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Can Lee Hsien Loong handle Mahathir if there is a change of government in Malaysia?


If there is a change of government in the coming Malaysian general election, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad will, once again, become the prime minister of Malaysia. It means Lee Hsien Loong, like his father, will have to face Mahathir (and later Anwar) as the fourth PM of Singapore is yet to announce.

This will keep Lee business from May 2018 until the next GE.  He will not only face an old man but an experienced and skilled politician. In 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, Mahathir used capital control to fight against currency speculators, like George Soros. In 2006, “Malaysian ex-premier Mahathir and billionaire Soros end feud” . http://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-12-15/malaysian-ex-premier-mahathir-and-billionaire/2154878

While in Singapore, we are now worrying over the influence of Soros over our local politics.

Mahathir used capital control in 1997 to handle people like George Soros. While in Singapore, besides company registration control, what will Lee Hsien Loong use to face off George Soros?






Is Mahathir at such an old age standing against Najib an unexpected event?

It is not unexpected.  Like Lee Kuan Yew, it is in Mahathir’s blood that when he sees something wrong in Malaysia, he will stand up and fight against it.

Here are quotes from Lee Kuan Yew on leadership and motivation.

On leadership and motivation:


“Even from my sick bed, if you are going to lower me into the grave and I feel something is going wrong, I will get up.”

“What I fear is complacency. When things always become better, people tend to want more for less work.”
“I do not yet know of a man who became a leader as a result of having undergone a leadership course.”
https://crowdsourcingweek.com/blog/10-memorable-quotes-singapores-founding-prime-minister-lee-kuan-yew/
  
And Mahathir chooses to leave UMNO and setting up a new party to protect the Malays and Bumiputera.

[Lee Kuan Yew values, Mahathir values]

Standing up for your country and fight for the core values are important motivation moving forward.  

It seems the current government leaders in both Singapore and Malaysia have “values” issues. They are moving away from the founding values of the PAP, UNMO, Lee Kuan Yew and Tunku Abdul Rahman.

In Singapore, Lee is challenged by his siblings and is accused of being a 'dishonourable son' for failing to maintain Lee Kuan Yew values.
https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/What-Has-Happened-To-Lee-Kuan-Yews-Values.pdf

We may argue Singapore is different. We are a better run country and as efficient as other advanced economies. We also have strong reserve and less corruptions.

However, when citizens shift their focus from democracy to values judgement, meritocracy, fairness, equal opportunities and protection of rights as what Lee siblings have pointed out, they will have to think of their own future and benefits. 

Singaporeans know there are limited freedom and democracy, like PE2017 and the GRC by-election issues.  So, they want to measure their benefits against the LKY values. More unhappiness will appear when they find out the discrepancy and feel short-changed.
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