I REFER to the letters, 'Non-Chinese PM for S'pore? Why not?' by Mr Ch'ng Poh Tiong (ST, Nov 29), and 'Chinese Singaporeans not ready for non-Chinese PM' by Mr Raymond Lo Wan Mou (ST, Dec 1).

Full Story

personally i believe most Singaporeans are apathetic to the point that they don't really care what race is the PM....unless it is Caucasian or African, etc

If anything, the ascendency of China in this century is the very reason why Singapore CANNOT have a non-Chinese Singaporean as leader.

The challenge and threat that China will pose is already acutely felt by the west and pro-west. And norwhere is the contest more evident than the economic front. It's all over the news about the bad things that China's hungry hordes are manufacturing for the world to consume. What's not helping China is there is indeed fire in all that noisy smokescreen created by the west. If's its leadership is worth anything, it must be in how it can sucessfully tackle the problem posed by its own people hungry for the good life that's been denied them for decades.

Hidden behind the pesent liberal FT/FW policy is the hugh inflow of Chinese citizens. At bottom is what I call the govt's tacit policy of 'gene pool' renewal. The post war generations of Singaporeans are all but exhausted as for as their potentials are concerned.

Our base population is like an exhausted diamond mine. PAP's rule has been like one long lab human experiment and what's left at the bottom are the dregs and residues like us. So it's about time to bring in a fresh lot of guinea pigs, to bring in a fresh lot of raw recruits with all the unspolit qualities that had been all but completely destroyed by the decades of experimenmtation. Beneath this surface chaos that the based population has to suffer and put up with is a carefully controlled and calibrated new experiment. A potential Malay candidate as leader will never do because of the region we are in. Neither is an Indian one wise since India is on a headlong fight for economic and political influence with China. The sort of politics in India is also a big no-no factor- Indians can be very confrontational just for the hell of it. So a Chinese PM is perhaps the best compromise for this place. Afterall, LKY has been creful to lay the groundwork for it and the regular fire tending that it requires.

If anything, the ascendency of China in this century is the very reason why Singapore CANNOT have a non-Chinese Singaporean as leader.

The challenge and threat that China will pose is already acutely felt by the west and pro-west. And norwhere is the contest more evident than the economic front. It's all over the news about the bad things that China's hungry hordes are manufacturing for the world to consume. What's not helping China is there is indeed fire in all that noisy smokescreen created by the west. If its leadership is worth anything, it must be in how it can sucessfully tackle the problem posed by its own people hungry for the good life that's been denied them for so long.

Hidden behind the present liberal FT/FW policy is the hugh inflow of Chinese citizens. At bottom is what I call the govt's tacit policy of 'gene pool' renewal. The post war generations of Singaporeans are all but exhausted as far as their potentials are concerned.

Our base population is like an exhausted diamond mine. PAP's rule has been like one long lab human experiment and what's left at the bottom are the dredgs and residues like us. So it's about time to bring in a fresh lot of guinea pigs, to bring in a fresh lot of raw recruits with all the unspolit qualities that had been all but completely destroyed in the average Singaporeans by the decades of experimentation. Beneath this surface chaos that the based population has to suffer and put up with is a carefully controlled and calibrated new experiment. A potential Malay candidate as leader will never do because of the region we are in. Neither is an Indian one wise since India is on a head-on fight for economic and political influence with China. The sort of politics in India is also a big no-no factor- Indians can be very confrontational just for the hell of it. So a Chinese PM is perhaps the best compromise for this place. Afterall, LKY has been careful to lay the groundwork for it and the regular fire tending that it requires.

lobo that was an unwarranted racial comment.

Why is Strait Times publishing completely unnecessary letters that are obviously written along racial lines? Aren't these letters being published break the out of bounds markers specially designed for media? And why are people even responding to and discussing utterly useless topics like the colour of the skin of our PM? How about taking some time to react to the exorbitant rise in living costs that the government has yet to answer to properly?

as #8,

Would you be called the Forum Editor if you published only 'necessary' letters with economic, fiscal and bread/butter themes?

An Economic, Fiscal and Municipal Editor isn't a Forum Editor - capish?

The ST has been slammed for playing safe and you want them to play safer vis-a-vis new-generation leaders catering to less uptight voters? Which generation are you time-warped in?

Race matters in leadership to gauge electoral maturity separating form and appearance from substance. Voters should identify with character, abilities and platforms to transcend primal affinities of race, religion and culture.

That you laser-focus on costs while sweating global warming that laps the sea around your feet puts you out of whack with pressing realities - wake up, Mr Rip Van Winkle!

Similarly, the US leadership tussle between key contenders Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton isn't about race and gender only.

But how enlightened and non-partisan Americans can be should they vote in a black or female president to break the 'White Men only' stranglehold of American presidencies for more than two centuries.

It is similar to Malaysia having a Chinese to be Prime Minister. Let be realistic politically. As our President, we have the pre-selected candidate thrust upon us as we have no say in the matter. I doubt he will be elected if there is a contest with a Chinese candidate of similar statue.

Anyone who has enjoyed the movie "Guess Who's COming to Dinner?" will realise that there's a big difference between being generally liberal and genuinely liberal.
For those who have not seen it, the gist of the philosophy of the movie is, there are many liberals in the US who say "I love coloured people." but tacitly add, "I wouldn't want my daughter/son to marry one."