The Middle East Institute (MEI) at NUS organized its annual conference on Mon (11 Feb).
MEI is an autonomous research institute within NUS, set up to advance understanding of the Middle East, and to deepen engagements between the Middle East and Asia. It aims to provide reasoned views to scholars, students, policymakers, businesses and the public through publications, lectures, consultations and outreach.
This year, its conference focused on issues with regard to China’s engagement with the Middle East.
Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong was invited to attend the conference its Guest-of-Honour while Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing was the Keynote-Speaker at the conference.
After the conference, ESM Goh decided to post a message on his Facebook page the next day (12 Feb).
ESM Goh said, “I attended the Middle East Institute-NUS conference not just as guest-of-honour but also to listen to Minister Chan Chun Sing.”
“He impressed with an insightful speech and thoughtful, succinct, clear answers in the ensuing dialogue. But as we know, one swallow does not a summer make,” he added.
According to thefreedictionary.com, the idiom, “one swallow does not a summer make”, essentially means “one piece of evidence does not mean that something is definitely the case or is going to happen”.
And according to usingenglish.com, it further clarifies that the idiom means “one good or positive event does not mean that everything is all right”.
Hence, one can only conclude that ESM Goh must have had some reservations over Chan’s ability to take over the leadership of PAP and/or Singapore.
What do you think?
