Latest news with #ESMGoh
AsiaOne
01-05-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
'It misleads the voters': ESM Goh Chok Tong calls out claims that losing ministers won't weaken govt, Singapore News
Claims from opposition parties that losing political office holders won't weaken the government is "plain and simple" electioneering, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. In a Facebook post on Wednesday (April 30), ESM Goh provided his take on the potential impact that losing ministers could have on the government, using the analogy of a football team. He wrote: "If four seasoned members of a football team's starting 11 are absent, will the team be weaker? According to the opposition, the answer is 'no'. Because you can use the reserves, they say." ESM Goh, who turns 84 later this month, questioned this train of thought, and stated that, even with "capable substitutes", nothing beats having "your first team on the field". Continuing with his analogy, he provided the potential scenario of The Workers' Party (WP) winning all 26 seats they are contesting in and the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) winning five seats in West Coast-Jurong West GRC. ESM Goh asked: "What is the scoreline then? Sixty-six PAP (People's Action Party) MPs and 31 opposition MPs. Ten political office holders lost, including four seasoned Cabinet ministers." The ministers referred to are Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong who is a Punggol GRC candidate; Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong who's running in East Coast GRC; Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli running in Tampines GRC and National Development Minister Desmond Lee running in West Coast-Jurong West GRC. ESM Goh, who was the Prime Minister of Singapore between 1990 and 2004, stressed that such an outcome would make it "difficult" for PM Lawrence Wong to compete with other nations on the world stage. "In a world at risk of becoming 'might is right', we need the strongest team for our little red dot. If the opposition continues to assert that the government will not be weakened, that is electioneering, plain and simple. It misleads the voters," he added. "Singapore deserves the best team to lead us domestically and internationally. It also deserves honest political debate." 'Voters cannot have both' In a separate Facebook post on April 25, ESM Goh urged voters to consider the impact of their votes. He noted that voters want PAP to form the government while "understandably" also wanting to return more opposition candidates to parliament. But, according to ESM Goh, "voters cannot have both" and must decide to choose one or the other. For our GE2025 microsite, visit here. [[nid:717359]] amierul@
Straits Times
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
GE2025: ‘Plain and simple' electioneering to state losing ministers won't weaken Govt, says ESM Goh
Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng greeting supporters before a PAP rally at Keat Hong Plaza on April 26. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE - The opposition's assertions that the PAP government will not be weakened if it loses ministers is 'plain and simple' electioneering that misleads voters, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. In a Facebook post on April 30, ESM Goh used the analogy of a football team t o refer to Singapore's political office-holders. 'If four seasoned members of a football team's starting eleven are absent, will the team be weaker? According to the Opposition, the answer is 'no'. Because you can use the reserves, they say,' he wrote. 'How can that be? Even with capable substitutes, nothing beats having your first team on the field,' he said. ESM Goh, who was Singapore's second prime minister, painted the scenario of the WP winning all 26 seats it is contesting at the general election, and the PSP winning 5 seats in West Coast-Jurong West GRC. This would result in a 'scoreline' of 66 PAP MPs and 31 opposition MPs, ESM Goh noted. The WP is fielding 26 candidates in 3 SMCs and 5 GRCs, including East Coast GRC, Punggol GRC and Tampines GRC. The PAP losing in these eight constituencies and West Coast-Jurong West would mean the loss of 10 political office-holders, ESM Goh said. These include four seasoned ministers - Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong who is contesting Punggol GRC, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong in East Coast GRC, Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli in Tampines GRC and National Development Minister Desmond Lee in West Coast-Jurong West GRC. 'This will undeniably hamstring PM Wong for the upcoming term of government. He will find it difficult to play against other teams on the global stage,' he said. 'In a world at risk of becoming 'might is right', we need the strongest team for our little red dot.' ESM Goh had, in an April 25 Facebook post, made the point that voters have to decide between having more opposition in Parliament and a weaker government, or giving PM Wong and the PAP a strong mandate to govern Singapore. On April 30, he said: 'Singapore deserves the best team to lead us domestically and internationally. It also deserves honest political debate.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
GE2025: Voters must choose if they want weaker govt with more opposition, or strong mandate for PAP, says ESM Goh
GE2025: Voters must choose if they want weaker govt with more opposition, or strong mandate for PAP, says ESM Goh SINGAPORE – Voters must decide if they want more opposition in Parliament and a weaker government, or to give Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and the PAP a strong mandate to govern Singapore, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. In a Facebook post on April 25, ESM Goh noted that many voters want the PAP to form the government and 'understandably, also want to return more opposition candidates to Parliament'. 'This is like wanting to spend more today and save more for a rainy day at the same time. The reality is voters cannot have both,' wrote Mr Goh, 83, who was Singapore's second prime minister. Citing his personal experience, ESM Goh said the prime minister of a small country needs 'both quality and quantity of MPs in Parliament to have political strength and stature to lead Singapore, especially at a critical juncture of geopolitical rivalry, tension, and disruptive challenges'. He likened political contests to a boxing competition. 'There can be only one winner,' he said. 'No boxer steps into the ring declaring that he only wants to check his opponent or be his sparring partner forever. He is out to knock out the other fellow, if not now, then in future contests. 'Similarly, no political party should be satisfied with being a loyal opposition forever,' said ESM Goh, who served as prime minister from November 1990 to August 2004. Citing remarks by PM Wong, he said that opposition candidates and their parties must therefore be judged by the same yardstick as voters would judge the PAP and its candidates – 'as a potential ruling party'. The outcome of a political battle is more consequential than that of a boxing competition, ESM Goh said. 'Fortunately, we voters are not just spectators at the ringside. We decide the outcome through our vote. How we vote will determine our lives now and beyond this electoral cycle,' he added. 'We must reflect on how we want to secure our future: a stronger opposition and a weakened government or a strong, good government and a politically stable Parliament as in the last one.' ESM Goh, who was an MP in Marine Parade for 44 years before stepping down in 2020, also said in his post that he had met MP-elect Goh Pei Ming on April 25. Mr Goh Pei Ming, 43, is part of the PAP team in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC that was elected unopposed on Nomination Day after a walkover. He has taken over the Marine Parade ward that ESM Goh oversaw. On meeting ESM Goh, Mr Goh Pei Ming said he is 'humbled to walk the same path he once took in Marine Parade and inspired by his words to 'keep Singapore going''. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
AsiaOne
26-04-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
ESM Goh Chok Tong says voters must choose either a 'stronger opposition and a weakened govt' or a 'strong, good govt' , Singapore News
Voters must choose between having more opposition in Parliament and a weaker Government, or a strong mandate for PM Lawrence Wong and his team to govern Singapore, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. In a Facebook post on Friday (April 25), ESM Goh weighed in on the upcoming General Election, urging voters to consider the impact of their votes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Goh Chok Tong (@mparader_) He posted that voters want the People's Action Party (PAP) to form the government, while "understandably" also wanting to return more opposition candidates into Parliament. "This is like wanting to spend more today and save more for a rainy day at the same time," said ESM Goh, who was the Prime Minister of Singapore between 1990 and 2004. Voting more opposition candidates into Parliament will result in a "weaker government", he added. 'Voters cannot have both' On the other hand, voting for the PAP will strengthen their majority and "give PM Lawrence Wong and his party a strong mandate to govern Singapore". "The reality is voters cannot have both. They must decide to choose one or the other," he said. ESM Goh drew on his personal experience as PM, saying that "a small country needs both quality and quantity of MPs in Parliament to have political strength and stature to lead Singapore". He also emphasised the current uncertainty in the geopolitical landscape due to trade barriers and global tariffs, echoing the sentiments shared by PM Wong during his first rally speech where he quoted the late Lee Kuan Yew: "This is not a game of cards. This is your life and my life." ESM Goh also likened the election to a boxing competition where there can only be one winner. "No boxer steps into the ring declaring that he only wants to check his opponent or be his sparring partner forever. He is out to knock out the other fellow, if not now, then in future contests." Similarly, voters have to hold candidates from the opposition to the same standard as those from PAP. Voters are not like spectators at the ringside, however, and have the capacity to decide the outcome with their vote, said ESM Goh. "We must reflect on how we want to secure our future: A stronger opposition and a weakened government or a strong, good government and a politically stable Parliament as in the last one," he cautioned. ESM Goh was an MP in Marine Parade for 44 years, which had been an SMC for 12 years before becoming a GRC. He retired from politics in 2020. In his post, ESM Goh also said he met the incoming MP for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, Goh Pei Ming. Goh is part of the five-member PAP team that was elected unopposed on Nomination Day after a walkover. "I'm humbled to walk the same path he once took in Marine Parade...I'll do my best, every step of the way," said Goh Pei Ming after meeting ESM Goh. For our GE2025 microsite, visit here. [[nid:717225]]
Straits Times
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Voters must choose if they want weaker govt with more opposition, or strong mandate for PAP: ESM Goh
Voters must choose if they want weaker govt with more opposition, or strong mandate for PAP: ESM Goh SINGAPORE – Voters must decide if they want more opposition in Parliament and a weaker government, or to give Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and the PAP a strong mandate to govern Singapore, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. In a Facebook post on April 25, ESM Goh noted that many voters want the PAP to form the government and 'understandably, also want to return more opposition candidates to Parliament'. 'This is like wanting to spend more today and save more for a rainy day at the same time. The reality is voters cannot have both,' wrote Mr Goh, 83, who was Singapore's second prime minister. Citing his personal experience, ESM Goh said the prime minister of a small country needs 'both quality and quantity of MPs in Parliament to have political strength and stature to lead Singapore, especially at a critical juncture of geopolitical rivalry, tension, and disruptive challenges'. He likened political contests to a boxing competition. 'There can be only one winner,' he said. 'No boxer steps into the ring declaring that he only wants to check his opponent or be his sparring partner forever. He is out to knock out the other fellow, if not now, then in future contests.' 'Similarly, no political party should be satisfied with being a loyal opposition forever,' said ESM Goh, who served as prime minister from November 1990 to August 2004. Citing remarks by PM Wong, he said that opposition candidates and their parties must therefore be judged by the same yardstick as voters would judge the PAP and its candidates – 'as a potential ruling party'. The outcome of a political battle is more consequential than that of a boxing competition, ESM Goh said. 'Fortunately, we voters are not just spectators at the ringside. We decide the outcome through our vote. How we vote will determine our lives now and beyond this electoral cycle,' he added. 'We must reflect on how we want to secure our future: a stronger opposition and a weakened government or a strong, good government and a politically stable Parliament as in the last one.' ESM Goh, who was an MP in Marine Parade for 44 years before stepping down in 2020, also said in his post that he had met newly elected MP Goh Pei Ming on April 25. Mr Goh Pei Ming, 43, is part of the PAP team in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC that was elected unopposed on Nomination Day after a walkover. He has taken over the Marine Parade ward that ESM Goh oversaw. On meeting ESM Goh, Mr Goh Pei Ming said he is 'humbled to walk the same path he once took in Marine Parade and inspired by his words to 'keep Singapore going''. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
