• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

Young Singaporeans might be ready for an ethnic minority PM, but not the rest of the population, says Heng Swee Keat

by The Online Citizen
29/03/2019
in Current Affairs, Politics
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0

While young Singaporeans might be “quite comfortable” with the prospect of being led by a Prime Minister (PM) of a minority race, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat is sceptical as to whether the same viewpoint is shared by other Singaporeans, particularly those from older generations.

Mr Heng’s statement was made in response to a question posed by Assistant Professor Walid Jumblatt Abdullah of Nanyang Technological University (NTU)’s School of Social Sciences’ public policy and global affairs programme at a forum at the university on Thu (28 Mar).

TODAY reported Asst Prof Walid as saying to Mr Heng: “Is it Singapore who is not ready for a non-Chinese prime minister, or is it the PAP (the ruling People’s Action Party) who is not ready for a non-Chinese prime minister?”

The academician also highlighted the example of Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, whose constituency’s elections results demonstrated his popularity with Singaporeans who were keen on seeing him taking up the PM post.

Citing the results of a survey by market research consultancy Blackbox in 2016, TODAY noted that “Mr Tharman was the top choice among Singaporeans to succeed Mr Lee, with 69 per cent of almost 900 respondents indicating that they would support him to be the candidate for prime minister”.

Mr Heng, who is poised to become the successor of PM Lee Hsien Loong, had asked the audience to raise their hands if they were happy to have a non-Chinese PM, The Straits Times observed.

In turn, many audience members out of the 700 students present at the ministerial forum organised by NTU’s Students’ Union had raised their hands.

Following the audience’s response, Mr Heng went on to say: “My own experience in walking the ground, in working with different people from all walks of life, is that the views — if you go by age and by life experience — would be very different”.

However, he acknowledged that it is a good thing for the young generation to be “quite comfortable” with being led by an ethnic minority PM, as it is a reflection of the Government’s success in cultivating unity amongst Singaporeans “regardless of race, language or religion”.

“So that is why our young people grow up in a very different way and therefore you are quite ready.

“I do think that at the right time, when enough people think that way, we would have, we may have, a minority who becomes the leader of the country.”

“But if you ask me, that whether across the voting population, would that be the outcome, I personally don’t think so,” ST quoted him as saying.

Malay-reserved 2017 Presidential Election “not contradictory” to the unpreparedness of many Singaporeans for a minority race PM: Heng Swee Keat

Mr Heng also said that the 2017 Presidential Election, which was reserved for Malay candidates, was “not contradictory” to his statement regarding Singaporeans’ readiness – or a lack thereof – to have a PM from a minority race.

Responding to a question from Asst Prof Walid, Mr Heng said: “It is precisely because we need to place this emphasis institutionally that we recognise that we have not arrived. It is important for us to ensure that we have that safeguard.”

“I can tell you that it is not easy because it triggers all the feelings about race, which are not obvious. But when it comes to an election, it becomes an issue,” he stressed.

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.

Related Posts

Venerable Master Hsing Yun passed away at age 97
Arts & Culture

Venerable Master Hsing Yun passed away at age 97

06/02/2023
No response from Josephine Teo on whether Mediacorp has been instructed to stop coverage of SMT circulation scandal
Singapore

No response from Josephine Teo over alleged blackout of coverage by Mediacorp over SMT circulation scandal

06/02/2023
Earthquake victims stage demonstration after Cianjur Regency Govt cancels temporary housing assistance of US$68 per family
Indonesia

Earthquake victims stage demonstration after Cianjur Regency Govt cancels temporary housing assistance of US$68 per family

06/02/2023
The uncomfortable past appointments by PAP members for CPIB in Keppel’s corruption scandal
Singapore

The uncomfortable past appointments by PAP members for CPIB in Keppel’s corruption scandal

06/02/2023
Not the first time, Tong Chong Heong, former KOM senior executive, was involved in corruption at Keppel
People

Not the first time, Tong Chong Heong, former KOM senior executive, was involved in corruption at Keppel

06/02/2023
Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud
Business

Adani stock rout raises questions about India’s credibility even as S’pore becomes #1 investor in India

06/02/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Venerable Master Hsing Yun passed away at age 97

Venerable Master Hsing Yun passed away at age 97

06/02/2023
No response from Josephine Teo on whether Mediacorp has been instructed to stop coverage of SMT circulation scandal

No response from Josephine Teo over alleged blackout of coverage by Mediacorp over SMT circulation scandal

06/02/2023
Earthquake victims stage demonstration after Cianjur Regency Govt cancels temporary housing assistance of US$68 per family

Earthquake victims stage demonstration after Cianjur Regency Govt cancels temporary housing assistance of US$68 per family

06/02/2023
The uncomfortable past appointments by PAP members for CPIB in Keppel’s corruption scandal

The uncomfortable past appointments by PAP members for CPIB in Keppel’s corruption scandal

06/02/2023
Not the first time, Tong Chong Heong, former KOM senior executive, was involved in corruption at Keppel

Not the first time, Tong Chong Heong, former KOM senior executive, was involved in corruption at Keppel

06/02/2023
Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Adani stock rout raises questions about India’s credibility even as S’pore becomes #1 investor in India

06/02/2023
Sixteen killed in China highway pile-up

Sixteen killed in China highway pile-up

05/02/2023

Are IT jobs in Singapore flooded by foreigners?

05/02/2023

Trending posts

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
25

...

Cognizant India transfers staff to work in Singapore as recently as this year

Local IT grads can’t find jobs while engineers constantly transferred from India to work in SG under CECA

by Correspondent
05/02/2023
48

...

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

by Augustine Low
01/02/2023
47

...

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

by Correspondent
03/02/2023
26

...

Excessively charging for an essential need, and calling it affordable because people still can pay for it?

by Terry Xu
31/01/2023
40

...

Singapore Law Watch removes commentary on CPIB’s decision to not prosecute former Keppel executives

Singapore Law Watch removes commentary on CPIB’s decision to not prosecute former Keppel executives

by The Online Citizen
02/02/2023
19

...

March 2019
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Feb   Apr »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

wpDiscuz