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Jamus Lim’s three-week sabbatical at Stanford College, California has plenty of positives, together with that Singapore politics is maturing. However first, it provides me an opportunity to speak about one other sabbatical means again in 1968 which had some impression on Singapore’s relationship with the US.
On the age of 45 and already having served virtually a decade as Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew landed in Harvard College in 1968 for a three-month attachment as a Fellow of the Institute of Politics of the Kennedy College of Authorities. The Harvard Crimson reported Lee as saying, “I’m right here to relaxation, to rethink, to reformulate insurance policies, to get recent concepts, to fulfill stimulating minds, to return enriched with a recent burst of enthusiasm for what I do,” he mentioned. “I intend to check all of the issues I’ve been doing advert hoc with out the correct tutoring the previous 10 years.
“He indicated he deliberate to spend most of his time right here speaking to professors, particularly about economics, historical past, political science, sociology and anthropology—’the issues which is able to allow me to fulfill issues, the doctrines and theories which is able to represent our issues within the coming years.’ ”
The remaining was historical past. He benefited from the expertise and publicity. Singapore-US relationship has been good proper updated, give and take a hiccup from time to time. Tellingly, Harvard College subsequently turned virtually a should place to go for “recent concepts” for a lot of prime Singapore leaders, together with Lee Hsien Loong, the present PM, and Lawrence Wong, the following PM-to-be.
The three-month Harvard for LKY might have been shorter.
In 1980, I used to be within the US myself for a one-and-half month US authorities customer programme which took me to, amongst many locations, the Rand Company, a assume tank, in Santa Monica, California. Throughout a lunch hosted by a Rand director, he advised me: “Your PM almost ruined my profession. I used to be instructed to work out a month-and-half lengthy programme for him. Rand is only a analysis facility. One week, sure. One and a half months, onerous to do. He can be bored. Fortunately, my boss got here again to inform me Lee Kuan Yew was coming to Rand for under a few days as a result of he determined to spend extra time at Harvard. What a reduction!”
I discovered later in my profession that LKY actually made full use of his international contacts’ experience to assist clear up lots of Singapore’s issues.
Likewise, Jamus Lim would possible take the identical highway.
The Straits Occasions reported:
“Prof Lim will probably be in California, the place he’s attending the annual Draper Hills Summer season Fellow Programme, which started in 2005, at Stanford College’s Centre on Democracy, Growth and the Rule of Regulation.
“In response to the college’s web site, it’s a three-week coaching programme for international democratic leaders holding senior roles of their respective fields comparable to enterprise, authorities or the non-profit sector.”
I see all this as an all-win improvement for Singapore politics.
Jamus Lim will return to Parliament after his sabbatical with broader views helpful for higher debates.
His sabbatical is feasible as a result of the Opposition just isn’t so small and weak right now. The Employees’ Celebration has sufficient nonetheless lively former MPs like Low Thia Khiang and Png Eng Huat to cowl Lim’s work within the ward.
Youthful Singaporeans who consider that we’d like a extra balanced political system will probably be inspired. Youthful Opposition politicians could have as many alternatives for self-development – as a part of the nationwide lifelong leaning mantra – as anybody.
Let not Jamus Lim’s happening a three-week sabbatical be a rarity. It ought to be a welcome norm for all our youthful politicians.
Politics is about progress, recent pondering and new concepts – and never being caught in group assume or a frogs’ effectively.
Tan Bah Bah, consulting editor of TheIndependent.Sg, is a former senior chief author with The Straits Occasions. He was additionally managing editor of {a magazine} publishing firm.
The submit Jamus Lim goes to Stanford: might he blaze the path for Opposition appeared first on The Unbiased Singapore Information – Newest Breaking Information
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