Today-May 13
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said on multiple occasions that he wants to hand Singapore over to his successor “in good order”. And in good order he has: By many matrices, the country’s third Prime Minister is indeed leaving the state of the country better than before he took office back on Aug 12, 2004 – one that is more prosperous, developed and equal. Analysts told CNA that Mr Lee’s tenure has left its mark on the political and societal landscape of Singapore, as he led the country through periods of crisis and recovery, and a pivot towards a softer, more collaborative approach to governance. He has been a leader whose Government implemented policies on the domestic front to help people uplift themselves, who has taken on the challenge of difficult and controversial decisions such as repealing the law banning gay sex, and who has looked towards Singapore’s long-term future with infrastructure projects such as the Tuas mega port, the analysts added. Over the last 20 years, Singapore’s gross domestic product has more than doubled, from S$228 billion to S$532 billion (US$168 billion to US$392 billion). The median gross monthly income has also climbed from S$2,326 to S$5,197. Under Mr Lee’s watch, Singapore saw lower inequality, with the Gini coefficient after government transfers and taxes dropping from 0.42 to 0.37. The Gini coefficient shows the gap between the richest and poorest in a country’s income or wealth distribution, with 0 being perfect equality and 1 being perfect inequality. Mr Lee has also steered Singapore into becoming a hotspot for the world, with annual visitor arrivals climbing from 8.3 million to 13.6 million. Singapore’s economy has also benefited from a surge in free trade agreements, from just five in 2004 to the current 27. Mr Lee’s Government has been ahead of the curve in dealing with social stratification, identity politics, class and race, said Dr Gillian Koh, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). Read more at: https://www.todayonline.com/news/handing-over-singapore-good-order-legacy-lee-hsien-loong-2420266
