SG 4G leaders: Many want to be PM

"..so they have to decide very quickly.." ESM Goh forced the pace of choosing the next PM on the 4G leaders. It is regrettable that he had to do this publicly.

In our system even if you harbor ambition to be the PM, it is absolutely politically incorrect to admit that. We just saw it happened not for the PM's job but the president as well. We prized humility but since true humility is so scarce then many of them just have to fake it. Humility became "he has no airs"

The reason why the 4G is not making better progress to choose the leader among them is simply because a few of them want the job and more importantly judged that they have a good chance of getting it. The result is a decision can only be made when they have practically run out of time. That is a terrible idea and ESM Goh would not stand for it.

I think over time we are witnessing the weakening of commitment of our leaders to Singapore to those who are more interested in their own legacies. Unless you risk losing your lives if this place fails which was what was at stake for the founder leaders nobody can resist the urge to make sure their contribution will not be forgotten. Not Churchill or even Lincoln.

To be realistic we need more checks and balance on our leaders since it is a given that a stronger and more secure Singapore will not produce leaders that will always put this country ahead of their self interest. Sometimes they don't just worry excessively over their legacies, they may or it is simply a matter of time prove to be corrupt and greedy as well. See how they have gutted the powers of the two-keys system in the presidency? Not encouraging.

Lao Zi said this on leadership:

 “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”

Lao Zi was too idealistic but he had at least conceptualized the holy grail of leadership. We cannot achieve that but we must keep trying. We need to be more democratic but without going overboard until democracy becomes the reason for bad governance.

What is humility in a national leader for Singapore? "Let Singapore increase and I decrease" Are you willing to be forgotten for Singapore's sake? I don't think so and we must help you put Singaporeans especially the next generation first.