Why Singaporeans do not owe Goh Keng Swee.......
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Why Singaporeans do not owe Goh Keng Swee or other PAP leaders a “debt” of gratitude
The demise of one of the so-called founding fathers of Singapore and PAP stalwart Goh Keng Swee expectedly brought about a wave of PAP propaganda in the state media to remind Singaporeans of the contributions of Goh and his fellow PAP colleagues.
In an interview with Channel News Asia on 14 May 2010, Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said every child in school, every soldier serving in the armed forces, and every worker with a job in Singapore owes the late Dr Goh Keng Swee a huge debt of gratitude.
While nobody can deny the fact that Goh had contributed tremendously to Singapore, questions must be raised if Singaporeans really owe him and the PAP a “debt” of gratitude.
It is only human to err and no leader is perfect. In assessing the political career of Goh, we should not ignore his shortcomings as well. For all his worth, Goh had made some mistakes, most notably his controversial streaming in primary school which was reversed years later. By then, irreversible damage has been done against many generations of Singapore students who are “late bloomers” and might have succeeded in life under a less stressful education system.
A former PAP minister Othman Wok described the late Dr Goh as the architect of the Singapore economy. As a matter of fact, the accolades should belong to Albert Winsemius, a Dutch economist seconded to the fledging PAP government by the United Nations. It was Winseminus who convinced Goh to develop Singapore’s export economy and to invite MNCs to set up their regional headquarters here.
Goh just happened to be the right leader at the right place and time. He was fortunate that Singaporeans are a bunch of thrifty, hardworking and most importantly docile people who ensured that his ideas and policies were successfully implemented on the ground. Had Goh been put in a more volatile environment like Vietnam, Indonesia and even Malaysia, it is doubtful if he is able to replicate his success there.
Though Goh is a pioneer of modern Singapore and is a key figure in its growth and prosperity, past achievements do not guarantee future success. The fact that Goh is a visionary leader doesn’t automatically mean that the present batch of PAP leaders have inherited his legacy. In fact, the current leaders should learn from Goh who was able to serve the nation tirelessly for so many years despite being paid “peanuts”.
History has taught us that no leader is indispensable to a nation, no matter how great he/she is. What is more important is to have an open, transparent and liberal political system which allows for a peaceful transition from one generation of leaders to the next and from one party to another.
Both the United States and United Kingdom have their fair share of competent and charismatic leaders. Even China has long stepped out of the shadow of its “Great Helmsman” Mao Zedong. It is time Singapore get rid of its burden of “gratitude” to the PAP and move forward as a confident and proud nation belong to all the people.Source: Temasek Review
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Hi, I never read, cause I lazy to.
But as a Singaporean, I know it won't kill to just say 'Thank you' or even to pay my respect with just a bow.
Why everything also need debate.. Where's that love around then?
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Well, just a viewpoint from the other side of the coin.
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Originally posted by Paisley:
Hi, I never read, cause I lazy to.
But as a Singaporean, I know it won't kill to just say 'Thank you' or even to pay my respect with just a bow.
Why everything also need debate.. Where's that love around then?
What I want to say is he is not lethal like the old lee.He did have the welfare of the singaporeans in his heart. None of the ministers, mm, sm, pm can be compared with him for his contributions and heart for the nation.
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My family dont know him. OMG pioneers also dunno.
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recently just get to know, he is the one whom implement ns, etc
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Originally posted by CheckmateA1:
recently just get to know, he is the one whom implement ns, etc
may be the idea of LKY and he just agree to it and carried out the necessary. -
You guys must be silly to give Dr Winsemius the credit for being the economic architect of Singapore.
Is there anyone that thinks he can being develop a country when a consultant only visits a country twice a year? All the ground problem has to be solved by the people there. Implementation and strategy also has to be revised by the local people.
If twice a year visit can bring Singapore to what it is today, Dr Winsemius should have visited hundreds of countries.
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protect whose interest
just like the british india co that called their king to send warships to annihilate pirates that had raided their merchant ships at the straits of malacca - i might be wrong
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Originally posted by Calvin86:
You guys must be silly to give Dr Winsemius the credit for being the economic architect of Singapore.
Is there anyone that thinks he can being develop a country when a consultant only visits a country twice a year? All the ground problem has to be solved by the people there. Implementation and strategy also has to be revised by the local people.
If twice a year visit can bring Singapore to what it is today, Dr Winsemius should have visited hundreds of countries.
Going by your theory, Othman Wok must be an idiot huh.
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Originally posted by Calvin86:
You guys must be silly to give Dr Winsemius the credit for being the economic architect of Singapore.
Is there anyone that thinks he can being develop a country when a consultant only visits a country twice a year? All the ground problem has to be solved by the people there. Implementation and strategy also has to be revised by the local people.
If twice a year visit can bring Singapore to what it is today, Dr Winsemius should have visited hundreds of countries.
yah this guy read before in textbook.
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Singaporeans owe Mr Goh a debt of gratitude? YEAH RIGHT! because of our beloved Mr Goh, the males of singapore have to go through mandatory national service and that's simply conscription, to it bluntly. Seriously, 2 years is too long a time to be wasted on learning stuffs that are irrevelant to our lives after ORD.
What is the use of learning how to overcome the SOC? what is the use of learning how to put on camo cream? what is the use of learning how to operate a signal comms set? NO PRACTICAL USE AT ALL
some people may say it's for the defence of our nation. Most people who say this are just being politically correct and self-righteous. In fact most of them hate national service too. I seriously couldn't give a damn if some foreign nation (we know who) attacks us. I might just even gap singapore.
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last time 2 or 2.5 yrs depend on your qualification
it is called rod
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so like that cut a fraction of all ministers pay and give to him as one time payment lor.
May 19th, 2010 | 
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