Can you change Lee Kuan Yew’s mind? ‘He will listen,’ says S. Jayakumar
The former senior minister unveils the robust Cabinet debates over three defining institutions published in a new book.
In his podcast with The Straits Times opinion editor Lin Suling, S. Jayakumar discussed the complexity of governing Singapore today, compared to the era dominated by the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Jayakumar, one of the chief architects behind the creation of three unique Singapore laws – Elected Presidency, Group Representation Constituency, and Non-Constituency Member of Parliament – believes that Lee might have been more open to persuasion than commonly believed.
He further explored the reasons behind the heated debates within Lee's Cabinet, including discussions on the aforementioned laws. Jayakumar also addressed the potential need for reform in Singapore's constitutional institutions and shared insights on balancing heavy ministerial portfolios with constituency duties, as well as his experiences as J.B. Jeyaretnam's "sparring partner".
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
