[CNA: 03May2006] PM Lee says countries worldwide respect and admire Singapore's proven system

PM Lee says countries worldwide respect and admire Singapore's proven system
CNA 03 May 2006 1839 hrs (SST)
SINGAPORE : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says Singapore is at the top of its game because of a strong political system and quality leadership.
Speaking at the first lunchtime election rally in Singapore in nine years, Mr Lee says the PAP has a proven system that works.
He says countries the world over respect and admire Singapore's system.

Mr Lee says what the PAP wants for Singapore is something special and precious that's worth fighting for.
So Singaporeans must put their hearts and souls into working together as a team to realise and create this special Singapore.
Raffles Place - in the heart of Singapore's financial district - was the venue of the election's first lunchtime rally.
Lunchtime rallies, which were absent in the last General Election, have made a comeback this year.

The target is to reach out to the professionals, managers, executives and businessmen.
Nine PAP candidates took to the stage to explain the importance of maintaining good policies and programmes for Singapore, and why the PAP is the right party to deliver the right essentials.
Mr Lee says: "Deep capabilities in our population, in our government, in our leadership and deep values in our people to understand, to support, to work together, to make it work. Our system is different, it's good, it's good for Singapore and it works."
He says some Singaporeans want a more open, multi-party system.
Mr Lee says the opposition parties are capitalising on this by asking for their votes, not because of their abilities or policies, but because then, the opposition would exist.

But he questioned if this would make things better for Singapore.
Mr Lee says (video): "What is the opposition's job? It's not to help the PAP do a better job ... because if they help the PAP do a better job, you're going to vote for me again and they're going to be out of a job for a long time. So their job is to make life miserable for me.
"Right now we have Low Thia Khiang, Chiam See Tong, Steve Chia. We can deal with them. Suppose you had 10, 15, 20 opposition members in Parliament. Instead of spending my time thinking what is the right policy for Singapore, I'm going to spend all my time thinking what's the right way to fix them, to buy my supporters votes, how can I solve this week's problem and forget about next year's challenges?"

Mr Lee says while any Singaporean can enter politics, the quality needed to get elected must be very high.
He says this is why the PAP has assembled a strong, national team with a long term view - one that would work together and fight to realise its vision for Singapore.
At the rally, Mr Lee also named four potential office bearers, whom he will appoint after the elections.
They are Grace Fu, Lee Yi Shyan, Masagos Zulkifli and Lui Tuck Yew.
Mr Lee says if they are elected, they will be appointed parliamentary secretaries and ministers of state, adding that some of them have potential to go higher.
He described them as "big people with broad shoulders" who could deal with big issues and would serve the people well.
As to whether there would be more office-holders, Mr Lee says only time will tell as he learns more about the new candidates and their abilities.
Earlier, Mr Lee says he is especially proud of the bicultural candidates - those who are equally comfortable speaking Chinese and English, like former IE Singapore CEO Lee Yi Shyan. - CNA/de
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/206313...



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