Winds of change blow on S'pore's birthday

Winds of change blow on S'pore's birthday

Karl Malakunas, Agence France-Presse, Singapore

Singapore will celebrate its 39th birthday on Monday with the focus on the nation's second-ever leadership transition, but few locals expect major changes to the way this tightly controlled city-state is run.

After 14 years as his deputy, Lee Hsien Loong, 52, will replace Goh Chok Tong, 63, as prime minister on Thursday in a well-scripted handover the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) has long planned for.

The PAP, which has dominated politics here since independence and currently holds all but two seats in parliament, prides itself on a steady political environment that fosters economic growth at the expense of social liberties.

And with the economy enjoying another prosperous period -- it is officially forecast to grow 5.5-7.5 percent this year -- Singaporeans from a wide range of sectors interviewed by AFP believe Lee will not dramatically alter the PAP's winning formula.

"I think as far as continuity and familiarity is concerned, economists and investors would be quite pleased," said Nizam Idris, a regional economist with research house IDEAglobal.

"There's not going to be any surprises and people are familiar with what he stands for."

Nizam emphasised that Lee, as central bank chairman for the past six years and finance minister since 2001, had been largely responsible for much of the recent restructuring of Singapore's economy.

On the social front, Lee still walks in the shadow of his famously authoritarian father and the nation's first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, who remains a powerful figure as a Cabinet minister despite turning 81 next month.

"I can't imagine he (the younger Lee) represents anything more than a new face of the old order, not a new order," local gay rights activist Alex Au said.

"It (the leadership change) is the biggest non-event. He's been deputy prime minister for 14 years... he represents nothing new."

Au has led an unsuccessful campaign for years for gay groups to be allowed to register as societies in Singapore, where homosexual acts are illegal.

Steve Chia, one of Singapore's rare non-PAP politicians and a relatively vocal government critic, also agrees there will be few major economic or political changes, but does have some expectations on social reform.

"Socially, I believe he will continue toward a more open and consultative direction," Chia said.

"He has said publicly that the government does not have a monopoly on ideas, and so I think that attitude will shape his way of managing policies.