to serve sinkies. Another was more of relying on foreigners figures to raise its own profile among sinkies as daring, to cover its lacking on service quality for the community.

So what can TCB do for opposition? If he is confident to get votes 80% as some posts claimed, TCB should start a party and not keep talking about himself being important.

Voters must not waste time on opposition figures who do not serve the community. Only WP does things like distributing foods stuff and doing personal visits to voters. WP new candidates are well aware of community s needs. They have to serve even not being elected. What has TCB do? Why cant he serve with WP or SDP or his own new party to gain confidence on his sincerity? He is a real noise maker, nothing more.

Anonymous said...

Cronyism n corruption is alive, prospering & deep seated in Spore, while Shitty Times & citizens are still boasting n blaring about No Corruption. Just like SMRT was touted as 1st class top of world 15 yrs ago. Do not know to laugh or to cry.

Anonymous said...

The familee dispute probably derailed the plans for familee sucession and everything goes haywired. Now the question of to be or not to be is difficult to answer. So goes the dilly-dallying.

Anonymous said...

If stupidity has no cure;
Do you think Singaporeans will be "blessed" with many more years of a PAP government?

Anonymous said...

This Inderjeet Singh is another Singaporean daft.

Singapore is one of the smallest country in the world ... with the most obedient citizens in the world.
When LKY introduced shit water (I mean Newater) ... all Singaporeans obediently agree and say the water is very good.

So how difficult is it to govern Singapore?
Do you really need a 10 year hand holding training scheme to groom a Prime Minister?

Anybody with half a brain can be a successful Prime Minister.
If you don't believe ... just ask Yew know who.

Rocket said...

As long as Singaporeans remain daft and stupid, the PAP will continue to rule. After Lee Hsien Loong steps down, even if he hands over to a Peanut Monkey or an ex- foreigner, or his son, PAP will continue to rule at least for the next 20 to 50 years.

Unless there is external interference.

Anonymous said...

If fact and in substance, the job of the present PM is the easiest in the world.

Which standing PM can go for holidays with his wife (and children if possible) every year, without fail, twice a year - mid-year and during the end of the year?

End of year is a period when many things have to be accounted for, sorted out, reviewed, planned and implemented?

End of year is the busiest time for individuals, organizations and governments the world over. It is also a time when terrorists are most active.

With two DPMs, several Ministers without port-folios, several Ministers-of-States and an efficient and competent Civil Service, plus a JLB ESM and a Puppet President, how not to have free time to go for holidays twice a year?

Anonymous said...

True or not?
If LHL can be PeeAyam with this type of performance standard
- then how bad can WP's LTK be as Prime Minister?

Anonymous said...

Remember PAP MP's elite daughter Wee Shu Min (Get out of my elite uncaring face)?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wee_Shu_Min_elitism_controversy

Where is she now?

"Not being good enough at school, not being good enough at work, not being smart enough, not being pretty enough...it's a lot" says Stanford Graduate Business School student Shu-min Wee."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuUGtLgDdC4

At home in Singapore, talk so big.
Go outside into America ... eating humble pie like fuck

Singaporeans
You must be daft to expect these PAP elites to save you and Singapore.

Anonymous said...

The Father loves the Son, and made son job most lucrative & easiest possible with the most yes-men n helpers ever for a PeeAmm. This shows the Father loves the Son & hates the country & Sinkies despite all his claims n assertions. His actions not in line with his words. Same for his daughter in law appointment. He loves his daughter in law & hates the blood sweat n tears reserves of its people.

Anonymous said...

How do these elites get into the Elitist Class?

From Primary 3, age of 9, onwards they have been trained, groomed, indoctrinated, and engrained to only think of themselves, to excell above and totally disregard all their classmates and schoolmates so that they are the ONLY ONES who get the scholarships, irrespective of their parents are filthy rich or poor.

So, logically, as they grow up and enter into higher positions, by default and fast-track, they will continue to be self-centred, selfish, conceited and regard all fellow country men and women with contempt and depraved views.

As a matter of fact, we are witnessing their attitude, behaviour and character through the various policies and schemes they have so cunningly devised against all our interests.

Yet, sadly, there are 60 to 70 percent of Singapore voters who cannot see nor think.

Anonymous said...

Let's hope she dies in USA. Body lying unclaimed and unidentified in an unmarked grave.
And gets out of our uncaring faces.

Anonymous said...

Widespread protests are happening across Iran. Looks like an uprising is being instigated by CIA secretly.

The US Government told Iran that "The World is watching". What does this mean?

Watching, so what? It's none of the US's business. It is Iran's internal affairs. Unless, of course, the US has a hand in these protests.

Anonymous said...

The asshole would probably stay and die on the job. That probably explain why no succession planning lor

Anonymous said...

A power-crazy person like all dictators would love to hold onto power forever. It's like a mad dog. Once it bites unto something it doesn't want to let go.

After tasting power and enjoying the experience of other people subordinating themselves to him, a power-crazy freak will not want anybody else to takeover, not even his own children.

Some even pretend to handover their position to their trusted sidekicks or children but actually remain behind the scene controlling them by remote control.

That's why we find that dictators either die on the job due to natural causes or assassinated.

A person who already has two rounds of cancer will most probably die of a third round of cancer. And the third round will come suddenly, swiftly and deadly. This is 90% guaranteed.

Just wait and see. Nature will take its course. Liberation is near.


Anonymous said...

When dictators lose power, their Karma follows and they usually suffer the consequences. That is why they have to hang on to power.

The problem is, there will always come a time, due to circumstances that they will have to fall.

Perfect examples are Hitler, Marcos, Suharto, Mugabe, Mao etc, and even unassailable Empires at one time like the British Empire and also Dynasties like those in China of old.

It is all of their own making. First they rise up on the wave of popularity and start with doing the right things. Then they become too obsessed with power and resorted to making stifling rules to destroy opposition and hold on to power. Then when they have absolute power they become too arrogant and assumed they are untouchable forever, and can do as they like without caring about what the people say or want for the country. That is the start of the erosion of their power and trust of the people.

History is there to show us all the proof.

Virgo49 said...

Now Lau Goh have the last dig at The Holy Son as he was been embarrassed by the Holy Father who called him a "Kayu" before he became the Seat Warmer.

Now LG commented that LHL must be clear who the succeeding PM to be.

So Cock sure they ruled forever.

No respects for the voting electorate.

b said...

Of cos there is no plan because smalland will go to oz or matland and the people can have houses and cars not just flats and bikes.