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Lee wants to see

| Source: REUTERS

Lee wants to see one-man-two votes

SINGAPORE (Reuter): Former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew has again raised the prospect of changing the voting system in the island republic to "some-men-two-votes", according to a report in the main local newspaper yesterday.

The Sunday Times, quoting an interview between Singapore reporters and Lee conducted at the end of his visit to Australia in April, said the Senior Minister believed the government should consider giving married men aged between 35 and 60 years, with families, an one extra vote.

"It is not necessary to change the system at present. But, later, we may have to give more weighting to the people whose views should carry more weight because their contributions are greater, and their responsibilities are greater," said Lee. "We should consider giving those between the ages of 35 and 60, married and with families, one extra vote," he said. Lee said the time period for such a change was over the next 15 to 20 years.

Lee believes the change will be needed by early next century because declining birth rates would mean the population of Singapore will comprise a greater number of retired people aged over 60.

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