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Coffee Shop Talk - LHL: No minority S'pore PM yet</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
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Nov 8, 2008
No minority S'pore PM yet
Mr Lee said race is still a factor that determines voters' preferences here, although he noted this is shifting. -- ST PHOTO: ALBERT SIM
SINGAPORE may have a non-Chinese Prime Minister one day but that is unlikely to happen anytime soon, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday, four days after Americans elected their first African-American president.
Mr Lee said race is still a factor that determines voters' preferences here, although he noted this is shifting.
He was replying to a question from Association of Muslim Professionals board member Yang Razali Kassim at a dialogue yesterday to mark the 20th anniversary of Mesra, a council that coordinates Malay grassroots activities at constituencies.
Mr Yang Razali had asked if, in light of Americans electing their first black president, Singapore was ready for a PM from a minority community, specifically, the Malay-Muslim community.
Said Mr Lee, 'It's possible. It depends on how people vote, on who has the confidence of the population.'
'Will it happen soon? I don't think so, because you have to win votes.'
'Will it happen soon? I don't think so, because finally you have to win votes and to win votes, these candidates, who votes for whom and what makes him identify with that person, these are sentiments which will not completely disappear for a long time, even if people do not talk about it, even if people wish they did not feel it, but the sentiments are still there, and people have to feel comfortable, and the whole community, the whole population, whole electorate have to feel comfortable, have to identify with this person, that he is the leader for all of us.
'If you ask me candidly, I would say yes it is possible but I don't think it's going to happen soon.'
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Nov 8, 2008
No minority S'pore PM yet
Mr Lee said race is still a factor that determines voters' preferences here, although he noted this is shifting. -- ST PHOTO: ALBERT SIM
SINGAPORE may have a non-Chinese Prime Minister one day but that is unlikely to happen anytime soon, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday, four days after Americans elected their first African-American president.
Mr Lee said race is still a factor that determines voters' preferences here, although he noted this is shifting.
He was replying to a question from Association of Muslim Professionals board member Yang Razali Kassim at a dialogue yesterday to mark the 20th anniversary of Mesra, a council that coordinates Malay grassroots activities at constituencies.
Mr Yang Razali had asked if, in light of Americans electing their first black president, Singapore was ready for a PM from a minority community, specifically, the Malay-Muslim community.
Said Mr Lee, 'It's possible. It depends on how people vote, on who has the confidence of the population.'
'Will it happen soon? I don't think so, because you have to win votes.'
'Will it happen soon? I don't think so, because finally you have to win votes and to win votes, these candidates, who votes for whom and what makes him identify with that person, these are sentiments which will not completely disappear for a long time, even if people do not talk about it, even if people wish they did not feel it, but the sentiments are still there, and people have to feel comfortable, and the whole community, the whole population, whole electorate have to feel comfortable, have to identify with this person, that he is the leader for all of us.
'If you ask me candidly, I would say yes it is possible but I don't think it's going to happen soon.'
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