The Hindu : International : Lee to harness youth power

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 24, 2004

International

International

Lee to harness youth power

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, AUG. 23. Singapore's new Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, has set out a new agenda for his governance. Addressing the City State late at night on Sunday, Mr. Lee, who assumed office on August 12, called for "free expression" by the people, within the bounds of `responsibility', and reaffirmed Singapore's "One-China policy."

The agenda would consist of efforts to build the economy further through the creation of jobs and other means, engage the new generation, invest on the young through the promotion of education and to encourage the younger citizens to have more babies.

Free speech

Suitable incentives for raising families would be provided so that Singapore could prevent a dwindling of its population. On free speech, Mr. Lee said: "We have opened up over the years. We have got a Speakers' Corner. The degree of debate is much more than (what) we used to have. But, I think, we can go further."

Announcing that indoor-talks would be exempted from licensing-requirements, "unless they touch upon on sensitive issues like race and religion," he said the opening-up of the Speakers' Corner "is a signal" of encouraging the citizens to express their views and "take responsibility." On external relations, Mr. Lee said it should take into account the rise of China and also the opening-up by India.

Emphasising the importance of neighbours and the major powers to Singapore's foreign policy, he said the objective was to "pursue a win-win cooperation with all countries who are willing to cooperate."

Noting that Singapore's "ties with China are currently under some strain," following his "private and unofficial visit" to Taiwan last month and Beijing's protest over that, Mr. Lee said: "The cross-Strait situation is the most serious security problem in the region, the most dangerous problem. ... We are not influencing the events, but we can provide some inputs to help the key players avoid mistakes, misjudgements."

Underlining that the process of reunification of Taiwan with China "is inexorable" and that "there can be no other final outcome," he said Singapore had always observed the "one-China policy" and he would not change it.

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