The grandstanding of outgoing PM Lee Hsien Loong
Former ISD director opines that PM Lee Hsien Loong, retiring after 20 years, leaves a legacy marred by controversy over his high salary and the increase in ministerial pay he approved in 2007. Despite reductions following public outcry, he remains the world's highest-paid leader.
by Yoong Siew Wah
The dust has not yet settled. Is Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong the greatest or merely one of the greatest hypocrites?
He is retiring from his exalted position of premiership after 20 years, having amassed a colossal amount of wealth at the public's expense—a situation that boggles the mind, considering he is supposed to be a representative of the people.
For those who have forgotten, PM Lee approved the increase in ministerial pay in 2007, resulting in his pay increased to S$3.1 million. Although it subsequently dropped to S$2.2 million following public outcry and a poor showing in the General Election of 2011, he still remains the highest-paid prime minister in the world. Additionally, let's also not forget that his wife, Ho Ching, was the CEO of the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund Temasek from 2004 to 2021, and likely received a substantial salary.
And now, he is shedding crocodile tears for his wrongdoing. In his moment of compunction, if any, he regales the public with tales of his so-called past life-saving services to the deprived and downtrodden.
Not a day passes without his moaning. Indeed, these so-called underprivileged citizens have benefited in some way from his largesse, but his body language reveals a glimmer of doubt—was this all in the form of altruism or merely a cover-up for avarice?
This will require serious and insightful stimulation of the people's minds. No doubt, he is trying to leave a legacy of human kindness.
Can there be a more comical joker than Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean? People know he is subservient to PM Lee Hsien Loong for obvious reasons.
For him to come out at this time to praise the character of PM Lee sky-high is something as rare as a black swan. What is he trying to prove?
In what capacity does he consider himself a proper person to comment on PM Lee Hsien Loong's hostile relationship with his siblings?
Lawrence Wong is a Hobson's choice for the prime ministership. Can you imagine Lawrence Wong playing the guitar when Singapore is in crisis? Singapore is blessed to have him as our next prime minister, and we now have to make the best of it.
What is the prognosis for Singapore's foreseeable future? There is hardly any potential talent in the opposition now or even in the future, and the continuity of the People's Action Party's (PAP) governance, though not palatable, seems to be an unbelievably foregone conclusion.
God bless Singapore.
Mr Yoong Siew Wah was the Director of Singapore’s Internal Security Department (ISD) from 1971 to 1974. He was Director of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) in the 1960s. He runs a blog, Singapore Recalcitrant.
