SINGAPORE : Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong has suggested having a committee comprising ministers and officials to work out what new capabilities Singapore needs for the future.
Mr Goh was asked for his views on President S R Nathan's recent address to Parliament where Mr Nathan spoke about preparing Singapore for an uncertain world in the aftermath of the economic crisis.
Joining participants in a walk at East Coast on Sunday, Mr Goh - who was at his first community event after recovering from chicken pox - said he has completely recovered.
When asked what steps the government could take to tackle the economic downturn, Mr Goh said he does not see the need to convene an Economic Review Committee to handle the matter.
Mr Goh said: "The reason being this time we are suffering a collapse in global demand, so unless the US economy picks up, there is nothing much all of us can do. "
Instead, he suggested having a committee comprising ministers and officials to work out what new capabilities Singapore must have.
But he added that it was a matter for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to decide.
On Mr Nathan's point on how Singapore politics should evolve over time, Mr Goh said this should be done based on three principles.
He said: "First, (it) must be fair to all contesting political parties; (this) means changes must not be biased in terms of one party or the other. And two, it must end up after an election with a strong effective government. Thirdly, it must facilitate representation of diverse views in Parliament, including views of the opposition parties."
Turning to the recent visit by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to Singapore, Mr Goh said he was positive about bilateral ties between both countries.
He noted that as both the Malaysian and Singapore prime ministers belonged to the same generation, it was much easier for them to forge a rapport.
Mr Goh said: "But more importantly, he (PM Najib) understood and so does PM Lee that this in a way is a last chance for us to get out relations together. If both of them could not put bilateral relations on a positive footing and the legacy issues continue into the future, then it will be very difficult for the next generation of prime ministers to begin to restore relations."
As for the proposed third bridge to connect the two countries, Mr Goh said the idea has to be studied further, for the medium to long term.
Mr Goh, who proceeded to another community event, also advised older Singaporeans who might not have had chicken pox to go for a check up.
If they are not immune to the virus, he suggested that they get vaccinated to avoid complications.
Mr Goh decided to use this event to make his first community appearance, because he had been participating in it for the past two years, and also the fact that the organisers had invited him before he came down with the chicken pox virus.
Later at ITE College East, Mr Goh said he was aiming to gain full fitness in a few days. - CNA/ms
Mr Goh was asked for his views on President S R Nathan's recent address to Parliament where Mr Nathan spoke about preparing Singapore for an uncertain world in the aftermath of the economic crisis.
Joining participants in a walk at East Coast on Sunday, Mr Goh - who was at his first community event after recovering from chicken pox - said he has completely recovered.
When asked what steps the government could take to tackle the economic downturn, Mr Goh said he does not see the need to convene an Economic Review Committee to handle the matter.
Mr Goh said: "The reason being this time we are suffering a collapse in global demand, so unless the US economy picks up, there is nothing much all of us can do. "
Instead, he suggested having a committee comprising ministers and officials to work out what new capabilities Singapore must have.
But he added that it was a matter for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to decide.
On Mr Nathan's point on how Singapore politics should evolve over time, Mr Goh said this should be done based on three principles.
He said: "First, (it) must be fair to all contesting political parties; (this) means changes must not be biased in terms of one party or the other. And two, it must end up after an election with a strong effective government. Thirdly, it must facilitate representation of diverse views in Parliament, including views of the opposition parties."
Turning to the recent visit by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to Singapore, Mr Goh said he was positive about bilateral ties between both countries.
He noted that as both the Malaysian and Singapore prime ministers belonged to the same generation, it was much easier for them to forge a rapport.
Mr Goh said: "But more importantly, he (PM Najib) understood and so does PM Lee that this in a way is a last chance for us to get out relations together. If both of them could not put bilateral relations on a positive footing and the legacy issues continue into the future, then it will be very difficult for the next generation of prime ministers to begin to restore relations."
As for the proposed third bridge to connect the two countries, Mr Goh said the idea has to be studied further, for the medium to long term.
Mr Goh, who proceeded to another community event, also advised older Singaporeans who might not have had chicken pox to go for a check up.
If they are not immune to the virus, he suggested that they get vaccinated to avoid complications.
Mr Goh decided to use this event to make his first community appearance, because he had been participating in it for the past two years, and also the fact that the organisers had invited him before he came down with the chicken pox virus.
Later at ITE College East, Mr Goh said he was aiming to gain full fitness in a few days. - CNA/ms
