When the younger brother of PM Lee joined an opposition party – the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), many assumed he would run for office.
What could be more entertaining than an election during a pandemic with a sprinkle of sibling rivalry?
But alas, we won’t get to see televised debates between the Prime Minister and Lee Hsien Yang that end in hair-pulling and wet fingers in ears.
Lee certainly kept his cards close to his chest though, so much so that his own party members didn’t know if he was running in this year’s General Election.
Fellow Party Members Didn’t Know If He Would Run
Speculation that Lee Hsien Yang would contest in GE2020 only grew after he made an appearance near a nomination centre on Nomination Day.
When asked if he would be contesting, Lee said: “”You wait and see.”
Well, we waited, and now we have seen.
But it seems like we weren’t the only ones who had to wait till the last minute.
Terence Soon, who’s part of PSP’s team contesting in Tanjong Pagar GRC, said none of its members actually knew what would happen with Lee.
They only got their answer when Lee parted ways with them after walking them to the nomination centre at Bendemeer Primary School.
So, why isn’t Lee running for office?
“Singapore Doesn’t Need Another Lee”
In a Facebook post shared a couple of hours after after nominations for the polls closed, Lee explained that he’s chosen not to stand for political office because he’s against “dynastic politics”.
As Lee said, entering politics would have been the most natural thing to do, being the son of Singapore’s first Prime Minister.
“But political leadership in Singapore needs to be much more than about one family or one man. The empirical evidence shows that dynastic politics causes bad government.”
Political dynasties refer to a family or group that maintains power for several generations.
Lee says that when people enter politics “on the back of the family name, they are often evaluated based on their parents and not their performance.”
He calls this an “unfair advantage” that “undermines meritocracy”.
“How can we expect politicians to hold each other to account if they are blood relations?”.
“I have chosen not to stand for political office because I believe Singapore does not need another Lee”, he said.
I assume he’s talking about his own family members, and not everyone named Lee in Singapore because that would rule quite a sizeable chunk of the population out of politics.
Reader named Lee: Phew
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Lee is, however, interested in politics, and believes that people can be involved in several ways.
“I am involved through speaking up, by supporting candidates and parties I believe in, by contributing my time, ideas and resources to causes I support, and by seeking an open and independent media”.
“I do not seek power, prestige or financial rewards of political office. I hope to be a catalyst for change”, he said.
This entire Facebook post is a bit like your ex posting seemingly generic tweets about “bad partners”, when you and all your friends know it’s about you.
Politics is For Everyone
Lee said that he has been approached by Singaporeans several times in the last few years asking him to stand for political office, something which has humbled him.
Lee believes that it’s because the country “no longer has the leadership it needs”.
“The rising anger and frustrations of the populace speak for itself. The PAP has lost its way” he wrote.
Lee ends his post urging Singaporeans to take action and “rescue the future of the country we love”.
“Politics is not just for politicians. It is for every citizen”, he said.
Polling Stations
As you know, Polling Day (10 July) is just over a week away.
If you’re not sure where you’re supposed to vote, you can check your polling station and time slot here by entering your NRIC.
You can also check the queue at your polling station on Polling Day by visiting this website.
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