Recently, Singapore's prime minister's preparation for the handover has sparked heated discussions.
The British magazine "The Economist" also commented on this, saying that Singapore has only three leaders since its founding, and the incoming Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is a stranger to most Singaporeans, and does not seem to be the first choice of the fourth generation of leaders, just because Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat withdrew from the "Prime Minister Race" in 2021.
Immediately after the review was published, Singapore's Home Minister Shanmugam replied on Facebook, in which Shanmugam said that Singapore was a former British colony, but now it is doing better, and the Economist's current attitude may stem from a deep intolerable attitude of the British. He gave many examples of leadership transitions, economics, etc., and compared them with the United Kingdom.
He also mentioned that Singapore's GDP has grown from US$500 (S$680) during the colonial period to more than US$80,000 (S$108,813) now. A recent Forbes report also shows that Singapore's GDP per capita is the fifth highest in the world, far surpassing the UK.
Commenting on the comments about the "docile" Singaporean media, Shanmugham said: "Clearly, The Economist prefers the current situation in the UK: one person can control the major media, politicians can be courteous to it, and media owners can influence who is elected and who becomes prime minister." ”
The commentary also mentioned that the PAP will still win in the upcoming party elections in Singapore, thanks to a strong party organization, a tough crackdown on opposition parties and docile local media.
Shanmugam concluded by writing on Facebook that Singapore is doing better in terms of social services, security and social cohesion, ending with a powerful rhetorical question to The Economist: "What is the price of your ridicule?"
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Shanmugam Facebook, The Economist, Singapore Eye丨Image source
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