Singapore is not just for the rich: PM Lee


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xtemujin

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Apr 1, 2005
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Singapura, Singapore
SINGAPORE is not a country just for the rich, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

It cannot be. Otherwise, the government would lose elections because there are not enough rich people around to vote it in.

Instead, Singapore has to be a place where the majority of the people enjoy a high quality of life, he said at the Kent Ridge Ministerial Forum on Friday night.

He was responding to a National University of Singapore student, who feared that he, as a middle-income person, might be squeezed out here and that the country is increasingly for foreigners, tourists and the rich.

Said Mr Lee: 'Singapore has to be a place where the vast majority of Singaporeans will enjoy a high quality of life and be able to have jobs, where you can earn well and do well for yourself.

'You may not be able to do well as the top-most successful banker or lawyer or property developer, but you do well for yourself, your career. You have good schools for your children, good healthcare for your parents, good leisure for your family, good opportunities for your future.'

He stressed that if Singapore was a society where everybody was equal, it would be a 'recipe for poverty'.

Inequality is unavoidable, but the Government must make sure most people have a good standard of living.

With the job market thriving, he told the 900 students at the forum that a job awaited them when they graduate.

I'm told that it used to be that a student would wait six months to get employed. Now the employers are waiting six months to hire the students. Six months before you graduate, sign you up,' he said.

He was speaking at an hour-long dialogue that saw students quizzing him on a range of issues, from human rights to the Government's attitude towards public consultation.

The dialogue came after a speech in which Mr Lee sketched the challenges that Singapore faces in the years ahead.

The country was poised to remake itself in the next five to 10 years by transforming the economy and creating a more vibrant and open society. It was doing so against a backdrop of an Asia on the move, fuelled by the rise of China and India.

Encouraging the students to take advantage of the promising future, he added: 'You're in the middle of a period when Asia is going to do very well. Singapore, I think, is going to do very well.

And you should be looking at the opportunities and saying, I want to be up there succeeding with them. And I think you can do that.'

shpeh@sph.com.sg
 

A very encouraging speech done by PM lee once again.
 

gov will never lose in election no matter what's going on
 

Why is it dangerous? It just show that they have a strong support from the people? :think:
Just imagine, if PM said it, what will happened next? :bigeyes:
"never" is a strong word. :sweat:
 

Election? What election?? Did you get to vote?? I didn't.......

Yes,, i voted for the Chen Wei Lian, and he was crowned the Super Star. This shows that we have a publicly elected Super Star but we do not have a publicly elected:lovegrin:
 

Read between the lines. If notice, such important speeches or remarks by politicians are always not what they seem, ask a good lawyer, he will tell you another story. :bsmilie:

Im not advocating any strong reactions from either camp, sometimes not agreeing with policies doesnt mean you wanna go against it. It's just being neutral, if someone forces you to take side, or force feed you with something, im sure you have the right to make some noise. :bsmilie:

Some may praise, some may rant. It depends on who it pleases, and they can't please everybody. :sweatsm:
 

Election? What election?? Did you get to vote?? I didn't.......

Play safe don't let you vote. Becasue Chen Wei Lian won the Super Star contest, it proves that Singaporean are irrational when comes to voting.

But it also shows that Singaporeans are very compassionate.
 

so my question is... high quality life comes for free?
if its not where does the money comes from?
there is a chinese saying... yang mao comes from sheep...
if we are not rich ... we will be squeeze of our money...

then wouldnt it be true, in a general statement,... spore is a place where you cant be rich but the gov wont squeeze you till you are too poor to survive?
something to ponder thats all..
 

Said Mr Lee: 'Singapore has to be a place where the vast majority of Singaporeans will enjoy a high quality of life and be able to have jobs, where you can earn well and do well for yourself.

How oxymoronic.
 

haha.. if this is EDMW i would probably have unleashed my unreserved comments.. but.. hmm.. :X its good to keep mum... *cough*
 

Read between the lines. If notice, such important speeches or remarks by politicians are always not what they seem, ask a good lawyer, he will tell you another story. :bsmilie:

Im not advocating any strong reactions from either camp, sometimes not agreeing with policies doesnt mean you wanna go against it. It's just being neutral, if someone forces you to take side, or force feed you with something, im sure you have the right to make some noise. :bsmilie:

Some may praise, some may rant. It depends on who it pleases, and they can't please everybody. :sweatsm:

Sure there can be hidden meaning. But take note that this speech is for the public and there's no need for hidden meanings. Not everyone's an expert and decoding speeches.
 

to me, i am just unhappy with the rising cost of living. :think:

but i am very grateful for the clean water, good security etc..
 

\deep breath

i will not open kopitiam threads
i will not open kopitiam threads
i will not open kopitiam threads

...
...

and even if i do this is all i will post, mutter
 

to me, i am just unhappy with the rising cost of living. :think:

but i am very grateful for the clean water, good security etc..

Singapore is doing well :bsmilie:
 

we will just phase out all the poor and unhealthy, people with poor genes...
let the educated and healthy produce more.
poor and unhealthy produce less and less, let the bad genes die out.
 

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