Monday, August 17, 2015

The Looming Clash Of Egos

Earlier this month (4 August), Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, 74, was pondering (on Facebook) whether to run in the sweepstakes. Friends asked him to call it a day, while he also claimed some Marine Parade residents had urged him to stay on. No spring chicken, this stuffy dinosaur is way past his expiry date. He promised to explain his decision at at the Marine Parade National Day dinner on the 14th this instant.

Come Friday evening, he admitted he had contemplated retirement. But even the ex-prime minister was not captain of his own fate. A few days before on Wednesday, we are told he met with the standing prime minister and "We had a long chat." Obviously stepping aside for young blood was not on the menu, all the talk about transition to the fourth generation was grist for the mill. More likely, too many stalwarts have been jumping ship, and even an old goat going off the pasture will be saying volumes about someone's persuasive prowess. Especially when a ex-naval chief had dared to say no to his commanding officer.

Goh understood he was supposed to lead the team as an elder.

Next day, on the 15th,  Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin made it crystal clear that he will be the anchor minister at Marine Parade GRC. Tan said this means he will be “playing a leading role” within the team. As for Goh's personal perspective, “We will continue leveraging on his experience."

“One Mountain Cannot Contain Two Tigers” (一山不能藏二虎) literally means that in an area, there cannot be two very strong personalities vying for the leadership role. But Tan need not fret, in an open confrontation, Goh can be a real pussy cat. When the horrible person once described him as "wooden" and said that he might have to see a psychiatrist about it, Goh merely meowed:
"It did not hurt...I knew Mr Lee well. He's not a man to slam you for nothing. He was never personal. So I did not feel he wanted to insult me...He had his purpose in saying what he said. I think he was disappointed with me for my inability to mobilise the ground. So he wanted to get me to do something about it."

Goh added, "I knew myself. I was a block of wood. So? It was the truth."

16 comments:

  1. A clash of egos indeed and it does PAP more harm than good. A guy who stood down from office and still cling to a ridiculous empty title ESM. Some said the abbreviation stood for extra stupid man.
    He might be a pussy when faced against that horrible man. But he will definitely show his claws and fangs against his political junior.

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  2. From Emeritus Senior Minister to Emeritus Senior Member of Parliament? What can they learn from him? That productivity means that the poh piah skin maker can make more skins with experience? No wonder productivity has remained stagnant all these years. Time to reire him permanently.

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  3. A Commenter has comprehensively chronicled the Performances of
    GOH CHOK TONG, THE POLITICIAN OF SIN, at My Singapore News Blogsite.

    There are also many comments from others about Goh which are befitting of him.

    The History of Goh Chok Tong as posted there is quite long to summarize here. Please do visit My Singapore News Blogsite to read it up.
    It will be well worth Your time.

    Goh Chok Tong is described as a very crafty man by a commenter, if he is so;
    I wonder what is in his sleeves because there are strong rumours that he leads a quite formidable faction in PAP.

    patriot

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. bro, how you know what you reading is not poison letter sent by rival MIW faction? Don;t be too trusting what you read, even here. You are all blessed with something between your ears, use it for once!

      Delete
  4. This is the same bloke whom in 2006 was sent to woo Potong Pasir and Hougang back but failed?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This time he tries to lend some weight in ALjunied too.

      5years ago ah gong say Repent.
      5years later ah goh say. Sorry.
      Why huh?

      Since swiss happiness doesn't work, so the new catch word is sorry these days? Looks like there is only one kind of votes they are after. The sympathy votes.

      Delete
  5. Can a WOODEN BLOKE

    woos anyone?

    He is lucky he did not
    lose his expensive taste
    dear one.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wonder if he got a salary increment for not retiring?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. lol...retention bonus!

      How else to live on $600,000k of peanuts salary to upkeep the retirement? Is imperative he live to fight another day.

      Delete
  7. Perhaps he should sign up for courses with WDA's SkillsFuture.

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  8. PAP's Inderjit Singh openly said the Swiss standard of living has failed.

    Many people realized the high life benefited only 15% elite and billionaires. Rest 85% live in public HDB flats putting up with shitty train infrastructure, worrying retirement and rising health care cost, plus job security.

    What did they offer in return, apple to apple comparison that it warrants them to turn SG into such a megapolis? Alpine mountains and glacial lakes? Rail and speed train access to bordering cantons and countries? Universal healthcare?
    4 referendums per year voting for citizens? More civic rights?

    Now we know "Inclusive society" means including more migrants and skilled workers. You want a glimpse of our future, just look here and start digging your own rat burrows for 7m & 10m, then we can all graciously sip over a $10 cafe latte.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPNI-zuRHGw

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nett nett happiness lah.

      Delete
    2. Recall GCT mocked the first world parliament manifesto. Said it translated to " a mass of opposition candidates" which means puts us in the same league as Zimbawe and Myanmar if we were to go down that road.

      Well, did anyone even critically ask this SM and PAP if that is the same as saying mass of foreign workers/talents from third world countries will also set the nation back to the same league table as The Holy See, The UAE and Somoa when 42.9% of singapore residents here are already borned outside from God-knows where?

      So, who actually was responsible for turning First to third world with the open door policy last 10 years?

      Why talk to me about future when >half of population
      Are foreigners ? what makes you think they will know my way of life and values 30-50 years down the road and want to look after me when I became old and frail? Why bother to save for a future generation where half are foreign and economic opportunists ?

      http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/which-countries-have-the-most-immigrants/


      http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/which-countries-have-the-most-immigrants/

      Delete
  9. We will continue leveraging on his experience."//

    Is plain and clear to everyone is leveraging on his loyal vote banks from the older residents. Beyond that, he has no new ideas to contribute. Too steeped into the hard truths to be of any use for 4th generation voters.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Can I request that you write a blog about the PAP IBs?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Let me ask you.
    PAP’s “well qualified” candidates.
    “Well qualified” to do what?
    - well qualified to serve Singaporeans?
    - well qualified to serve Aliens?
    - well qualified to serve PAP?
    - well qualified to serve themselves and their cronies?
    Think first before you blindly vote for a “well qualified” PAP candidate.

    ReplyDelete